Application modernization
Move your application portfolio off legacy platforms, in planned waves, without disrupting the business.
Migration waves, year one
Example · a route from the 7 Rs for every application
- Wave 1
- Wave 2
- Wave 3
Finance reporting Replatform
Lift, tinker and shift: move with some optimization, such as a managed database.
What we build
Application modernization solutions
We assess your whole application portfolio, give every application a route and migrate in planned wavesGroups of applications migrated together, usually because they depend on each other., with the process and people changes that make it pay off.
Data centre exit
Move applications to the cloud before a hardware refresh or contract end.
Portfolio rationalization
Retire duplicate and unused applications and consolidate licences.
End-of-support platforms
Replace applications on unsupported operating systems, databases or frameworks.
Mergers and acquisitions
Consolidate overlapping systems after a merger.
Database migration
Move databases to managed cloud services, reconciled at every step.
Cloud cost optimization
Right-size and retire what's running to bring cloud costs back under control.

How to get started
Three steps to a plan for application modernization
- 1Tell us what you needUse the project form or book a call. A few sentences about the goal is enough to start.
- 2Free technical consultationWe go through your goals, users, existing systems and constraints with you.
- 3Your planA detailed plan covering the right tech stack, architecture, timeline and budget. Then you decide.
How it works
Every application, assessed
We score each application for business value and technical fit, place it with the TIME model and give it a route from the 7 Rs. Choose an application and change its scores.
Application portfolio assessment
Example portfolio · scores from 1 to 5 · change them and watch the decision move
| Application | Value | Fit | TIME |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.7 | 2.0 | Migrate | |
| 4.3 | 4.3 | Invest | |
| 3.3 | 2.3 | Migrate | |
| 2.0 | 3.8 | Tolerate | |
| 1.7 | 1.5 | Eliminate | |
| 2.0 | 2.8 | Eliminate |
We place each application with the TIME model by business value and technical fit. The place sets what happens to it; the 7 Rs give the route.
Application 1
Claims system (on-premises)
Business value 4.7
Technical fit 2.0
MigrateValuable, but on a weak technical base: move it to a modern platform.
Candidate routes from the 7 Rs
- Replatform (first choice): Lift, tinker and shift onto managed services, keeping the application's design.
- Refactor: Re-architect it for the cloud once it has moved, where the business case is strong.
- Repurchase: Replace it with a SaaS product if one covers the need.
A cutover, step by step
Each wave ends with a planned cutover. Choose a step to see what happens.
Rehearse
The full cutover is rehearsed in a test environment and timed.
- Runbook tested end to end
- Timings recorded for each step
Our approach
How the work runs
Inventory
Applications, owners, users, costs, dependencies and technical condition.
Assess
Each application placed by business value and technical fit (the TIME modelGartner's portfolio model: tolerate, invest, migrate or eliminate each application, by business value and technical fit.), with a route for each.
Plan waves
Applications grouped by dependency into migration waves, with a business case.
Migrate
Wave by wave, with testing, data reconciliation and cutover plans.
Optimize
Right-size cloud resources, retire old infrastructure and track costs.
What we'll need from you
Having these ready keeps the work moving.
Application owners
People who know each application's users and value.
Infrastructure access
Access for discovery tools and to current environments.
Contract information
Licence and hosting contract dates and costs.
Business testers
Users to test and sign off each wave.
Who's on the project
Our team, working with application owners from yours.
Your side
Our side
Cloud architect: Designs the landing zone and target architecture.
Services
Application modernization services
Portfolio assessment
An inventory of every application, placed by business value and technical fit, with a route for each.
Migration planning
Waves grouped by dependency and risk, a landing zoneA pre-configured cloud environment with networking, security and governance, ready for applications. and a business case.
Migration and cutover
Wave by wave, with testing, data reconciliation and cutover runbooks.
Cloud cost optimization
Right-sizing, decommissioning and FinOpsThe practice of managing cloud costs through shared responsibility between finance, technology and business teams. reporting after each wave.
Deliverables
What you receive
Each deliverable is signed off at the gate that closes its phase. Click one to mark it accepted.
In your hands
What the documentation looks like
Every project ends with documents your team can run with. Here is an excerpt of one of them.
Migration waves, year one
From the portfolio assessment
| Wave | Applications | Route | Window |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Customer portal, document store | Rehost | Q1 |
| 2 | Finance reporting | Replatform | Q2 |
| 3 | Claims system | Replatform, then refactor | Q3 |
| — | Legacy intranet, CRM #2 | Retire | Q2–Q3 |
Measuring success
How success is measured
What we report on in application modernization projects. Which measures apply, and their targets, are agreed with you at the start.
