What is Replatforming? A Guide to Transform Technology Stack

Published on November 21st, 2024

Replatforming presents a cost-effective and efficient solution for upgrading your technology stack to utilize cutting-edge technologies, enhancing performance, scalability, security, and agility. A significant number of organizations are prioritizing legacy application modernization, with 54% planning to update over half of their applications within the coming year.

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.NET was first released in 2002, making it one of the oldest modern frameworks still widely in use today.
Over 70% of Fortune 500 companies rely on .NET for critical applications.
38% of developers globally still use .NET or .NET Core, according to the 2023 Stack Overflow Developer Survey.
The global .NET developer community exceeds 8 million active members, ensuring robust support.

In 2025, the digital transformation initiatives are crucial for enhancing customer experiences, fostering innovation, and boosting business performance. When evaluating the optimal application modernization strategies, many organizations opt for replatforming to modify or reshape existing applications and their features.

This guide will explore options for modernizing legacy applications, comparing approaches such as refactor versus replatform or rehost versus replatform, with a focus on website replatforming, the benefits and challenges involved, and how to avoid common pitfalls.

Replatforming vs. Rehosting: Replatforming involves making slightly more upgrades compared to rehosting, which primarily focuses on shifting applications to a new environment without heavy alterations. Companies opting for replatforming can enjoy optimized performance and improved scalability compared to basic rehosting.
Replatforming vs. Refactoring: Refactoring involves rewriting major parts of the application to improve performance or adapt to new requirements, which is more resource-intensive than replatforming. Companies that replatform benefit from cost savings due to less complexity, while still achieving enhanced feature updates and system integrations.
Example: A retail company chose to replatform its e-commerce site, resulting in a 30% increase in page load speeds and a 20% boost in conversion rates, driving significant revenue growth with minimal disruption to its operations.

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Table of Contents

What is Replatforming?

Replatforming is a cost-effective migration process that involves upgrading a legacy tech stack to work optimally in the new technology stacks. Replatforming involves shifting digital infrastructure—such as servers, databases, applications, or websites—to a new platform to enhance performance, and scalability.

It represents one of the seven strategies within application modernization, striking a balance between completely rebuilding an application and making minimal changes. This process entails moving the essential functionality, data, and sometimes elements of design from the current platform to a new one, where the application generally retains its core operations but gains improved features, performance, and cloud capabilities like scalability.

Consequently, this approach is often referred to as “lift, tinker, and shift” or “move and improve.” Typically, re-platforming involves transitioning infrastructure from on-premise servers to the cloud, linking it closely with cloud migration and digital transformation efforts.

Did you know

Upgrading to modern .NET technologies has enabled companies to achieve remarkable improvements. Microsoft Teams scaled its backend to support over 270 million daily users, ensuring reliability during high demand. GE Aviation reduced flight data processing times by 30%, boosting operational efficiency.

Replatforming vs. Rehosting / Replatforming vs. Refactoring

Application modernization encompasses a variety of strategies aimed at updating existing systems to meet current business and technological needs. Among these, the three most prevalent approaches are Rehost, Replatform, and Refactor, colloquially known as “Move,” “Fix up,” and “Rebuild,” respectively. Each strategy reflects a unique method of modernizing applications.

When considering Replatform vs. Replacement, the decision involves weighing several critical factors. These include the application’s alignment with business goals, cost implications, the timeline for changes, and the availability of skilled personnel. If an application is largely obsolete due to outdated technology or inability to meet user needs, replacement is often the optimal choice. This allows for the integration of modern solutions tailored to the digital landscape.

Conversely, applications that remain essential but require enhancements can benefit significantly from replatforming. Replatforming offers a strategic path to augment existing systems, adding new features and leveraging advanced cloud solutions without a complete overhaul. This process not only aligns the application with present-day requirements but also ensures its adaptability to future challenges, supporting continuous business growth in a dynamic environment.

What is Website Replatforming?

