The modernization of legacy systems is one of the most pressing challenges for many industries today. As companies continue to adopt DevOps and cloud technologies, they often encounter difficulties when dealing with infrastructure that wasn't designed for scalability or automation. According to a recent report by Capgemini, over 60% of companies still rely on legacy systems that are hindering their ability to innovate. This growing dependency on outdated systems poses significant risks, especially in industries like healthcare and finance, where operational disruptions can have severe consequences.
A notable case involving St. Jude's Health System, a leading European healthcare provider, demonstrates how costly maintaining legacy systems can be. Their outdated patient records system, known as MediCore, was built in 2009 and had been struggling to meet modern healthcare demands. In 2023, during a critical system upgrade, MediCore experienced severe downtime, delaying patient care by over 12 hours and causing widespread concern. The incident forced the hospital to rethink its reliance on outdated infrastructure. This case highlights the critical need for phased modernization in high-stakes environments.
Aliaksei Volski, who has tackled similar challenges in his career, emphasizes the importance of a careful, risk-averse approach. "When companies try to overhaul legacy systems too quickly, it can create a lot of risk," Volski explains. "If things go wrong during a big switch, businesses can face serious downtime, which can be disastrous in fields like healthcare or finance. That's why a phased approach is always the safest option." Volski's strategy involves isolating sections of a system for testing before rolling out automation tools more widely.
One of Volski's notable projects involved a financial services firm heavily dependent on a legacy system. Known as FinGuard, this system had been manually managed, causing significant delays and frequent errors as the firm struggled to meet evolving regulatory requirements. By introducing automation through Jenkins for continuous integration and Azure DevOps for deployment, Volski's team reduced the firm's release cycle from two months to just under a week—without disrupting the legacy system's core functionality. "You can't bulldoze over legacy infrastructure," Volski says. "In these situations, it's essential to implement new technologies in smaller, isolated sections of the system first. This allows teams to test and monitor changes before applying them more broadly."
Volski's phased approach is particularly useful in sectors like manufacturing, where industrial control systems (ICS) often rely on decades-old software. For example, ElectroTech, a U.S.-based electronics manufacturer, faced production inefficiencies as its legacy ICS struggled to support newer automation technologies. Volski introduced a DevOps approach with iterative updates to the legacy software, allowing ElectroTech to reduce downtime during production by 15% while improving overall system reliability.
Volski emphasizes that this is not a one-size-fits-all solution. The success of a phased modernization depends on the specific needs of each business, as well as the limitations of its existing systems. "Legacy systems are like puzzles," Volski explains. "You have to figure out what pieces can be updated without causing a chain reaction of issues. Rushing the process almost always leads to headaches."
Beyond risk management, another essential factor in legacy system automation is quality assurance. "You can't just automate for the sake of speed," Volski advises. "Quality assurance has to be built into every step. During one of my projects, we integrated tools like SonarCloud to perform automated code checks, which helped reduce bugs in production by 25%. This also led to greater confidence across the team in the system's stability."
Third-party case studies illustrate the effectiveness of gradual automation in industries that face strict regulatory and operational constraints. Take, for instance, BNP Paribas, one of Europe's largest banks, which embarked on a multi-year project to modernize its internal systems. By using Docker for containerization and Kubernetes for managing workloads, the bank was able to reduce downtime by 15% and improve data processing speeds by 30%, all while maintaining compliance with strict financial regulations. The key to their success? A methodical, step-by-step integration of automation tools that ensured system reliability at every phase.
In contrast to fast-moving consumer industries, sectors like finance, manufacturing, and healthcare require an especially cautious approach to modernization. Any disruption in these sectors can lead to significant financial or even life-threatening consequences. This makes Volski's careful, measured strategy all the more relevant. "The key to a successful transformation is patience," he advises. "You need to have realistic goals and timelines. It's not about how quickly you can automate, but how effectively you can do it without compromising stability."
Looking forward, Volski believes that the future of legacy system automation lies in adaptive integration—an approach that not only incorporates modern DevOps tools but adapts to the specific needs of each legacy system. This strategy enables businesses to unlock the full potential of modern automation practices while minimizing risks associated with older technologies. "Every legacy system has its unique challenges," Volski explains. "Success depends on how well you can integrate new technologies without disrupting what's already working."
By following a structured and thoughtful approach, companies can bridge the gap between outdated infrastructure and the cutting edge of DevOps, ensuring both efficiency and reliability in the process. Aliaksei Volski's method of adaptive integration demonstrates that legacy system modernization doesn't have to be an all-or-nothing approach—it can be done gradually, minimizing risks while maximizing long-term benefits. For industries like finance, healthcare, and manufacturing, where system downtime or errors can have significant consequences, Volski's emphasis on patience and precision is particularly critical.
For businesses looking to modernize their infrastructure without sacrificing reliability, the path forward is clear: embrace adaptive integration, focus on quality assurance, and ensure that each step taken builds a stronger foundation for future growth.