Benefits register
Applications migrated or retired
Progress through the portfolio, wave by wave.
- Data from
- The application inventory and wave plan
- Measured
- At every wave gate
The baseline is taken before anything changes; targets are agreed at the first gate.
Go / no-go for a wave
A wave goes live only when these are true. Untick one to see what blocks it.
Cutover readiness
No-go
- Missing: Data reconciled
Tick or untick checks to see the result change.
Readiness check
Are you ready for
application modernization?
Five questions, about a minute. You'll see what to settle first and a sensible starting point.
Entry criteria: Application modernization
Give each criterion a status. The gate decides from all of them.
- 1.Do you have an inventory of your applications and their owners?
- 2.Are dependencies between applications known?
- 3.Is there a driver and date, such as a contract end or end of support?
- 4.Is there a target cloud or platform decision?
- 5.Do business owners have time for testing each wave?
How to start
From first call to production
Start where you are. Each step ends with a decision, so you commit to the next one only when it makes sense.
Engagement roadmap decision gate
- Free technical consultation
- Current-state assessment
- Pilot
- Rollout
- Adopt and improve
Free technical consultation
One or two sessions
Talk through the goal, the users, the systems involved and any deadlines.
Delivered at the gate
- A clear view of scope and priorities
- A recommended next step
- A plan covering stack, architecture, timeline and budget
Estimate the value
What it could be worth to you
Enter your own figures. The formula is shown, and the estimate can go with your enquiry.
Run cost saved across the portfolio
Application modernization · your assumptions, with the formula shown
| Assumption | Value |
|---|---|
| 60 | |
| $25,000 | |
| 15% | |
| 20% |
Run cost saved
$480,000
a year
Formula: Apps × run cost × (share retired + share kept × saving)
Add to my enquiryBuild or buy
When you don't need
a custom build
Part of the free technical consultation: when an existing product covers the need, we recommend it instead of a custom build. These are the options we weigh, alongside the tools you already have.
Option C: tailored
Recommended when
- Applications need refactoring, not just moving
- Dependencies make the order complex
- Business processes change with the migration
- Several routes are needed across the portfolio
Full scope
In your industry
Where it applies
What this work delivers in the industries we serve.
Financial ServicesCore system modernizationAPI layers around core banking or policy systems, and phased migration of legacy applications without disrupting operations.
ManufacturingERP and MES integrationConnecting ERP, MES, WMS and quality systems so orders, inventory and production data stay in sync.
Technologies and standards
Chosen for your project
Each cloud's own discovery and migration tooling. Choose one to see what it's used for.
| Tool | Cloud | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| AWS | Rehosting servers with continuous replication | |
| AWS | Moving databases with minimal downtime | |
| Microsoft Azure | Discovery, assessment and migration of servers, databases and web apps | |
| Microsoft Azure | Moving SQL Server and other databases to Azure | |
| Google Cloud | Discovery, assessment and cost estimates | |
| Google Cloud | Rehosting virtual machines to Compute Engine |
AWS Transform MGN: AWS's service for rehosting physical, virtual and cloud servers to AWS, with replication and cutover.
Assessment and landing zones
- The 7 Rs
- TIME model
- AWS Well-Architected
- Microsoft Cloud Adoption Framework
Discovery and migration
- Azure Migrate
- AWS Transform MGN
- AWS Database Migration Service
- Google Cloud Migration Center
Targets
- Containers
- Managed databases
- SaaS replacements
Cost
- FinOps practices
- AWS Cost Explorer
- Azure Cost Management
Next workstream
Change management
Make sure people adopt the new way of working, and that it lasts.
Previous: Line-of-business appsSteering committee packWorkstream 06
Change management
Adopt phase
Make sure people adopt the new way of working, and that it lasts.
Questions
Common questions
about application modernization
How is this different from legacy software modernization?
Legacy software modernization rebuilds one system in depth. Application modernization works across the whole portfolio, deciding a route for every application and migrating in waves.
Which applications move first?
We start with low-risk, well-understood applications to prove the landing zone and runbooks, then move the high-value ones.
Will moving to the cloud save money?
We plan for it: savings come from retiring what isn't needed, right-sizing and managed services, and we track them wave by wave with FinOps practices.
How is a transformation engagement priced?
Assessments and pilots are delivered as fixed-price engagements; rollouts are usually delivered by a dedicated team, wave by wave. The free consultation ends with a plan covering scope, timeline and budget.
