According to Gartner, 50% of all phone system users will be cloud-based by 2025. This trend is primarily due to the growing demand for a hybrid workforce and the secure communications and collaboration needed to fuel hybrid business models. To help enterprises manage the infrastructure’s complexity, CBTS provides a series of workshops to help companies better understand, plan, and migrate to Microsoft Teams Voice (MSTV).

Despite cloud-based voice presenting agility and flexibility for employees to work from anywhere, it also has a specific set of challenges to overcome. Each workshop from CBTS builds on the last and is meant to meet companies where they are in their digital transformation journey. Our expert guidance and critical tools enable organizations to get the most from the unified communications platform.

A complex, game-changing approach to communications

Commuting is a fitting analogy for a digital migration. Think of traditional PBX phone systems as a subway with a dedicated track from point A to point B. Cloud-based voice is more like driving a car. There are many routes to choose from, traffic to contend with, accidents, and so on. In this analogy, instead of going straight to the same office every day, your car travels to a different office by a different route each day.

Today’s hybrid employee might start a video meeting on a laptop at home, only to transition to voice on a mobile phone as they drive to a doctor’s appointment. This simple switch involves multiple devices and networks that must be monitored, secured, and optimized. Each employee becomes an extension of the company’s cloud voice system.

Also read: Key advantages of Microsoft Teams Voice Operator Connect

CBTS Microsoft Teams Voice professional services workshops: Phases to migration

Phase 1: Discovery

The discovery workshop aims to evaluate your company’s current communications system for a Microsoft Teams Voice migration.

Activities

• Define business objectives
• Fill out a communications questionnaire
• Q&A sessions
• Work directly with CBTS experts for up to four hours

Deliverables

• Completed questionnaire
• Statement of work (SOW) if clients wish to continue to the assessment phase
• List of recommendations and action steps

Learn more: Microsoft Teams Voice Discovery Workshop

Phase 2: Migration assessment

The assessment phase serves as a deep dive into the viability and strategy of a Microsoft Teams Voice migration. Our team helps you evaluate licensing, your current telephony infrastructure, and your readiness for the MSTV transition. The discovery workshop is a prerequisite to this module.

Activities

• Review the objectives set down in the discovery workshop
• Work through Microsoft enterprise-level licensing issues
• Deep dive analysis of current PBX phone system(s)
• MSTV readiness assessment
• Network readiness assessment
• Location surveys
• Mapping of MSTV and other relevant applications

Deliverables

• Detailed remediation plan
• Further action steps and recommendations
• More detailed discovery documentation

Learn more: Microsoft Teams Voice Migration Assessment

Phase 3: Migration and transition to operations

In this phase, CBTS plans and executes the migration to MSTV. The previous two workshops are prerequisites.

Activities

• CBTS project management that includes:
  • Migration planning.
  • Voice design.
  • Number porting.
• MSTV Admin Center configuration
• Day of activation support
• Testing, training, and knowledge transfer

Deliverables

• Administrator training and shadowing
• End-user training sessions
• Training guides and documentation
• Correctly provisioned MSTV Admin Center Voice policies

Learn more: MSTV managed migration and transition support

Protect your communications solution with CBTS managed services

During this phase, CBTS transitions to full-time management of MSTV or ongoing support. Maintaining call quality and security is no easy feat, as any number of issues can crop up at any point. CBTS provides experienced guidance that smooths out your migration to and maintenance of Microsoft Teams Voice. Managed MSTV from CBTS is a hands-off maintenance solution for busy companies fighting to prioritize communications as a key to growth.

Beyond the many decades of Microsoft experience, CBTS has earned the following certifications and experience, qualifying them to manage any MSTV migration:

• Microsoft Solutions Partner for Modern Work – End-to-end Microsoft solutions, including licensing, support, and management.
• Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider – Extensive knowledge of the entire Microsoft Suite and products.
• Advanced Specialization in Calling for Teams – Through a rigorous certification process, CBTS achieved this certification that Microsoft only bestows on partners demonstrating “deep knowledge, extensive experience, and proven success” with MSTV.
• Reliability and expertise – Over 85 certified Microsoft professionals and 2,000 engineers (and counting) are profoundly experienced and capable of implementing high-end cloud voice frameworks.

Contact us today to learn more about the CBTS professional services workshop series, or learn more here.

As a company advances in digital maturity, it tends to amass applications, infrastructure, and digital processes—a predicament known as tool sprawl. This phenomenon is exacerbated by business restructuring events like mergers and acquisitions (M&A), when two or more companies merge and bring their entire application portfolios together. Without careful thought and leadership, this scenario can lead to organizational redundancies, inefficiencies, and half-formed processes.

However, M&A, as well as divestitures, present an opportunity to evaluate and modernize the application portfolio of your newly unified organization. In fact, a legacy software stack can be a viable reason for an organization to seek out a merger or acquisition, as its slowing technology makes it challenging to stay competitive. When a company takes the time to streamline and update its apps, the stakeholders emerge with faster workloads and a roadmap for organizational growth and increased profits.  

