Application Modernization Services

INNERLUXES' clients discover that modernizing 20-year-old, undocumented legacy applications is achievable without disrupting business operations, while attaining significant enhancements in app functionality, usability, performance, security, and scalability.

Muhammad Dilawar, Chief Technology Officer at INNERLUXES

Muhammad Dilawar

INNERLUXES' Chief Technology Officer

Application modernization services cover app evolution, redesign, reengineering, migration to the cloud, and other activities to reduce maintenance costs and improve features, performance, security, and scalability. Adherent to mature software modernization and risk management practices, INNERLUXES transforms apps with minimal disruption to business processes.

Why Partner Up with INNERLUXES for Legacy Software Modernization

  • in software engineering and cloud migration.
  • 132+ IT professionals, including business analysts, project managers, architects, software engineers, testers, DevOps engineers, and data scientists. Over 50% of INNERLUXES' talents are senior and lead specialists.
  • 68 delivered projects and experience in 30+ industries, including healthcare, BFSI, manufacturing, retail, logistics, oil & gas, and telecoms.
  • Hands-on knowledge of HIPAA, HITECH, PCI DSS, GDPR, and other field- and region-specific regulations to ensure full software compliance.
  • Modernization work backed by ISO 9001 and ISO/IEC 27001 quality and information security management systems.

Our Application Modernization Competencies

Modernization strategy & assessment

System modernization consulting

We thoroughly investigate your legacy application code and infrastructure, mine requirements, and provide detailed guidance on the improvements that can help you derive maximum value from previous investments.

INNERLUXES helps companies revamp business processes for better efficiency, agility, and resilience and achieve higher ROI by evolving and integrating the existing corporate apps or reusing their parts in new solutions.

Application & database transformation

Application conversion and database migration

We revive applications built on legacy languages and platforms — PowerBuilder, Delphi, VB, C++, COBOL, outdated Java and .NET — by converting them to modern programming languages and frameworks. We also migrate databases from legacy or proprietary engines (Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, IBM Db2, Sybase) to open-source, cloud-optimized database platforms such as PostgreSQL, MySQL, and managed cloud database services. Automated conversion toolkits handle the bulk of the work, while our engineers take on complex logic and custom features through targeted manual tuning.

Application & database reengineering

We improve the internal structure, code quality, and data models of existing systems without changing their overall architecture. This includes:

  • Adding new features.
  • Optimizing SQL, stored procedures, and data access layers.
  • Improving maintainability, performance, and stability.
  • Web and mobile enablement.
  • Improved look and feel.
  • Simplified and less costly maintenance and updates.
  • DevOps and CI/CD enablement.

Application & database rearchitecting

We execute deep redesigns of application and database architectures to improve scalability, resilience, security, and integration readiness. Typical transformations include:

  • Monoliths to modular service-oriented architecture (SOA), microservices, or serverless implementations.
  • Single-node databases to distributed or managed cloud databases.
  • Architectures optimized for cloud elasticity and high availability.

Data modernization

We revamp your approach to data management and upgrade data systems to set up fast, scalable, and secure data analytics within your company. We implement self-service BI and apply data visualization techniques so you can generate on-demand reports and grab enlightening data insights.

Cloud enablement & runtime modernization

Depending on the system and business needs, INNERLUXES offers one of three ways to the cloud: rehosting, replatforming, or a cloud-native implementation.

Application containerization

We can package your applications or their components into containers, isolating them from each other at the operating system level.

Containerization means:

  • Fewer resources required to run.
  • Easier scalability.
  • Simplified movement across different environments.
  • CI/CD practices enablement.

Experience evolution, trust, risk & compliance

Mobile and cross-platform compatibility

Our designers and software engineers help businesses ensure their software offers seamless experiences across platforms and devices. We thoroughly review your solution to identify potential compatibility issues — functionality and display problems, security conflicts — and provide recommendations for remediation.

Regulatory compliance

Our compliance consultants, cybersecurity experts, and software engineers help ensure that your apps comply with applicable laws and regulations — HIPAA, PCI DSS, GDPR, and others. They assess your software and its design, development, testing, and deployment processes, identify gaps in your compliance program, and develop a customized plan to address them.

Security enhancement

An service provider, INNERLUXES offers the skills and knowledge of top experts to assess and improve the security of web, mobile, and desktop applications and find ways to enhance data protection.