Replatforming a website refers to the intricate process of migrating a site from its current infrastructure to a new one while striving to keep changes to the code or architecture at a minimum. This carefully managed process typically involves transferring the website’s design elements, content, and functionalities from one content management system (CMS) to another. For instance, it may encompass updating to a more modern CMS that offers enhanced features, improved user experience, or better security protocols.

Alternatively, it might involve shifting from a custom-built platform or a locally hosted system to a robust cloud-based solution, which can provide greater scalability, reliability, and ease of maintenance. Throughout this transition, it’s crucial to ensure that the website remains functional and that user experience is preserved, requiring thorough planning and testing to address any potential issues that may arise during the replatforming process.

What is eCommerce Replatforming?

eCommerce replatforming is a type of website replatforming that specifically caters to online businesses. It involves migrating an eCommerce site from one platform to another, to improve the overall performance and functionality of the online store. This process can be challenging as it requires careful consideration of various factors such as SEO rankings, customer data, payment gateways, integrations with third-party services, and more. However, for businesses looking to upgrade their eCommerce capabilities or move to a more modern and user-friendly platform, replatforming can offer numerous benefits.

Platform Migration: The process involves transferring an eCommerce site from its current platform to a new one, aiming to enhance its overall performance and user experience.
Performance Improvement: By replatforming, businesses can take advantage of faster, more efficient technology, which can improve site speed and reduce downtime.
SEO Consideration: Careful management is required to maintain or improve SEO rankings during the transition to prevent loss of visibility and traffic.
Data Migration: Customer information, order history, and other critical data must be securely transferred and correctly mapped to the new platform.
Payment Gateway Integration: Replatforming requires aligning with current and possibly additional payment gateways to ensure seamless transaction processes.
Third-Party Integrations: Maintaining or enhancing integrations with third-party services that support operations, like inventory and shipping solutions, is crucial for continuity.
Modernization and User Experience: Moving to a more contemporary platform can offer businesses advanced features for better user interfaces and customer journey enhancements.
Security Enhancements: New platforms typically come with better, more robust security measures to protect customer data and ensure compliance with current standards.

How Does Replatforming Work?

Replatforming involves transitioning an application to a new platform with minimal changes to the core architecture. This process begins with assessing the current application to understand its functionalities, dependencies, and technical requirements. Once the evaluation is complete, the next step involves selecting a suitable platform, often cloud-based, which aligns with the application’s needs and business objectives.

The bulk of replatforming revolves around adjusting the application’s components to leverage new platform services effectively. This might include reconfiguring the database, optimizing performance settings, or implementing automated scaling capabilities specific to the chosen platform. Throughout the process, maintaining data integrity and application performance is paramount. Testing is integral during replatforming to ensure that the adapted application functions seamlessly in its new environment, meeting both current performance standards and future scalability demands. This approach provides a balanced path to modernization, enhancing system capabilities while preserving core functionalities during the transition.

How Do You Choose the Right Replatforming Strategy?

While this post has outlined the concept and necessity of replatforming, it’s crucial to note that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all strategy for this process. Many organizations turn to methodologies like Microservices Design Patterns to facilitate this transition. One popular approach is the Strangler pattern, which assists in gradually transforming and improving legacy systems by allowing for a phased refactoring approach.

In some situations, businesses may find themselves completely content with the initial migration results, seeing no necessity for ongoing refactoring efforts. Selecting the appropriate replatforming strategy should align with the organization’s short-term objectives as well as its long-term vision. Continue reading for a deeper understanding.

When Should an Enterprise Replatform?

Most organizations today grapple with legacy applications, which are typically built on outdated software, technology, or languages. These applications often become cumbersome, challenging to maintain, and difficult to integrate with modern hardware or software. Traditionally, most legacy systems have operated as monolithic applications on-premise, though some cloud-based applications can also be deemed legacy when constructed using older frameworks or languages. Another motivating factor for replatforming is the need to expand data storage capabilities.