Benefits of updating applications during an M&A

Each stakeholder, from buyers to sellers and spinoff businesses, benefits from modernizing applications in the M&A process. These benefits include:

• Reduced functional redundancies and overall number of applications.
• Integrated applications to maximize flexibility and refine workflows into single-pane-of-glass dashboards.
• Boosted cost efficiency.
• De-siloed data for boosted visibility and access.
• Reorganized IT infrastructure for faster, more user-friendly experience.

Create a modernization plan

There are numerous systems to evaluate and review during a merger or acquisition. Increasingly, applications are at the heart of a company’s processes and are crucial to growth and efficiency. By carefully reviewing your existing application portfolio’s functionality, cost benefits, workflows, and redundancies, your organization can prioritize which applications to modernize first and which apps to eliminate.

The steps to a successful modernization plan consist of the following:

1. Rationalization: Identify the existing applications and determine the primary purpose of each application.
2. Ranking: Create a simple scoring system that factors an application by variables including:
   1. Centrality to organizational mission.
   2. Functionality.
   3. Essential data.
   4. Total cost of ownership.
3. Create a roadmap: Once your team has ranked existing applications, work with IT leadership to identify core milestones and establish a realistic timeline. A vital step during this phase includes identifying key metrics to track after implementing modernization to measure its success or failure and maintain operating margins.
4. Select an expert partner: Whether working internally or outsourcing modernizing your applications, your organization should select a point person to oversee the modernization efforts for quality control and to ensure that the project stays on time and within budget.
5. Double-check compliance rules: Before pulling the trigger on modernizing the application portfolio, double-check any data security regulations your organization may be subject to that may demand that you archive certain types of data.
6. Execute: Last, but far from least, is the actual implementation of newly modernized apps. In your roadmap, you will want to prioritize mission-critical enterprise resource planning (ERP) applications first. After the initial migration, your team can plan similar timelines with secondary applications.
7. Refine: Interacting with a newly modernized application may reveal further refinements or integrations that can be made across future upgrades.

To learn more about the nuances and types of application modernization, read: Five paths to achieve the benefits of application modernization

Select a modernization partner

Modernizing one ERP application can be an overwhelming prospect, not to mention the entire application portfolio of two newly joined companies. Sorting through the morass of tool sprawl and outdated processes takes time and effort. An effective modernization partner relieves much of the burden from your IT team by guiding them through an established process.

CBTS has led hundreds of clients through thousands of digital transformation projects, from application modernization to cloud migration to disaster recovery and security. Our vetted approach can guide your organization toward digital maturity and help you achieve your business objectives.

Get in touch with our experts to learn more.

Companies often turn to staff augmentation to overcome staffing shortages or fill expertise gaps in their IT departments. Others might utilize staff augmentation to assist with big projects or meet short-term goals. However, while staff augmentation can be a valuable tool during a transition, it becomes problematic when organizations depend upon it in the long run.

An alternative to staff augmentation is application management services (AMS). By shifting to an “outcome” model, businesses achieve greater flexibility for IT in the long run. AMS providers build service-level agreements (SLAs) around specific outcomes, such as guaranteed uptime. This model allows organizations greater flexibility and scalability.

Both approaches have pros and cons. This post will dive into the differences between the two models and how to select an appropriate model for your organization.

Learn more: The methods and motivations behind cloud application modernization efforts

The staff augmentation model, or out-tasking

In essence, staff augmentation is built on hourly services. You contract a staffing firm for temporary needs, and the contract ends once the project has been completed. You can bring on specialists quickly without reorganizing your current IT team. But most firms have set minimums. And if a project runs longer than expected, budgets can be blown easily.

Pros:

• Ideal for temporary projects or short-term pushes
• Quickly fill skill gaps
• Lower onboarding costs
• Scalable
• Transparent billing
• Address staffing shortage rapidly

Cons:

• Loss of knowledge and control
• No SLA contract
• Higher labor costs than AMS
• Not suitable for the long term
• Fosters a lack of managerial foresight and planning
• A tendency for service creep

AMS Model, or outsourcing

Application management services are the systematic approach to outsourcing the upkeep and maintenance of mission-critical applications. AMS meets the challenges traditionally addressed by staff augmentation while providing greater flexibility and cost efficiency over the long term.

There are negative perceptions associated with AMS. For example, some organizations might fear the loss of control or knowledge. However, control and knowledge are actually protected by service-level agreements.

Also read: Free up your IT team with application management services

Pricing: Service level vs. hourly

Both AMS and staff augmentation might include hiring specialists to address specific challenges. However, a critical difference between the two comes from pricing and delivery. Application management services deliver a particular outcome (or set of outcomes) as defined in the SLA. In contrast, staff augmentation provides “input” through hourly services. As a result, staff augmentation tends towards creep as it’s not dependent on a business objective.

AMS providers take on the risk of delivering to the agreed-upon service level, and their clients don’t pay if they don’t provide the specified outcome.

What sets AMS apart?

Many organizations prefer staff augmentation in the current IT landscape because it seems more straightforward, the existing IT department is not impacted, and the hourly pricing model is concrete.

SLAs might seem more abstract at first, but application management services add value in several ways:

• Promotes greater visibility, planning, and execution throughout the digital estate
• Allows IT teams to refocus on innovation
• Costs scaled to outcomes and service levels, ultimately lowering costs for long-term operations

Also read: Nine compelling benefits of a CBTS managed cloud environment

A trusted partnership is critical

Staff augmentation is a valuable tool for specific circumstances. But it’s a quick fix. When staff augmentation becomes the primary tool of an organization, efficiency is hampered, and costs increase over time. Working with a high-quality AMS provider generates lasting solutions that allow organizations to future-proof operations through access to cutting-edge technology and experienced specialists.