Accessibility compliance

We help businesses ensure their software is accessible to all users, including those with disabilities. Our team has experience with ADA, Section 508, WCAG, and other standards. We assess your software and help remediate accessibility issues — lacking keyboard accessibility, insufficient color contrast, forms that are not properly labeled, no alternative text and transcripts for images, video, and audio.

Application Modernization Benefits

Legacy modernization is rarely about technology for its own sake. These are the outcomes our clients actually buy.

Better user experience

due to upgraded UX/UI design, improved app performance, and new highly requested features.

State-of-the-art security

due to secure software design and coding best practices, expert security testing, and built-in regulatory compliance.

Lower maintenance costs

due to the reduced IT support team workload and wide cloud optimization opportunities.

Streamlined business processes and improved employee productivity

due to workflow automation and the implementation of advanced technologies.

Increased app availability & scalability

due to optimized software design and elastic cloud resources (for cloud migration).

Ease of further app evolution

due to clear software documentation, flexible architecture (e.g., SOA/microservices-based), and reusable code.

For cloud application migrations

What every migration delivers

  • Reduced costs of IT infrastructure due to the pay-as-you-go pricing model.
  • Quick scalability of cloud resources with no upfront cost.
  • High availability of the migrated app, backed by cloud-provider SLAs.
  • Faster application updates thanks to CI/CD-ready environments.

What each migration path adds

  • Rehosting: the fastest route off ageing hardware, with modest savings over on-premises hosting.
  • Replatforming: meaningful savings and better elasticity for a moderate code-change effort.
  • Refactoring: the highest long-term return — faster deployments and true cloud-native scaling.

INNERLUXES' Chief Technology Officer

When businesses come to us for legacy software modernization, we often recommend considering cloud migration as part of the project. At this point, moving to the cloud is usually the most rational thing to do: you cut operational costs, raise app availability, and gain access to cloud-dependent technologies such as AI automation and data science. To make cloud migration fast and secure, our team divides legacy software into manageable parts and ensures a gradual transition from one stable state to the next. We also offer clients a pilot migration first — it helps assess the viability of the chosen approach and make the required tweaks cost-efficiently and risk-free.

Example of Our Impact: Modernizing a Core Business System

Here is one example of how INNERLUXES helped a global enterprise modernize its core business system. By replacing outdated software with a scalable, automated platform, we enabled higher efficiency, reduced risks, and set the stage for digital transformation.

Legacy challenges

INNERLUXES' solution

Outdated 20-year-old underwriting software

Modern, automated underwriting platform built on .NET, Angular, and Azure

Disconnected systems causing slow and error-prone data sharing

Seamless integration with CRM, financial software, compliance tools, and BI systems

Heavy reliance on internal IT resources with limited expertise

Fully managed delivery with a dedicated cross-functional team from INNERLUXES

High maintenance costs for obsolete technology

Reduced maintenance costs thanks to a modern, scalable architecture

Elevated risk of fraud and non-compliance

Automated fraud detection and compliance enforcement (KYC/AML, OFAC)

Manual, fragmented workflows with no centralized traceability

Robust automation of underwriting, quoting, and policy management with end-to-end traceability

Limited insight into underwriting data and trends

Instant data flow into the enterprise data warehouse for advanced analytics

Selected App Modernization Projects

Explore how we have helped clients bring ageing systems back to life, cut maintenance costs, and unlock new capabilities.

Types of Apps We Modernize

Software type

  • Web, mobile, and desktop app modernization.
  • Enterprise application modernization (ERP, CRM, BPA, HCM, SCM, PPM, BI, data warehouses) and SaaS modernization.
  • IoT, big data, blockchain, and AI/ML modernization.

Platforms

  • Dynamics 365
  • Salesforce
  • Magento
  • SharePoint
  • ServiceNow and other platforms

Installed on

  • Cloud-based, on-premises, and hybrid servers.
  • Computers, laptops, mobile devices, and wearables.

Components We Modernize

App infrastructure

App architectures and tech stack

Data and databases

App UI/UX

Ready to talk specifics?

Discuss your needs

Our 4-Step Application Modernization Strategy

Each legacy app gets a unique modernization strategy. However, we follow a structured process to save time on organizational matters.