On-premise data storage can be expensive to scale due to the necessity of additional servers, prompting many organizations to transition to the cloud. Over time, the financial burden of maintaining legacy applications increases, compelling organizations to modernize by relocating, upgrading, or replacing these systems with those built using contemporary architectures. This process is known as application modernization. The catalysts for modernizing applications can be categorized into IT-related and business-related drivers.

IT Drivers for replatforming

Cost: The cost of maintaining legacy systems can be significantly high, as they often necessitate expensive hardware upgrades and costly software updates to ensure they remain operational and secure. These outdated systems, which may have been effective in the past, tend to become less compatible with newer technologies, leading to additional expenses.
Complexity: Legacy systems are typically complex, with various components and integrations that can be challenging to manage and maintain. These systems often lack documentation or have outdated documentation, making it difficult for new developers to understand the codebase and make changes efficiently. Modernizing these systems allows for simplification of architecture and easier maintenance.
Risk: Outdated systems can pose a significant risk to organizations, as they may be susceptible to security vulnerabilities and data breaches. These risks can result in financial losses and damage to the organization’s reputation. Replatforming to newer technologies helps mitigate these risks by taking advantage of the latest security measures.
Developer Experience: Developers are often frustrated with working on outdated systems, as they may be using antiquated programming languages and tools. This can make it challenging to find developers with the required skillset to maintain and update these systems, leading to delays in development and increased costs. Modernizing applications can attract new developers who are more familiar with modern technologies, making it easier to build and maintain these applications.
Performance: Legacy systems may not be able to keep up with the demands of modern technology, resulting in slow and inefficient processes. This can hinder business operations and lead to customer dissatisfaction. Upgrading to newer technologies can significantly improve system performance, allowing organizations to operate more efficiently.

Business Drivers for Replatforming

User Value: Modernizing outdated systems can enhance the user experience, resulting in increased customer satisfaction and loyalty. This is especially important in today’s competitive market, where customers have high expectations for seamless and efficient technology.
Agility: Legacy systems can be inflexible, making it challenging to adapt to changing business needs quickly. Replatforming allows organizations to incorporate new features and functionalities, enabling them to keep up with market trends and stay competitive.
Business Fit: Some legacy systems may no longer align with an organization’s current business strategy or goals. Replatforming can help to realign these systems, ensuring that they continue to support the organization’s objectives.
Digital Transformation: Replatforming can be a crucial part of an organization’s digital transformation journey. By modernizing their systems, organizations can take advantage of emerging technologies such as cloud computing, AI, and automation, resulting in improved efficiency and innovation.

Why is Replatforming Important?

Replatforming is essential for organizations to stay competitive and relevant in today’s rapidly evolving technology landscape. Some of the key reasons why replatforming is crucial include:

Cloud: As organizations increasingly move towards cloud-based solutions, legacy systems can become a hindrance. Replatforming allows businesses to migrate their applications and data to the cloud, resulting in increased scalability, flexibility, and cost savings.
Microservices: Legacy systems are typically monolithic, with all components tightly coupled. Replatforming allows organizations to break down their applications into microservices, resulting in increased agility, scalability, and resilience.
Orchestration & Automation: Replatforming can also enable organizations to incorporate orchestration and automation capabilities into their systems. This results in improved workflows, reduced manual intervention, and increased efficiency.
APIs: Legacy systems can often lack robust API capabilities, making it challenging to connect and integrate with other systems. Replatforming allows organizations to develop APIs that can facilitate seamless integration with third-party applications and services.

Key Benefits of Replatforming

Some of the key benefits of replatforming include:

Improved Performance: Upgrading to a newer platform can enhance the speed and efficiency of applications.
Scalability: Newer platforms often provide better scalability options, allowing businesses to grow without significant overhauls.
Enhanced Security: Modern platforms typically come with improved security features, protecting sensitive data more effectively.
Cost Reduction: By moving to a more efficient platform, businesses can reduce operational costs over time.