AMS is built on a partnership model. And CBTS provides a unique, co-managed experience that gives our clients complete control over managed applications while sharing the load of upkeep, maintenance, and management. CBTS has formulated its application management services as part of a broader, all-encompassing framework that keeps the efficiency of the entire enterprise in mind. The CBTS approach—Application, Platform, Operations (APO)—helps businesses achieve better outcomes and connects the dots of individual services that might otherwise be overlooked.

Get in touch to learn how AMS can help you scale your IT operations.

Digital innovation is one of the most vital and disruptive forces in business, ushering in a fourth industrial revolution that is reshaping both business processes and entire sectors. Companies that choose not to invest in their digital strategy risk falling behind. Yet, that investment is becoming more challenging to manage as the pace of application innovation increases.

As a result, companies are looking to application management services to simplify crucial aspects of their digital innovation.

What are application management services?

While IT outsourcing is a cost-effective and time-saving way to keep pace with industry change, companies need third-party assistance bolstered by experts who understand the new needs of customers and the required evolutions of business. Application management services provide this expertise, satisfying expectations for adaptability, resource availability, continuity, and efficient applications.

Cost reduction remains an objective, but it is no longer the most important driver for companies looking to outsource their digital innovation. Instead, app management services provide companies with stable, secure IT applications and infrastructure, all without requiring additional IT staff. Hardware, software, human talent, business aspects, and the innovation of complete IT ecosystems combine to create a partnership that will drive a company’s digital innovation.

Also read: Get ahead by moving mission-critical applications to the Cloud

What are the key benefits?

Digital innovation requires space. Companies that invest in application management services will find that they can refocus on their core business objectives, helping organizations identify and meet future digital challenges.

At the same time, app development accelerates due to access to emerging technologies such as:

• Machine learning.
• Artificial Intelligence.
• Blockchain.
• Internet of Things (IoT).
• Robotic process automation.
• Augmented and virtual reality.

The partner provides expert support instead of companies investing time and resources to secure talented workers. The resulting system allows team members across the business to become involved in the overall digital innovation journey, with improvements to collaboration and knowledge-sharing between the service desk, application operations, and application development.

Ultimately, higher availability of critical applications with improved user experience will only lead to better performance and revenue generation for businesses that have traditionally struggled to keep pace with digital innovation.

Also read: Five paths to achieve the benefits of application modernization

A careful transition of responsibilities

Different companies have varying needs and requirements, meaning there is no one-size-fits-all model for app management services. Companies must start with their long-term vision and roadmap, choosing a model that suits their needs. Where one company will need a dedicated internal team, another might need a fully outsourced team. Application management services are adjustable and highly flexible, creating a best-fitting model for each partnership that provides a variety of solutions.

Before transitioning application management to a new partner, companies should first:

• Conduct a feasibility study: The study aims to outline the service scope, clarify service requirements, and set up the partnership from a practical point of view.
• Challenge the study: Following the survey, companies should do their due diligence and challenge the findings. The findings should define the required services in extensive detail, analyze the transition’s technical, practical, and HR aspects, and combine the results with the original study.

From there, a company can transition its application management to its partner, including all required knowledge and skills. Establishing program management structures aligned with current processes, methodologies, tools, and people will make this stage as seamless an experience as possible. Ensuring a smooth start will set both the company and the partner up for success, making it easier to execute application management services while meeting applicable KPIs.

Choosing a partner for your application transformation journey

At CBTS, we know meeting customer expectations for speed, agility, and scalability is critical. Partnering with CBTS allows companies to develop platforms, reinvent applications, and streamline processes with a broad suite of high-impact digital services. Access to our highly certified consultants ensures businesses can rely on the expertise and experience they need to deliver engaging customer experiences and simplified workplace processes.

Contact us today to learn more about how our application management services allow you to partner with experts, preserve capital, receive ongoing support, and accelerate development.

What is Microsoft Power Apps?

Microsoft Power Apps is a set of low-code tools that allow users to create custom business apps that streamline processes and unlock valuable data sets without coding knowledge. Professional developers can add even more value by utilizing the entire Power Platform suite of tools, gaining greater access to internal data and business insights.

CBTS-implemented Microsoft Power Apps empower staff to become “citizen developers” that can build their custom apps and utilize previously siloed data with little or no code. Users can build an app in a few hours, freeing IT teams to focus on mission-critical tasks.

Power Apps is a user-friendly platform, but it has many nuances. This post will examine how Power Apps works and the benefits of creating custom, data-driven applications in a low code environment.

How Power Apps works

Power Apps generates three types of applications:

• Canvas apps create links to data and services using templates and pre-built “connectors.”
• Model-driven apps build custom user interfaces automatically based on customer databases and data types.
• Portal applications create a publicly accessible app utilizing Microsoft Dataverse.