1

Assessment

2

Strategy and feasibility study

3

Incremental implementation

4

Verification and continuous evolution

Application migration to cloud scenarios

  • Application re-hosting. We move the application from the on-premises or old cloud infrastructure to the new cloud (AWS or Azure). This is a fast and simple migration option that enables DevOps and ubiquitous access and optimizes the usage of hardware resources; it also streamlines more advanced modernization later. However, re-hosting offers only limited cloud-driven benefits in terms of app resilience, performance, and scalability.
  • Application re-platforming. We complement moving the application to the cloud with small modifications and upgrades in code that bring more advanced cloud capabilities — improved performance, scaling, fault tolerance — to the application.
  • Cloud-native implementation. We transform the app architecture (e.g., split it into web services or microservices) to make it withstand dynamic load and performance requirements and allow partial updates, technology mix, and shared platform usage.

The Methodology Behind Successful Application Modernization Deliveries

Our strategic approach to team assembly, project scoping, and cost estimation ensures your modernization project is handled with exact planning and meticulous execution from start to finish. With our commitment to quality management, detailed documentation, and efficient knowledge sharing, we guarantee a smooth and efficient upgrade for your applications.

Take a closer look at our project management and development frameworks, best practices, and work samples from our recent projects.

Unveil the art of designing the winning team structure and handpicking ideally suited talents. Explore how our resource assignment process is customized to the cooperation model of your choice.

Dive into our scoping process designed for application development and modernization projects. Get a peek at our Vision & Scope document, feature list, user journey map, and UX wireframes.

Discover the essential factors and guiding principles we employ to accurately forecast costs. Check a list of cost optimization strategies.

Discover the core principles guiding our partnership, RACI-based collaboration matrix, collaboration flows, forms, and frequency.

Discover how we identify and manage risks throughout every phase of software development and modernization projects, and the proactive measures we take to mitigate them.

Discover real-world examples of objectives and key results across time, budget, software quality, and other categories.

Learn what insights you can expect in every type of report we deliver. Get access to sample reports.

Discover a range of examples, from standard to custom documents we craft at every stage of development and modernization projects.

Explore our knowledge management techniques and tools that make information sharing seamless and efficient.

Discover our tailored process for managing change requests from the moment you submit a request to its implementation or rejection.

Discover the KPIs we employ to ensure top-notch software quality and project vitality, and the stage-specific controls of our quality management system.

Discover the meticulous security management practices we apply to protect our clients' data and IT environments.

Application Modernization Trends We Willingly Use

Low-code development

We use the advantage of fast and cost-effective development to build extra apps that complement your core application or substitute its parts.

Hybrid clouds

We mix private and public clouds to meet strict security requirements for certain services or storages within an app, and still keep the overall cost reasonable.

Edge computing

We can enable real-time response of apps supporting Internet-connected devices by moving data processing closer to where data originates.

We offer to turn a legacy customer-facing app into a PWA if you want to achieve great user experience on any screen without investing in mobile apps.

Application Modernization: Timelines and Costs

  • 2–8 weeks

    to execute an automated database migration

  • 2+ months

    to perform UI updates, simple code conversions, and cloud migrations

  • 6+ months

    to replatform or refactor an application of medium size and complexity

  • 2+ years

    for reengineering and refactoring of large enterprise-wide systems

$10,000–$15,000

for a UI upgrade or rehosting of a small app.

$50,000–$250,000

for a substantial modernization of a medium or large app.

$500,000+

for a large application modernization, where extensive reengineering, deep recoding, or implementation of complex capabilities (e.g., big data, AI/ML) is required.

Among the key factors that influence the cost and duration of legacy modernization projects are:

  • The complexity of systems and their dependencies.
  • The volume of data to transfer.
  • The lifespan of the system and its cloud migration readiness; the scope of infrastructure, code, and configuration changes required.
  • The extent of modernization automation and the cost of the relevant software licenses, such as code conversion tools.
  • The required testing efforts.

Need Expert Help to Estimate Your App Modernization Costs?

INNERLUXES' software architects and business analysts are ready to calculate the cost of legacy app modernization for your specific case.

Our Technological Expertise

We pair proven classics with modern tools — choosing the right technology for your project, not the trendiest one.