Common Challenges with Replatforming

While replatforming offers numerous benefits, it also presents some challenges that organizations should be aware of. Some of the common challenges include:

Compatibility issues: Replatforming may not always be compatible with legacy systems, leading to significant integration and interoperability problems. Organizations might face challenges in aligning new platforms with outdated technologies, which can hinder the functionality of various applications and affect overall system performance.
Data migration complexities: Moving data from legacy systems to new platforms is often fraught with complexities and can be a time-consuming endeavor. This is especially true if the data is stored in various formats or structures, necessitating careful planning and execution to ensure data integrity, consistency, and minimal downtime during the transition.
Training and re-skilling needs: Replatforming frequently involves the adoption of new technologies and tools that employees may not be familiar with. As a result, organizations must invest in comprehensive training and re-skilling programs to equip their workforce with the necessary skills to effectively utilize these new systems, ensuring a smooth transition and sustained productivity.
Disruption to business operations: The process of replatforming can cause temporary disruptions to business operations as applications are migrated or updated. Employees may need time to adapt to new processes and workflows, which can lead to short-term inefficiencies. Organizations must communicate these changes clearly and provide adequate support to minimize disruption and maintain morale.
Dependency on third-party systems: If an organization relies heavily on third-party systems or APIs, replatforming may not be a viable option. Such a transition could require significant changes to these external systems, potentially jeopardizing existing integrations and partnerships. Careful consideration of these dependencies is essential to avoid service disruptions and ensure that replatforming efforts align with broader business objectives.

Mistakes to Avoid While Replatforming

Replatforming can bring significant benefits to organizations, but it is not without its challenges. To ensure a successful transition, certain mistakes should be avoided:

Insufficient Planning: Failing to lay out a detailed plan and timeline can lead to unexpected issues and delays during the replatforming process.
Ignoring Stakeholder Input: Not involving key stakeholders can result in solutions that do not meet organizational needs, leading to poor adoption and inefficiencies.
Neglecting Data Migration: Overlooking the complexity of data migration can cause data loss or integrity issues, negatively impacting operations.
Underestimating Costs: Failing to accurately budget for all aspects of replatforming, including training and potential downtime, may strain financial resources.
Lack of Testing: Skipping thorough testing phases may result in system failures and unresolved bugs post-deployment.
Inadequate Training Programs: Without proper training, employees may struggle to adapt to new systems, reducing productivity and increasing frustration.
Rushing the Process: Hastening the transition can compromise quality and lead to incomplete implementation, creating long-term operational challenges.

Replatforming Examples

One of the most notable instances of replatforming is Amazon. Initially developed as a monolithic application, Amazon utilized replatforming as a strategic approach to enhance its ability to manage change and alleviate functional bottlenecks that hindered its growth. This transformation allowed Amazon to break down its application into microservices, enabling more efficient updates and innovations without disrupting the entire system.

Other successful cases of replatforming include Netflix, which made a significant move by migrating its legacy data center infrastructure to Amazon Web Services (AWS). This shift not only allowed Netflix to leverage the cloud’s scalability but also enhanced its ability to deliver streaming content seamlessly to millions of viewers worldwide. Similarly, Capital One transitioned from traditional mainframe systems to the cloud, embracing a more modern and flexible infrastructure that supports rapid development and deployment of new financial products.

Through these strategic shifts, these companies achieved enhanced scalability, allowing them to efficiently respond to increased demand, became more agile in their operations, and optimized their cost structures by reducing overhead associated with maintaining outdated systems. Additionally, they experienced significant improvements in both performance and security, ensuring that their platforms could handle the complexities of modern digital transactions while safeguarding customer data. These replatforming efforts highlight the importance of adaptability in today’s fast-paced technological landscape.

How Can iTechnolabs Help You Master Replatforming for Digital Transformation?

At iTechnolabs, we understand the critical role of replatforming in achieving successful digital transformation. Our team of experts has extensive experience in helping businesses modernize their legacy systems through seamless and efficient replatforming strategies.