Customers can draw on over 400 pre-built connectors to link data from one location to perform specific tasks or analyses. In a soon-to-be-released feature, users can also draw on “cards,” which function as pre-programmed “micro-apps” with certain functionalities within Power Apps. For example, you can drag and drop buttons or other UI elements onto a card and link business data through a connector. In addition, Power Apps fully integrates with Microsoft Teams, so users can operate or even create apps inside Teams or link to custom apps they have built.

Users can get even more out of Power Apps by using the entire Power Platform Suite:

• Power BI – Analytics and insights.
• Power Apps – Low code/no code platform app development.
• Power Automate – Simplified process automation.
• Power Virtual Agents – Creates intelligent chatbots.

Working with a development team, users can create custom APIs that work across Azure and the Power Platform suite to build specialized workflows.

Learn more: Build a modern workplace with Microsoft Teams and Power Apps

The advantages of Power Apps

Microsoft Power Apps is a powerful tool that democratizes app creation and management. Employees outside of IT become citizen developers and can take advantage of the wide range of features and benefits of Power Apps, such as:

• Streamline workflows, increase productivity, and boost customer experiences through custom app creation.
• Free up IT resources by drawing on other departments to create their own applications.
• User-friendly, low-code, what-you-see-is-what-you-get style editor to build apps.
• A library of over 400 Power Apps connectors that allows you to manipulate your company data in innovative ways.
• A free trial for regular users and an always-free plan for developers to create and test applications (note that deploying an app requires a paid plan).
• Fully integrated with Microsoft Teams, the Power Apps Platform, Microsoft Dataverse, Microsoft 365 Dynamics, and other Microsoft offerings.
• Purchase custom-made apps from other businesses or upload your own solutions on Microsoft AppSource for testing and customer feedback.

Case study: First Transit

First Transit, North America’s biggest private-sector transportation provider, approached CBTS to upgrade and scale up its IT operations. The solutions they sought included future-proofing operations, creating a more robust point-of-sales solution, and automating report generation.

CBTS led an extensive review of First Transit’s technology needs, then set to work. The team built a custom Microsoft Power Platform framework for transferring data between departments (without involving IT). CBTS hosted “App in a Day” training seminars to empower First Transit’s employees and teach them how to become citizen developers. Power App experts supported First Transit’s efforts and ensured security each step of the way.

As a result, First Transit has stabilized its IT staffing expenses through a predictable monthly fee. One of the deliverables, a Center of Excellence resource, has built-in compliance controls and security measures. CBTS support is ongoing and scalable, allowing First Transit to ramp up or down solution support according to demand.

To learn more, read the complete case study.

Partner with a Microsoft-trusted provider

CBTS has decades of experience managing the ever-evolving portfolio of Microsoft offerings. CBTS is a Microsoft Solution Provider, which is only one of many certifications it holds from Microsoft. Our certified Microsoft Professionals are poised to train your staff in Power Apps and other Microsoft products.

Implementing Power Apps through CBTS lets customers home in and create tailored applications without investing valuable IT resources in their development. Our team of experts guides and trains your staff, empowering them to become citizen developers and working to foster a culture of innovation.

Get in touch today to begin your Power Apps journey.

Obstacles to streamlined service

Keeping up with modern customer expectations is a daunting endeavor for companies struggling with legacy applications and aging IT infrastructure. By investing in application modernization, companies benefit from future-proofed apps that address many common challenges:

• Slowing applications.
• Maintenance of increasingly inflexible software stacks.
• Increasing workloads as processes break down both internally and in customer-facing systems.

At first, application modernization might seem like another bullet point on your IT department’s already lengthy to-do list. But fully embracing application modernization allows organizations to shift from maintenance to innovation through the power of the Cloud.

Different approaches to application modernization have unique nuances and benefits. Selecting the right path is critical to guaranteeing the success of your business in the application age.

Learn more: The methods and motivations behind cloud application modernization efforts

Five paths to application modernization and their benefits

1. Lift and shift

How it works

Lift and shift (also known as rehosting) essentially pulls an application from a legacy architecture and moves it into a cloud environment. Migrating from an on-prem virtual machine or bare-metal OS to a cloud or multi-cloud platform is a classic example of lift and shift.

Key benefits

Rehosting is fast, has minimal risks, and is reasonably easy to implement. As a result, it offers one of the speediest ROIs and minimizes system downtime during migration. For organizations new to application modernization, lift and shift provides excellent benefits. It allows businesses to scale the rehosted application rapidly and makes it easy to utilize other modernization methods as your enterprise matures digitally.

2. Refactoring

How it works

Outdated code makes it challenging to integrate applications into various workflows across a software stack—especially if they are written in an obsolete coding language. Updating an application’s codebase to modern standards allows developers to “unlock” an application from old paradigms and integrate into cloud environments, transforming the app through automated coding tools.

Key benefits

Refactoring is more labor-intensive than lift and shift but can prove more valuable. By utilizing reliable open-source code and automation, teams can realize value faster. Refactoring preserves the gist of the original application architecture while upgrading the code to modern standards.

3. Containerization

How it works

Traditionally, developers create software to run on a specific OS or platform (Windows, Unix, etc.). When transferring that application to a new environment, bugs and other incompatibility issues arise. Containerization avoids this issue by creating a “container” for the application, which contains the code, libraries, and related files the application needs to run. The container itself can run on any OS or platform, making it ideal for cloud development.

