Scoping
Clarity first
Which system is in scope, who holds the knowledge, what question Discovery must answer.
- Define scope and goals
- Identify risks and owners
- Agree success criteria
ServicesLegacy Modernization
Replace the system your business runs on — while it keeps running.
We are a UK technology consultancy that rebuilds business-critical legacy platforms — COBOL, Java, Delphi, 4GL and early .NET among them — one phase at a time, verified against the original, with the old system live until the new one has proved itself.
The situation
A system that works. Until something has to change.
These platforms run critical processes — orders, billing and compliance — and have done so for years. The risk is not that they fail today, but that any change becomes slow, risky or impossible.
- Key developer leaves Knowledge in one person's head.
- Vendor ends support No updates, increasing risk.
- A transaction brings it to the surface Due diligence, a sale or a bolt-on.
- Regulator or auditor raises questions Compliance and assurance deadlines.
Typical environments
We see these and more, often two or three in the same business.
- COBOL
- Java / Swing
- Delphi
- OpenEdge 4GL
- C / C++
- ASP.NET WebForms
- Oracle PL/SQL
Legacy Modernization
Modernize what you understand.
Release what you’ve proven.
We understand the existing system before we change it, verify the replacement as we build it, and release only when the evidence supports it.
With Smart Solid Solutions
You get evidence and control.
We turn legacy complexity into a clear, measurable path to a modern, maintainable system.
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Understand the real system We use static analysis to map behaviour, dependencies and data before any change.Visibility
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Define clear scope and success criteria You know what will be preserved, what will change, and how success will be measured.Clarity
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Rebuild and verify incrementally We modernize in manageable parts and test each area against the original behaviour.Control
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Release with confidence The legacy system stays live until the replacement has proved it can take over.Confidence
Without evidence and control
You can discover problems too late.
When legacy modernization isn’t properly understood or controlled, these issues are common.
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Assumptions about the system Key behaviours, dependencies and data are not fully known until it’s too late.
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Hidden dependencies Connections between systems, data and business logic are discovered during the build.
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No proof until the end The replacement is built for months or years without evidence of equivalence.
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High-risk cutover Issues only appear at cutover, turning it into a high-risk, all-or-nothing event.
The legacy system stays live until the replacement has proven it can take over.
No leaps of faith. Just evidence.
Our approach
How we modernise without stopping the business.
The Five Gates take a modernization from initial scope through discovery, specification and gated delivery, with optional technology governance to keep it on track. Each stage produces clear evidence and a decision point before moving forward.
Discovery
Understand for real
We read the code, map the business rules and data flows, and walk through the system with the people who run it today.
- Static analysis and mapping
- Business rules documentation
- Identify dependencies
Modernization Specification
A plan that holds
Target architecture, phased plan, equivalence criteria and rollback paths. We weigh options and document the decision.
- Target architecture
- Phased plan and effort model
- Equivalence and rollback plan
Gated Rebuild
Deliver in phases
Feature by feature, verified against the legacy behaviour. Data moves through a versioned pipeline, run nightly and reconciled until drift is zero.
- Build and verify in phases
- Parallel run (old + new)
- Validated cutover
Technology Governance (optional)
Keep it on track
Ongoing oversight, board reporting, architecture decisions and supplier management.
- Board-ready reporting
- Architecture decisions
- Supplier oversight
Legacy system
stays live
Old and new run in parallel
New platform
in production
Each phase ends with a clear deliverable and a decision point. You can stop at any gate.
Five gates.
Real control.
Technology experience
Legacy systems we know.
Modern stacks we build with.
We work across legacy and modern technology stacks. The target architecture is determined by the system, the business and what Discovery tells us — not by a predetermined migration path.
Legacy environments
Decades of experience with complex, mission-critical systems
Progress OpenEdge
Java (legacy systems)
.NET (legacy)
- And more
Modern platforms
Modern, scalable and secure solutions built for the future
Google Cloud
React
Angular- .NET (modern)
Node.js
Python
Spring Boot
PostgreSQL- And more
- 7Modernization engagements
- 10M+Lines of legacy code assessed
- 5M+Lines in a single modernization programme
Proven in delivery
This is what it looks like in the real world.
Two real modernization engagements. Different systems, the same approach. Real business outcomes.
Telecommunications
UK telephony and number management
Legacy Java platform → React + Node.js/TypeScript
Delivered
(TypeScript)
Starting point
- 20-year Java/JSP platform
- ~417,000 lines
- 3,469 Java files
- 366 database objects
What we did
- 13 recorded discovery sessions
- 186 requirements / 165 business rules
- ~267,000 lines of new code
- 12,000+ automated tests
Result
- Customer sign-off complete
- First customer live September 2026
Non-profit
US community-foundation software
Progress OpenEdge 4GL → ASP.NET + React
In progress
Starting point
- Large legacy application
- 600,000+ lines (ABL)
- 2,472 knowledge articles
- Complex business logic
What we did
- In-depth system analysis
- Modern architecture and rebuild
- 880+ automated tests
- Phased, gated delivery
Current status
- Build in progress
- Features merged (gated)
- On track for next milestone
When modernization becomes relevant
A real system. A real trigger.
A clear outcome.
Modernization usually starts when an established system meets a reason for change — and the business needs a clear way forward.
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An established system A business-critical application with history, users and operational dependencies.
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Something has changed A key departure, vendor issue, compliance requirement, transaction, growth constraint or strategic change.
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Knowledge exists in the business People understand how the system works today, even if that knowledge isn't documented.
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There's something to achieve Reduce risk, improve maintainability, enable change or prepare the platform for what comes next.
Not sure where to start?
You don't need to know
before you call us.
You don't need to decide whether you need modernization, replacement, replatforming or something else. We can help establish what the evidence supports.
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The problem isn't clear yet Something is becoming difficult, risky or expensive, but you're not yet sure what needs to change.
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You're considering several options Modernise, replace, replatform, integrate or leave the system alone — we can help establish what the evidence supports.
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You need an independent technical view Before committing budget or choosing a direction, you want to understand the system and the real options.
If modernization isn't the right answer, we'll tell you.
Get started
Let’s look at your system.
A 45-minute Technical Review Call. No charge. No sales deck. We will tell you whether there is work here and, if so, what the first fixed-scope step is. If there is not, we will tell you that too.
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Technical discussion Focused on your system and your goals.
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With senior experts Practical input from experienced engineers.
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Clear next steps You’ll know where you stand after the call.
Book a Technical Review Call
Practical. Technical. No obligation.