You Can't Migrate What You Don't Know

Can you imagine a fleet manager not knowing how many vehicles they have, what models they were or who was driving them or their MOT status? It’s very difficult to understand how a situation like that could arise. Yet, the same situation is mirrored in today’s enterprises globally when it comes to software applications. While companies rely on hundreds of applications, across IT, sales, manufacturing, and finance, only a minority of IT Directors could honestly claim to know exactly how many applications their company really has. And as to exactly how many are in active use, who uses them and how many are redundant or no longer fit for purpose – this is another question that is extremely difficult for most IT departments to answer correctly.

And while it might be easier to count vehicles that you can see and touch than pieces of software you can’t, it’s no excuse when each application costs time and money to support, and also potentially presents a security risk to the company. This overwhelming lack of awareness adds an additional layer of risk as businesses continue on their digital acceleration journeys and are preparing to migrate applications into modern cloud environments. Because, to put it simply, you can’t migrate what you don’t know, and any migration program will spiral out of control without a clear understanding of what steps need to be taken to ensure that business continues as usual while major changes are going on under the bonnet. Indeed, 62% of Digital Acceleration Programmes are delayed by 3-6 months and cost on average 40% due to a lack of understanding of the application environment.

What’s really under the bonnet?

Behind the lack of knowledge is a sense of fear. It’s a little like putting off a visit to the doctor for a regular check-up. While there’s a good chance that everything is okay, there’s still a possibility that things aren’t quite as rosy as we think they are. And when that first visit has been put off, it becomes easier and easier to postpone the following appointments. It’s the same apprehension of uncovering something unpleasant that puts firms off from embracing a proper applications audit and inventory.

Organisations that have not conducted an audit for so long can find the task is too complex, too difficult, too time-consuming, and simply too much of a headache to do it themselves. But that headache could turn out to be an expensive one if it’s not properly addressed.

There are good reasons why the volume of applications within a company can creep out of control of the IT team, despite a robust policy. The term Shadow IT captures this concept very neatly. It comprises all the smaller apps and services that companies use – perhaps on premises, or perhaps via a cloud subscription, that are embedded in the working fabric of the company, but have arrived without the explicit consent, control or management of the IT team. Shadow IT is a major source of security vulnerabilities within an enterprise, but it’s also a source of risk when it comes to migration.

Essential steps to take before a migration

Instead of playing an expensive guessing game and prolonging the migration process, enterprises need to conduct a thorough audit and inventory before the migration start date to better understand their users, devices and applications running across all departments. There are likely to be a few surprises in store that will impact the migration workflow, but there is nothing that can’t be solved if there is visibility of the issue in advance.

Understanding the application estate in its entirety prevents migrating duplications and common compatibility issues. It’s better to rationalise the application portfolio once and do it right to reduce maintenance and license costs, timescales, and engineering costs for a migration. In fact, the process of rationalising an estate will likely lead to a much-reduced app estate and typically result in 30% cost savings. Rationalising implies optimising, bringing licenses and software versions under control. At a very basic level, it’s a rewarding cost saving exercise.

Where’s the value in understanding the IT estate?

The real value lies in increasing the readiness and agility of a business to take advantage of opportunities. While the idea of agility means different things in different contexts – being ready for change, particularly in the current climate, is vital. Forward thinking firms are continually looking at opportunities, right now this might mean taking business from struggling rivals, or even considering acquisitions. Understanding the IT estate, its applications, capabilities, and true cost is fundamental to taking advantage of opportunities that may present themselves rapidly or even fleetingly.

Looking at digital acceleration through the lens of applications, means taking applications under control, and promoting their importance in the hierarchy of business assets. But once an audit has been completed, and the IT estate has been untangled, its best practice to keep it that way, which is why application management lifecycle needs to be a continual process.  In addition to an inventory, this encompasses how an application operates, optimising performance, ongoing maintenance, testing, version control, and upgrades. This activity ensures that user experience is maintained, and the application estate remains under strict control, a vital process before any migration can even be considered and a cost reducing exercise to prevent application bloat moving forward.