Key benefits

Rapid scaling, greater efficiency, and reduced dependence on infrastructure are the benefits of this approach. In addition, containers allow developers to work on an app and migrate it to a cloud environment without worrying about compatibility issues.

4. Microservices

How it works

Previous generations of applications were monoliths which were composed of many processes, with each process supporting a specific part of the application. That also means that if one operation or piece of code failed, the entire application would either crash or fail to build. Microservices divide an application into distinct services with their own codebase, and each service works independently from the others.

Key benefits

Scale and autonomy are the advantages of microservices. Each microservice can spin up and scale on demand. Additionally, each microservice can be updated individually without slowing overall processes.

5. Replatforming

How it works

Replatforming is a hybrid of lift and shift and refactoring approaches. Replatforming focuses on rewriting legacy code to allow an application to function on a cloud platform while keeping most of the codebase intact.

Key benefits

By adjusting the backend code, an application can function in a cloud environment (a modern platform) and improve flexibility, user access, and functionality.

Learn more: CBTS Application Modernization services bring your company into the digital age

Continuing the modernization journey

While providing many benefits, application modernization is not the end goal of digital transformation. In many cases, it is only the first step in migrating mission-critical processes and operations into a cloud environment and modernizing your organization as a whole. Companies must ally themselves with trusted partners who can provide guidance and support to avoid overload and the inevitable pitfalls of this journey.

CBTS is uniquely positioned to guide your business through digital transformation. Leaning on decades of experience and partnerships with industry leaders like Microsoft, the CBTS team has the skills, knowledge, and expertise to guide your company through each phase of the process.

Ready to begin your digital transformation journey? Contact CBTS today to learn more about how your company can benefit from modernizing aging applications.

What is developer experience?

Developer experience (DevEx or DX) is an emerging school of thought in software development. In essence, DevEx aims to improve the experience and efficiency of developers as they build, refine, and deploy applications. DevEx is similar to user experience (UX) in that the focus is on identifying and removing friction points for users—in this case, the users are developers.

According to a recent Forrester survey, 75% of companies say DevEx is critical to business strategy execution. A 2020 McKinsey study linked investment in high-quality developer experiences to exponential growth for those companies, far outpacing competitors. In addition, poor DevEx is tied to stagnant business performance.

This post will outline the primary principles of DevEx, highlight some of the pitfalls, and discuss how CBTS can support your DevEx initiatives.

Why does DevEx matter?

A foundational concept in developer experience is “developer velocity”—the time it takes for a development team to bring a new product to market or release updates to an existing product. According to the McKinsey study, the companies positioned in the top 25% of developer velocity “outperform others in the market by four to five times.” This metric translates into higher shareholder returns, operating margins, and even innovations with companies that have 55% higher innovation scores than the bottom-ranked companies.

McKinsey suggests four factors are critical in creating faster developer velocity and improving DevEx.

• Tools. Quality tools improve DevEx and increase time to market. Also, developers can streamline their processes by giving developers autonomy in selecting the applications and design tools they use.
• Culture. Key to innovation is a corporate culture of psychological safety, which means that developers can experiment and fail without fearing repercussions.
• Product management. Simplifying business operations and clarifying product management processes keeps projects on track and on time.
• Talent management. Businesses contribute to the above three factors by hiring and retaining quality developers.

Obstacles to quality DevEx

As much as a focus on DevEx improves most business outcomes, poor DevEx leads to stagnant growth, high developer turnaround, and disgruntled development teams.

The primary culprits in creating friction points in DevEx are legacy applications and tools. Aging architecture slows the development process at each stage. By modernizing applications, companies can remove massive blockages in the development pipeline.

Other common obstacles include:

• Forcing developers to use specific tools instead of the tools they want.
• Poorly written or broken code.
• Poor training and documentation.
• A toxic culture that penalizes failure.
• Unrealistic deadlines and long work hours.

Learn more: The methods and motivations behind cloud application modernization efforts

DevEx tools from CBTS

CBTS provides a portfolio of services that can significantly improve developer experience and allow your business to experience the benefits of optimal DevEx.

• Application modernization. Migrating development tools to the cloud (aka application modernization) speeds development time and frees up resources otherwise devoted to maintaining legacy infrastructure. Giving developers the best tools and autonomy in choosing them boosts development velocity.
• Consulting. Let our consultants help you build a roadmap to a DevEx culture.
• Automation. Most developers only spend 30% of their time coding. Save time by reducing or eliminating manual processes and optimizing Software as a Service (SaaS) integrations.
• Managed services. Free up your developers from mundane, repetitive tasks so they can focus on high priority business objectives.

Read more: CBTS commitment to outstanding IT service delivery drives success

Why CBTS?

Businesses across all industries are learning to value DevEx. By removing obstacles from the development flow, companies can drive innovation and reap the rewards of quality DevEx.

The CBTS team specializes in modernizing applications, optimizing processes, and speeding up business operations. With decades of experience, our team of highly qualified and certified application developers, project managers, and consultants can steer your business toward optimized developer experience and boosted developer velocity.

Contact us to learn more.

