Why Platform Modernization and Up-To-Date Maintenance Matters for Software Programs
Most businesses today rely heavily on technology to drive parts or most of their day-to-day operations.
Websites, applications, and SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) are just some of the many solutions modern organizations use today to streamline their internal processes and manage their growing infrastructure.
But while these solutions have quickly become an essential part of business operations, their long-term value from an organization’s perspective is based primarily on their ability to perform and scale the way they should over time.
Without this, these supporting technologies can quickly become a hindrance instead of an asset. This is where platform modernization comes into play.
The simple way of defining platform modernization is as a well-defined strategy and collection of processes designed to ensure digital platforms, operating systems, databases, and supporting software and hardware are continuously upgraded to the latest and most secure versions available.
Another way of looking at platform modernization is that it helps to facilitate the migration or replacement of outdated legacy systems for more modern, scalable, and secure business environments.
Platform modernization isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution, however.
Instead, organizations can apply various platform modernization strategies, from focusing on an umbrella approach to modernization efforts, such as large-scale corporate consolidations and replacements, to more targeted projects, such as application migration, bug patching, and general security updates.
Why Platform Modernization is Crucial for Software Programs
Software drives so much of what businesses do daily, from generating revenue to managing finances to providing customer service. As technology advances, so do the performance expectations for software programs.
But it’s not just performance that needs to be considered. As society as a whole has become accustomed to the digitization of operations, software must also meet the user’s needs in terms of usability and security.
Platform modernization has become critical in supporting these requirements for a variety of reasons, including:
Improved Performance and Security
Unlocking the full potential of new technologies like cloud computing and virtualization can lead to breakthrough improvements in the performance and security of software programs.
By taking advantage of updated architectures that seamlessly integrate with these advancements, development cycles can be streamlined, and overhead costs can be reduced, all while delivering lightning-fast and consistent performance.
Enhanced User Experiences
As technology advances, consumers expect nothing less than a seamless and intuitive user experience. That’s why software developers always push the envelope with cutting-edge technology, constantly improving and enhancing their programs to surpass user expectations.
Platform modernization is a crucial step in achieving this ultimate goal. It allows developers to introduce new features and capabilities that take their systems to the next level, keeping up with the latest trends and staying ahead of the curve.
Better Agility
Technology changes fast, and modern companies are expected by their customers to keep up with it. But legacy systems can often be rigid and unwieldy, making responding quickly to changing conditions difficult.
Platform modernization provides this flexibility and makes it easy for organizations to pivot when needed. This ensures that the business is prepared for potential risks and allows them to take advantage of new opportunities.
Why Ongoing Maintenance is Important For Open-Source Technologies Like WordPress
Performing ongoing maintenance is essential for open-source technologies like WordPress. Since these open-source platforms are constantly evolving, it is important to ensure that the core code, plugins, and themes are kept up-to-date to ensure compatibility with the latest version of the software.
Here are some of the main reasons why you should continue to perform regular maintenance on your WordPress site and connected platforms:
Increased Security
With the increasing prevalence of cyberattacks, website security has become a top business priority. While popular platforms like WordPress can be vulnerable to these attacks, there are ways to mitigate these risks. Keeping your website updated and implementing regular security patches can help safeguard your online presence and minimize your attack surface.
Bug Fixes and Enhancements
Regularly maintaining platforms, frameworks, and plugins helps improve performance and stability, ultimately contributing to a better user experience. Developers diligently address any bugs, glitches, or issues that arise, ensuring that the technologies perform at their best at all times.
This benefits end-users and makes administrators’ lives easier by reducing the number of issues they have to handle. By keeping these technologies up-to-date, you can always benefit from the latest features and enhancements that have been made.
Compatibility
Incompatible add-ons can lead to various issues, such as broken features, site crashes, reduced site speed, and compromised security. By ensuring compatibility, you can minimize the risk of these problems occurring.
As more people use their smartphones and tablets to browse websites, it has become crucial for WordPress websites to be mobile-friendly. Prioritizing a responsive design and using plugins to optimize the website for mobile devices can improve accessibility and user-friendliness. It also helps to ensure that the website will function on any device, regardless of size.
SEO Benefits
Search engines prioritize websites that are regularly updated and well-maintained. By keeping your WordPress installation current, you can improve your search engine rankings and drive more organic traffic to your site. Additionally, you can use plugins to optimize your content for SEO and get the most out of your efforts.
Since successful SEO techniques are dynamic and based on regularly shifting algorithms from Google and other search engines, it pays to stay one step ahead of the game. With regular updates and maintenance, you can keep your website at the top of the rankings and make sure you’re making the right changes to your site structure that don’t negatively impact your SEO.
Community Support
There are many passionate developers and users within the open-source community who are constantly working to make platforms better and more secure. By staying up-to-date with CMS improvements, you can access the latest resources and support from these communities.
This not only helps to ensure that your site is functioning properly but also provides invaluable advice on how to optimize your website for maximum performance.
Cost Savings
Often, incremental maintenance can help reduce long-term costs by addressing issues early on and preventing them from becoming more severe and costly. For example, regularly backing up your website helps ensure you can quickly recover any lost data in case of a problem.
Similarly, regular optimization ensures your website runs faster and smoother, reducing hosting costs and improving user experience. This, of course, is only a minor inconvenience when compared to the cost associated with data breaches, lost business, and potential lawsuits stemming from security vulnerabilities.
Start Prioritizing Your Platform Modernization Strategies
Platform modernization is an important step to ensure that your website remains secure and up-to-date with all current technologies. Regular maintenance of your digital environments, especially CMS platforms like WordPress, helps improve performance and stability, ultimately contributing to a better user experience and more efficient business operations. Creed offers various maintenance and support services, so please do not hesitate to contact us if you are in need of assistance.
While it may seem like extra work in the short term, working with a digital consultant can help you bridge the knowledge and bandwidth gaps to make sure that regular maintenance tasks and critical platform updates are handled quickly and efficiently.
This is one of the many important steps businesses should take to ensure reliable, secure digital operations as they position themselves for growth.