Back-end programming languages

.NET.NET
JavaJava
PythonPython
Node.jsNode.js
PHPPHP
GoGo

Front-end programming languages

Languages
HTML5HTML5
CSS3CSS3
JavaScriptJavaScript
JavaScript Frameworks
AngularAngular
ReactReact
MeteorMeteor
Vue.jsVue.js
Next.jsNext.js

Mobile

iOSiOS
AndroidAndroid
XamarinXamarin
CordovaCordova
PWAPWA
React NativeReact Native
FlutterFlutter
IonicIonic

Low-code development

Power AppsPower Apps
Power AutomatePower Automate
App Engine StudioApp Engine Studio
BubbleBubble

Platforms

Dynamics 365Dynamics 365
SalesforceSalesforce
MagentoMagento
SharePointSharePoint
ServiceNowServiceNow
Power BIPower BI
SAPSAP

Databases / Data Storages

SQL
SQL ServerSQL Server
Microsoft FabricMS Fabric
MySQLMySQL
Azure SQLAzure SQL
NoSQL
CassandraCassandra
HiveHive
HBaseHBase

DevOps

Containerization
DockerDocker
KubernetesKubernetes
OpenShiftOpenShift
Automation
AnsibleAnsible
PuppetPuppet
ChefChef
SaltStackSaltStack
CI/CD Tools
AWS Developer ToolsAWS Dev Tools
Azure DevOpsAzure DevOps
Google Dev ToolsGoogle Dev Tools
JenkinsJenkins
Monitoring
ZabbixZabbix
NagiosNagios
ElasticsearchElasticsearch

Special Capabilities We Are Ready to Implement

When modernizing legacy applications, we don't only improve the core of the app — we can also build up new capabilities and functions.

Difference Between App Modernization and Digital Transformation

Digital transformation

Application modernization

Goal

To improve the speed, resilience, performance, and cost of business processes by adopting new digital capabilities. For more information, visit our digital transformation services page.

To revamp an existing app so as to improve its vital characteristics — extensibility, security, performance, usability — and optimize maintenance cost.

Scope
  • Modernization of legacy apps.
  • New software development.
  • Cloud enablement.
  • Data-driven environment modeling.
  • Transformation of corporate culture.
  • App migration to a new technology stack.
  • Code refactoring.
  • App rearchitecting.
  • App replatforming.
  • App migration to the cloud.
Duration
  • Commonly 2+ years.
  • 2–6 months for medium app modernization.
  • 1–2 years for large enterprise-wide app modernization.
Cost
  • $400,000–$2,000,000 for companies with up to 5,000 employees.
  • $600,000–$5,000,000 for companies with 5,000+ employees.
  • $50,000–$250,000 for medium/large app modernization.
  • Up to $500,000 for extensive reengineering or deep recoding of a large app.

Answering Frequent Questions about Application Modernization

What is the biggest factor in deciding to start the modernization process for an application?

Cost is the overriding factor prompting app modernization. Companies can live with legacy apps, but the maintenance and evolution cost will be high. As legacy apps are rigid, a support team puts in significant time and effort to deliver new features, and some changes are not even possible. The backlog keeps mounting, just like your irritation and the feeling of irrational spending. App modernization is an investment that pays back after the first year of reduced maintenance costs.

Is it possible to modernize a legacy app with no detailed documentation (functional specifications)?

Yes. In this case, INNERLUXES mines the business rules from the existing application code and documentation and investigates code dependencies and component integrations. We are also ready to cooperate with your in-house IT team, third-party vendors, and other parties knowledgeable of the application to speed up the process.

How can I be sure that the modernized app will bring the expected results instead of only wasting the company's time and resources?

We rely on robust risk management practices and start with an in-depth assessment of your legacy system, focusing on technical, business, and economic considerations. Before starting any project, we prepare a comprehensive feasibility study report with estimated gains and risk analysis to help you make a well-informed decision on the legacy app's future. To make modernization as transparent and manageable as possible, our software engineers split legacy apps into several independent modules so that changes are introduced quickly and incrementally.

Can we modernize legacy applications without operational downtime?

Yes. We conduct thorough testing and continuous monitoring of the modernized app modules to make sure they run as expected and don't disrupt your business processes.

Is it possible to avoid a long freeze-up of the apps during modernization?

Yes. For this, we split applications into several independent, loosely coupled parts (e.g., microservices) to introduce the required changes fast and incrementally.

INNERLUXES logo

About INNERLUXES

INNERLUXES is a software development company with 132+ IT professionals, and 68 delivered projects across 30+ industries. Quality and information security management run under robust internal systems. Explore our application services, our named specialists, and our published client projects.

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