Application-based companies are changing the business landscape. Digital models have disrupted legacy companies in every industry and sector. For example, Uber and Lyft changed the way we think about transportation. Amazon has supplanted countless retailers across the world, and investing has become more accessible to the working class because of companies like Robinhood. Calling on CBTS Application Modernization services can give companies the edge they need to compete in the digital age.

Unfortunately, many companies struggle to begin modernizing due to the costly investment and sometimes complex infrastructure strategy. (Even though legacy application architecture can easily consume a considerable portion of a business’s IT budget.) Thankfully, companies don’t have to go it alone.

This blog will outline how the CBTS holistic APO (applications, platforms, operations) approach to application modernization services can future-proof and streamline operations, securely integrate platforms, and manage applications via cloud-first environments.

Table of contents:

• App modernization defined
  • Benefits of app modernization
• Navigating the application era
• APO: What is it, and why does it matter?
  • Applications that work for you
  • Secure, scalable platforms
  • Optimized operations
• The CBTS approach to application modernization services
  • Holistic approach
  • Modern solutions
  • Security
  • Interoperability
• Connecting the dots
• Future-proof your business with CBTS

App Modernization defined

What exactly is application modernization? A precise definition has been elusive because service providers tend to offer explanations that suit their specific offerings. However, over our decades of experience, CBTS has put together an agnostic definition of application modernization.

Navigating the application era

Businesses can no longer afford to think of themselves as service providers that utilize apps. Instead, every company should think of itself as an application company that happens to sell products or services. Apps are no longer a marketing gimmick; today, they are a matter of survival.

Employing application modernization services is a powerful way for a business to update its operations across all departments—especially in the customer-facing realm. Modernized applications utilize a cloud-native architecture, providing greater flexibility, scalability, performance, and availability. Application modernization services are the key to future-proofing business operations.

However, many businesses are resistant to the idea of digital transformation. Understandably, companies fear significant infrastructure investments. They may lack the qualified staff to drive the change, or there may be concerns about system downtime. In many cases, these fears are justified. Most technology integrators provide point solutions as opposed to a holistic approach.

Watch the CBTS tech talk: 3 critical goals for application modernization initiatives

APO: What is it, and why does it matter?

It’s not enough to upgrade or rewrite a client’s applications. The true value for our clients is streamlining operations by connecting and optimizing those modernized applications and platforms.

The CBTS approach—coined APO (applications, platforms, operations)—encompasses the spirit of our commitment to client success.

Applications that work for you

In today’s world, cloud-native apps are the key to a thriving business. The CBTS application development process helps you achieve:

• Seamless, secure migration.
• Continuous deployment of new features.
• Future-proof scalability.
• Improved availability.

Secure, scalable platforms

Through our various application modernization services, CBTS can take over or help manage existing environments—compute, network, or storage—through:

• Managed services.
• Public Cloud lift and shift.
• On-premises private Cloud.
• Infrastructure and hardware upgrades.

Optimized operations

Connecting employees to apps requires a coherent approach with security, networking, collaboration, and platform considerations. CBTS helps our clients accomplish optimized operations through:

• Cyber security consulting, products, and services.
• Network as a Service (NaaS) and SD-WAN.
• Collaboration platform integration and customization, including Microsoft Teams and WebEx.
• Hardware and infrastructure design and deployment.

Download the e-book: CIO’s Definitive Guide to Safely Migrating Applications to the Cloud

The CBTS approach to application modernization services

How does CBTS use APO to achieve exceptional results? This comprehensive strategy hinges on four pillars: a holistic approach, modern solutions, security, and interoperability.

Holistic approach

Gaining a competitive advantage requires a personalized mix of interconnected apps, platforms, and operations.

CBTS takes a holistic approach to navigating your transformation journey by:

• Creating secure and scalable platforms.
• Developing and deploying modernized apps.
• Managing, monitoring, and optimizing your operations.

First, our project managers help our clients prioritize which legacy apps should be modernized with cloud-native development. Next, the team assesses and documents the current application environment to craft a customized roadmap outlining our clients’ complete transformation process.

Download the e-book: CIO Field Guide: Cloud Assessment Services

Modern solutions

A truly modern solution incorporates a mix of future-proof, agile technologies such as cloud-native development, DevOps, data lakes, containers, automation, and microservices. Adopting DevOps best practices improves collaboration between app development and IT operations teams while driving a culture of innovation and continuous process improvement.

Security

Moving apps to the Cloud does not always reduce risk or complexity if they are not appropriately designed and managed. Companies should be aware of the most common challenges associated with cloud security and how they can mitigate complications.

Security oversights. One of the biggest challenges is migrating safely. One wrong step and a company can put themselves and their customers at risk. Assess the challenges at the forefront and bake in security as you go. Common cloud security mistakes include unsecured storage containers, poorly set access rights, and open ports.

Legacy systems have outdated data security measures. Legacy systems have outdated data security measures and open companies up to security risks. Critical security updates can be risky to implement, often breaking older systems.  

Secure data
Customized applications made specifically for your business can reinforce your data security system. They are built to provide full compliance with all regulations, enable the protection of vulnerable data, and reduce the chances of intrusion.

Embed security at each stage of the process. Inspect the security of your legacy systems and fix issues immediately. Encrypt data and implement strong access/authorization measures.

Operations teams should have dedicated personnel who constantly analyze the threat landscape and implement security measures that minimize risks to the organization. Additionally, staying on the cutting edge of security technology is essential. CBTS managed security services include:

• Vulnerability and patch management.
• Security assessments.
• Penetration testing.
• AI-powered threat detection and response.

Also read: Q&A: Secure networking utilizing robust SD-WAN solutions

Interoperability

Application modernization is somewhat worthless if it creates communications incompatibility between your systems. The CBTS approach ensures interoperability between systems, software, and applications, allowing data sharing to produce data and analytics that drive business decisions.

Connecting the dots

The sum of application modernization services is greater than the whole. When clients step back from the individual pieces of APO, they see the power of the interconnected systems.

To enable long-term success, the CBTS strategy boasts:

• Outcome-based assessments.
• Continuous cloud-native application development.
• A secure application migration roadmap.
• Ongoing, optimized operations support.

Future-proof your business with CBTS

Modern customers demand intuitive, responsive applications with up-to-the-second updated information. A company’s platforms must be highly secure—following data governance and risk assessment protocols, policies, and procedures—and scalable on demand to optimize operations fully.

CBTS is well-suited to help our clients meet these challenges—developing and deploying modern applications and secure, scalable platforms; and the ongoing management, monitoring, and optimization of their operations. CBTS application modernization services take a holistic approach to navigating your app modernization journey.

Schedule a discovery session with our experts, followed by an assessment of your current application environment.

Most business leaders understand the importance of updating their IT infrastructure. Still, many are grappling with how best to approach cloud application modernization efforts. The secret may lie in the growing abundance of cloud-based applications and networking solutions.

The Cloud isn’t merely an improvement upon existing database technology; it’s an entirely distinct networking environment that demands a new approach from organizations that hope to capitalize on it. According to a recent IDG survey, nearly 90% of responding IT executives expect IT modernization to significantly impact long-term growth. Another 90% report that digital transformation has accelerated over the past 18 months. As cloud computing becomes even more commonplace among businesses of all sizes, modernization will become crucial for readying your enterprise to tap into the Cloud. This post will explore why businesses seek to modernize their applications through the Cloud and the methodology behind various types of modernization.

What is cloud application modernization?

Application modernization refers to migrating legacy applications to the Cloud through various methods. The Cloud is constantly evolving, encompassing “multi-cloud architectures” that function differently from traditional data centers. For this reason, applications designed on legacy networking hardware must adapt to coexist with “the new Cloud.”

Revolutionary developments are also occurring in the virtual layers that bridge hardware and software, creating “microservices” that are leading to a new frontier of application management, integration, and portability. This signals a genuine change to the nature of IT across multiple industries, from research and manufacturing to commercial enterprises.

On top of being deployed in new ways, applications are now playing very different roles in daily life as the Cloud plays a more significant part in the modern world. With information constantly streaming through cyberspace, legacy networking infrastructures are struggling to keep up with the intensifying demands of application support. The lesson is that while applications grow in complexity, so must the systems that allow them to function. These myriad factors are adding up to a global data environment that is more connected and efficient than ever before. Developers can launch into production easily and with little delay, thanks to containerized microservices that enable smooth transitions between computing environments. However, these advances are only possible when an enterprise embraces cloud-native development systems and infrastructure. Teams must take care to migrate to these systems without compromising regular business operations.

Why modernize?

Initially, some elements of the IT industry assumed that cloud computing would be limited to smoothing out workload traffic that would bog down legacy infrastructure and speed up program deployment. However, the common understanding of the Cloud’s capabilities has evolved, and savvy enterprise leaders should be aware of the Cloud’s utility in various applications, including e-commerce, networked devices, and more.

In the IDG survey of IT professionals, 65% of respondents place high importance on accelerating application development and modernization to enable innovation, with 32% ranking it as “somewhat important.”

However, many respondents also reported difficulty in their modernization efforts, specifically regarding protecting their data and managing security risks.

Learn more: Supporting secure business solutions on the Cloud

Approaches to cloud application modernization

There are multiple avenues for organizations to approach modernization. DevOps, an organizational transformation practice that involves close coordination of teams and adopting automation wherever possible, is the most common method. In a nutshell, DevOps is a set of practices that merges software development and IT operations. Other technologies driving cloud application modernization include:

Containerization

Containers are highly portable development environments. Applications can be moved to or developed in containers and later ported to their final home in the Cloud or multiple clouds. Highly scalable, these continuously running environments are a good choice when significant processing power is needed.

Microservices

One-off functions are customized to run only when needed when utilizing a “serverless” approach. Microservices are a vital component in automation and software orchestration.

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

Creating more intelligent applications and processes is one way for businesses to future-proofing their offerings. Powered by AI and ML, applications can address gaps in automation, marketing, and security, just to name a few. According to the IDG survey, nearly half of respondents (48%) say optimizing data and analytics capabilities (AI, ML, IoT) for innovation is the top enterprise IT goal in 2022.

Common challenges in implementation

The struggle to modernize and keep up with the ever-changing world of cloud computing has more than its share of difficulties. Companies surveyed by IDG indicated that putting into action the many crucial improvements necessary to keep pace presents a significant challenge:

• 44% reported gaps in tech skills and knowledge
• 39% said that infrastructure is not optimized to support digital dexterity
• 39% reported inadequate data analysis for decision making

Learn More: Importance and benefits of app modernization

Future-proof your business with cloud application modernization

With these challenges in mind, today’s enterprises need to be aware of their options regarding technology partners who can empower application modernization efforts. The CBTS Application Services team has a proven track record of working closely with clients in many different verticals to modernize their applications for cloud environments.

