Choosing the Right Approach for Application Modernization and Cloud Migration

How to Choose the Right Approach for Application Modernization and Cloud Migration

The 2023 Gartner CIO and Technology Executive Survey results show that 46% of the organizations surveyed will increase their spend on application modernization (the top four technology areas in spending), and 50% will increase their spend on cloud platforms in 2023 (the top three technology areas in spending). Also, 47% will decrease investments in legacy infrastructure and data center technologies, illustrating the transition to modern technology platforms.

Application portfolios deteriorate over time and gradually lose business fitness, innovation support and agility while becoming increasingly expensive, complex and risky. Software engineering leaders and enterprise application leaders can use various approaches to continuously improve the fitness and value of their applications so that they can better support changing business demands. However, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to improving an application. Each application modernization and cloud migration approach — rehost, replatform, rearchitect, rebuild and replace — serves a different purpose and varies substantially in terms of effect, value, cost, risk and impact.

When software engineering leaders choose the wrong approach, they will waste time and effort and fail to resolve the underlying problems in their application portfolio. The consequences of choosing the wrong approach include budget overruns, late delivery, low business benefits, business process disruptions, unmaintainable code and early termination of the modernization initiative.

Which application modernization or cloud migration approach should you use? Download Gartner’s Industry Report on Choosing the Right Approach for Application Modernization and Cloud Migration using the form on this page to evaluate the five modernization and migration approaches.

Disclaimer:

How to Choose the Right Approach for Application Modernization and Cloud Migration, Stefan Van Der Zijden | Gartner, Jan. 2023

Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s Research & Advisory organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved.