In technology, we talk about “legacy” when referring to inherited systems: applications, databases, or infrastructures that have been running for years and, although they may seem outdated, remain critical to the business.
Many of them were, in their time, cutting-edge. Today, however, their lack of integration with modern tools—such as the cloud, artificial intelligence, or advanced analytics environments—can limit companies’ ability to evolve.
But… does this mean they should be eliminated immediately?
They can’t always be turned off. They don’t always need to be completely overhauled. The important thing is to know how to evaluate their role and intelligently decide what to do with them.
“Legacy doesn’t mean bad. It’s like a movie: some age better than others,” explains Leo Salom, Chief Data Officer (CDO) at MindDen. “A perfect application ten years ago might not deliver the expected performance today. But that doesn’t mean it has to be thrown away. Sometimes it’s enough to optimize it, like when you change the hard drive of an old computer and it runs smoothly again.”
In the energy sector—as in many others—this reality is especially visible. Many companies continue to operate with SCADA systems, ERPs, or custom-designed databases, which require significant effort to update. And yet, they cannot be turned off overnight: they are the heart of their operations.
The challenges are clear:
- Fragmented and inflexible processes.
- High maintenance and update costs.
- Dependence on technologies or languages with scarce specialized profiles (like COBOL in banking).
- Response times that no longer meet current standards.
Salom tells us that “this happens or used to happen a lot in banking. They looked for IT professionals who knew COBOL, because banking systems had been developed in this programming language for 20 years. Changing technology was more costly than finding expert COBOL developers.”
The legacy code dilemma: Modernize… or maintain
At MindDen, we don’t apply one-size-fits-all formulas. We know that each system has a history, a value, and a function. That’s why, before talking about “digital transformation,” we listen.
The problem is not just technical. It’s about investment, priorities, and internal knowledge. As Alberto López, also a developer at MindDen, points out, “it is crucial that teams know and document the existing legacy code in the project,” as it is very important for the team to understand the “legacy” they are working with to avoid future surprises. López states that he always tries to ensure that “at least 5-10% of the sprint is allocated to maintaining this code,” meaning dedicating resources to updating it, even if progressively. Because while a functioning legacy system may seem harmless, if it fails, it can generate a significant operational and economic impact.
Migrating a legacy system often involves high operational costs, risks of downtime, and a cascade of dependencies that need to be evaluated. And that’s why many companies hesitate. At MindDen, we offer a practical and flexible approach:
- Evolutionary maintenance of legacy code.
- Progressive refactoring.
- Integration with new technologies (AI, cloud, APIs).
- Documentation and clear communication between teams.
Nicolas Carlo, founder of the Software Crafters Montreal community and creator of the Understand Legacy Code portal, where he focuses on the treatment of “legacy” code, presents “The key points of Working Effectively with Legacy Code.” Carlo explains that before changing code, “you must have tests in place, but how do you do that? By changing as little code as possible to perform the tests.” He then presents his recipe:
Carlo points out that once you get to the tests, you will know how to proceed and that “the first two points are the most difficult.”
Evolving with purpose
Technological decisions cannot be made in an all-or-nothing manner. At MindDen, we accompany organizations through a realistic, progressive, and strategic process. We analyze whether what already exists can be sustained, if it needs to be integrated with new systems, or if the time has come to transform it completely.
And if a change is needed, we do it right: without interruptions, without loss of information, without leaving behind what still works.
Because the real challenge isn’t eliminating legacy. It’s knowing what to do with it.
Do you have a system that has been supporting your business for too long? At MindDen, we help you decide whether to maintain, integrate, or renew it.
And most importantly: we help you make it work.
