Legacy Systems Modernization

Business Challenge Tax and Revenue agencies are often compelled to consider replacing their legacy systems because of technical deficiencies that naturally develop as a tax administration system ages. These legacy systems may even meet the majority of the business user’s needs. Technical deficiencies common to legacy systems include: steadily increasing maintenance costs; reliance on proprietary hardware/software that is no longer supported; difficulty of integrating other new, modern technologies; and, inability to hire and retain IT staff who are skilled in legacy technology. In the past, as legacy systems naturally aged, the options for addressing these various deficiencies were limited to either 1) patching - constantly applying short term remedies and workarounds; or 2) replacing – implementing an entirely new system. For most tax and revenue agencies, “patching” is an interim option. At the same time, the challenges associated with replacing a legacy tax administration system by implementing a new system are well known: significant upfront implementation costs – ranging from $30 to $100 million+; higher risk associated with new system implementation; organizational disruption and fatigue – extensive demands on resources; lengthy implementation time; and, lost functionality – a new system does not guarantee existing functionality and often results in a loss of data when converted from a legacy system. These challenges are amplified when significant investments have been made in the current system such that the system now meets all or most of a tax and revenue agency’s critical business needs.

RSI has the Solution Legacy Systems Modernization provides tax and revenue agencies with a cost effective alternative to “patching” and to the challenges associated with a new system replacement. Agencies no longer need to completely replace a functioning tax administration system to solve technical deficiencies. Legacy Systems Modernization completely transforms a legacy system to allow an agency to take advantage of the benefits associated with a modern technical architecture, while preserving the years of investment in the enhancement of the business application logic. This solution provides tax and revenue agencies the following benefits: reduction in implementation costs by up to 70% compared to a new system; shorter time to implementation of a modern, scalable and flexible architecture that can adapt to an e-centric business world; retention of existing business rules, processes and capabilities; documentation and discovery of existing business rules; attention on enhancements, rather than reinventing existing rules and capabilities; decreased implementation risks; minimized disruption to the business operation; preservation of precious knowledge capital; elimination of proprietary software that is no longer supported; improved ability to hire and retain IT staff through increased job satisfaction; and, proven transitional strategy from legacy application platforms to modern ones that allows existing staff to bridge the technology gap. Legacy Systems Modernization transforms a legacy system in the following manner: architecture is migrated to an N-tier, Service Oriented Architecture (SOA); user interface is transformed into a modern, web-based Graphical User Interface (GUI); application code is automatically translated to a modern programming language; and, refactoring tools allow extraction of SQL into data access layer, renaming of data names, and realization of more code reuse through object-oriented techniques. N-tier, SOA Architecture Migrating the architecture to an N-tier, SOA architecture is a fundamental component of Legacy Systems Modernization. An N-tier, SOA architecture simplifies integration with other agencies, customers and business partners through the use of more granular business services and data access functions that can be exposed at the enterprise level. A multi-tier architecture also enables current and future system expansion, while simplifying overall system maintenance. For example, the extraction of all database calls from the business application into a Data Access Layer (DAL) reduces redundancy by organizing the business application code into logical components (classes). Finally, an N-tier architecture also provides the opportunity to utilize the optimal hardware and operating system for each tier. Web-based Graphical User Interface The Internet has produced a user community that is accustomed to a browser-based user interface. While a typical legacy system user may tolerate a “green screen” at work, today’s users embrace and often prefer, a modern, web-based presentation. RSI’s solution implements a modern user interface without the need to redesign and retrain users on every screen. This web-based presentation enhances the user experience while improving productivity. For example, legacy systems that utilize separate screens within a search, list and detail paradigm can combine all three screens onto a single web page. At a fraction of the cost of a new system replacement, the Legacy Systems Modernization approach provides a fresh, contemporary user interface. Modern Programming Language For those IT organizations who seek to replace languages such as COBOL with a modern programming language, RSI offers a less risky, less invasive alternative. RSI utilizes a software translation workbench to automatically translate online and batch programs into Java or C# code. The resulting Java or C# syntax is legible, maintainable and similar to the current COBOL in style and structure, thereby easing the transition from COBOL to a modern programming language. Once your IT staff is trained in the new technology, the opportunities for further refactoring and code reuse are dramatic and the speed at which changes can be made to support legislative demands is increased. Modern tools such as Visual Studio® and EclipseTM make programmers more productive, and techniques such as test-driven development increase overall software quality. Summary If your legacy tax administration system performs the vast majority of the business functions that your agency requires, but the technical architecture is out of date and no longer maintainable, consider RSI’s solution – Legacy Systems Modernization, which delivers the benefits associated with a modern architecture without the same cost, risk, schedule and disruption to your agency often encountered with a new system replacement.