We offer a comprehensive range of services to guide you through your replatforming journey, from assessment and planning to implementation and maintenance. Our approach involves collaborating closely with our clients to understand their unique business needs and goals, designing tailored solutions that align with their objectives.

Comprehensive Assessment: Conduct a thorough evaluation of your existing systems and infrastructure to identify potential replatforming opportunities that can enhance functionality and performance. This involves analyzing current workflows, user experiences, and technological limitations to inform the next steps.
Custom Strategy Development: Collaborate with key stakeholders to design a tailored replatforming plan that aligns with your unique business goals and technical requirements. This strategy will outline specific objectives, timelines, and measurable outcomes to ensure a successful transition.
Seamless Implementation: Execute the replatforming process with minimal disruption to your daily operations. This includes careful planning and coordination to ensure that all stakeholders are informed and that any risks are managed effectively, allowing for a smooth transition to the new platform.
Full Lifecycle Support: Provide comprehensive ongoing maintenance and support to ensure your new platform remains optimized over time. This includes regular updates, troubleshooting, and enhancements to adapt to changing business needs and technologies.
Security Enhancement: Strengthen the security posture of your digital platforms by implementing advanced security measures and practices. Protect sensitive data from potential breaches and ensure compliance with relevant regulations to maintain trust and integrity.
Performance Optimization: Focus on enhancing system performance to improve overall efficiency and user experience. This could involve refining system architecture, optimizing database queries, and employing best practices in coding to ensure fast, reliable service.

Conclusion:

The journey of replatforming digital services presents numerous opportunities for improvement and advancement. From the initial assessment to the final implementation, each step is critical in ensuring a seamless transition and fostering growth. By embracing strategic planning, proactive risk management, and ongoing support, businesses can enhance their digital capabilities and maintain a competitive edge in an ever-evolving technological landscape.

Prioritizing security and performance optimization will not only fortify defenses against potential threats but also elevate the overall user experience, paving the way for future success and innovation. Ultimately, the key lies in crafting a customized approach that aligns with specific goals and technical requirements, securing a robust digital foundation for the years ahead.

FAQs

What are the business benefits of modular replatforming?

Modular replatforming offers a multitude of business benefits that can significantly enhance organizational performance. One of the primary advantages is increased flexibility and scalability, allowing companies to respond swiftly to changing market demands and growth opportunities. This approach also leads to improved system performance and security, as smaller modules can be optimized and updated independently, ensuring that vulnerabilities are addressed promptly.

Additionally, modular replatforming helps reduce operational costs by enabling organizations to allocate resources more efficiently and minimize downtime during upgrades. The modular architecture supports seamless integration of new technologies, making it easier for businesses to adopt innovative solutions that can further drive efficiency and competitiveness.

How long does replatforming take?

The duration of a replatforming project is influenced by several critical factors, including the complexity and size of the existing system, the chosen replatforming approach, and the level of customization required to meet specific business needs. For example, a simple website migration might take significantly less time than transitioning a large, intricate enterprise system with numerous integrations.

Generally, it is highly recommended to allocate ample time for thorough planning, testing, and implementation to ensure a smooth transition that does not disrupt business operations. This includes conducting a comprehensive analysis of the current system, defining clear objectives for the new platform, and mapping out a detailed project timeline.

What is replatforming in AWS?

Replatforming in AWS refers to the process of migrating an existing application or system onto the Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud platform. This involves transferring the entire infrastructure, including servers, databases, and applications, from on-premises or other hosting providers to AWS.

The benefits of replatforming in AWS are numerous and include increased scalability, flexibility, cost savings, and improved performance and security. Additionally, AWS offers a wide range of services and tools that allow for customized deployment options based on specific business needs.

What Does Replatform Cloud Migration Mean?

Replatform cloud migration refers to the process of migrating an existing system or application from one cloud platform to another. This could involve moving from a public cloud provider like AWS, Google Cloud, or Microsoft Azure to a different public cloud provider or even transitioning to a private cloud environment.

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