The CBTS methodology aligns your business plan to your technology plan, nurtures constant feedback on functionality, and guides you through a customized roadmap that outlines each process step. Our agile development process shortens time to market and creates maximum visibility while managing applications in a cloud-first environment. And our fully hosted service options unburden IT teams, creating time and resources for you to focus on innovation. 

Contact us for more information on how CBTS can enable your application modernization strategies.

The ongoing pandemic has put unprecedented stress on the global business landscape as more people than ever choose to stay home to work and shop. Many organizations have responded by accelerating their plans for digital transformation, launching new business models and products to remain competitive in today’s unstable climate. Because of the challenges faced when using older software to apply modern business strategies, company leaders must consider plans for application modernization.

This solution improves app development, capability, and downtime by adapting existing software to enable newer computing approaches, frameworks, and platforms. Examples include migrating legacy apps to microservices or physical servers to cloud computing.

This blog will illustrate the impact of modernization on businesses and what it means for organizations envisioning growth in a time of uncertainty.

Evolving alongside a rapidly changing digital landscape

In response to the changing needs of industries and workforces, many companies are turning to remote work operations and the required infrastructure to ensure business continuity and success.

The widespread need for online operations has spurred on existing plans for digital transformations. According to data from Global Surveys, companies are executing their digitization strategies an average of 20 to 25 times faster than thought possible before the pandemic. Additionally, forward-thinking organizations are also migrating to modern networks, allowing them to meet evolving customer needs. System modernization is critical to keep up with these increasingly complex applications.

Download the e-book: Benefits of Application Modernization

Application modernization is the vehicle taking many organizations on this digital journey. Business developments driving enterprises to modernize include:

• Cloud-native applications: Running applications through the Cloud, the standardization of operating systems, and cloud-ready application remediation.
• Containerization: Improves hardware use by enhancing portability, improving computing capabilities, and reducing dependency on the underlying infrastructure.
• Application integration: Lightweight API-first architecture combining upstream and downstream systems.
• DevOps/SecOps: Automated processes across development and operations that accelerate time to market.
• Data insights and AI/ML: Builds more intelligent applications and real-time insights to achieve operational efficiency.

Learn more: Modernizing applications for cloud migration

Key technologies to get you started

As successful business operations become more and more competitive, cutting-edge organizations must be responsive, resilient, and reliable. Application modernization breaks the rigid integration between hardware and software in favor of a more flexible infrastructure.

There are several intersecting technologies fundamental to modernizing your applications:

• Cloud computing: When people discuss the modernization process, they’re usually referring to the migration of traditional applications to cloud environments. These include cloud platforms, private clouds, and hybrid clouds. For example, cloud-based data recovery solutions like Microsoft Azure provide companies with a cost-effective fail-safe for their primary data storage systems.
• Containers: Containers are a cloud-centric method for packaging, deploying, and operating various workloads and applications. This technology revolutionizes how enterprises manage business-critical applications by providing greater scalability, portability, and operational efficiency. These elements are well-suited for cloud infrastructure—especially multi-cloud and hybrid cloud environments.
• Microservices: Instead of building an application as a single codebase, IT can decouple several components into independent web standards. With microservices, there are thousands of disparate components supported in web servers and the Cloud. Each of the pieces can be deployed, updated, and operated independently of one another.
• Orchestration and automation: Software orchestration is the automation of tasks associated with containers, including deployment, scaling, and networking. Meanwhile, automation is needed to ensure that development, operations, and security teams can sustainably manage modern apps at scale.

Read more: Serverless vs. containers: complementary or competing technologies?

Why do organizations need application modernization?

Most organizations have large investments in their existing application portfolio from both a financial and operational standpoint. Although “legacy” has negative connotations in software, these systems are often among the most mission-critical applications. Few businesses are willing to retire these apps because the cost of replacing them, productivity losses, and other issues are simply too great. Therefore, application modernization is the most sensible way for enterprises to employ new software platforms, tools, libraries, and frameworks.

Modernizing legacy apps enables organizations of all sizes to provide customers with a unique digital experience while reducing overall costs and increasing application reliability and resiliency. CBTS Application Services specializes in bringing outdated systems into the modern age with future growth in mind.

Watch Chad Stansel, Director of Application Development, discuss how CBTS can support organizations ready to move their applications to the Cloud.

Task CBTS with your digital transition strategy

The experts at CBTS Application Services build client-centered partnerships that enable best-in-class business solutions.

Niche skills sets are needed to keep up with the complex, rapidly changing tech landscape. CBTS engineers have the experience and the knowledge to help future-proof your business. Because we understand your architecture and tooling needs, CBTS provides transformational solutions for scalability, automation, and cloud-readiness.

CBTS fully managed solutions enable clients to offload the burdens of risk, monitoring, maintenance, and more. By setting your apps up for future success, your company is free to focus on critical business goals.

Contact CBTS today to learn more about how application modernization can transform your business operations.

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