How iPaaS Modernizes Your Tech Stack With Legacy System Integration?

Legacy system integration always seems to be a fuss. Owing to the ever-evolving limitations of legacy software, it is one of the most difficult conundrums to establish cloud integration—yet, they offer some of the most rewarding opportunities.

There’s a smart way to do it! Employ an iPaaS to connect your legacy applications. Yes, using an iPaaS, you achieve an economical, efficient, more effective, and multifaceted integration of legacy systems.

So, let’s explore how integrating legacy systems with cloud-based systems using iPaaS can expand your capabilities.

Why Choose iPaaS for Legacy System Integration?

The chief goal of integrating legacy systems is to employ the sitting data through cloud applications. Over 50% of businesses opt to integrate legacy systems with modern technologies for improved security & efficiency, and dodging cost concerns. Additionally, close to 40% feel the need to adopt advanced technologies like AI (Artificial Intelligence) & ML (Machine Learning). And, over 40% of businesses open doors for legacy system modernization to incorporate modern technologies and modify their flows & systems to support flexibility and agility.

In addition, legacy applications pose an inevitable constraint on the data feasibility. The majority of on-premise tools and custom-built systems are tightly packed with rich data, yet they are often siloed. This makes it challenging to leverage this data across modern workflows and cloud applications.

Unification of data sounds like the only answer to reverse this challenge—thus an iPaaS for legacy system modernization makes much sense. Choosing an iPaaS for legacy system modernization bridges the gap by enabling robust connectivity, seamless data synchronization, and effortless accessibility across platforms.

On the contrary, relying on legacy software heightens security and efficiency challenges meanwhile limiting scalability and integration capabilities. By implementing legacy system integration with iPaaS, businesses can enhance operational efficiency and also maintain continuity without discarding their existing infrastructure.

What are Legacy Systems?

Legacy systems are outdated software, hardware, or infrastructure that an organization continues to use despite being aware of newer and more efficient alternatives. Essentially, a legacy platform can be any of your business tools that have become obsolete or prove to be blockers most of the time. These often pose vulnerabilities to business and stagnate scalability.

A “legacy system” typically refers to software or tools that:

• Are no longer actively developed or supported by their creators.
• Lack of modern features, such as AI-based threat detection, integration of legacy systems with cloud systems, or adaptive threat management.
• Are incompatible with current systems or lack updates for modern cybersecurity threats.

Types of Legacy Systems & Examples

If you look for different types of legacy systems, they can be your long-used ERP software, supply chain management systems, marketing tools, COBOL applications, and many other outdated technologies. These different types of legacy systems can be broadly categorized into the following:

• On-premise Tools: Systems hosted and operated within an organization’s physical infrastructure, often outdated mainframes or hardware. Examples include legacy software installed and managed on local file servers.
• Database Legacy Systems: Older database management systems that might not support current technologies, integration needs, large dataset handling, or modern analytics. For example, Oracle 7 Database & Microsoft SQL Server 2000.
• Proprietary Custom-Built Internal Tools: These are systems developed in-house to address specific organizational needs. Examples include custom ERP systems and HR systems built on legacy technologies.
• Middleware Legacy Systems: These act as a bridge between legacy applications to facilitate communication and data flow, through limited support, patches, and updates by vendors. Custom integration apps & plugins are great examples of it.
• Security Legacy Systems: The outdated security tools that fail to meet current security standards. expose organizations to vulnerabilities as threats evolve. For example, local firewalls, anti-viruses, internet security, and network traffic control.
• Industry-Specific Legacy Systems: Some legacy systems may tie organizations to specific vendors or proprietary technologies, increasing operational dependency. These can be custom solutions tailored for healthcare or manufacturing.

The Challenges of Legacy System Integration: How They Hold You Back?

Legacy platforms seem futile when you look for integration. You have to come up with custom solutions each time you need the data somewhere else, and this blocks the doors to data feasibility. Moreover, the scattered data in legacy systems always requires to reduction of clutters, better structuring, and ensuring data integrity. The following are the key legacy system integration challenges:

High Maintenance & Inefficient

It’s already complex and costly when you’re integrating multiple platforms individually and tying them into a string through data automation across platforms. On top of it, integrating legacy systems with modern technologies generally requires custom solutions, as there aren’t established APIs and defined protocols.

Limited Accessibility & Isolated Infrastructure

Outdated systems pose a danger to quality & data integrity and cause performance bottlenecks. The isolated infrastructure has slower processing speeds and limited capacity. All this makes it pretty difficult for newer technologies like AI, ML, or even SaaS to be incorporated into the system. Legacy systems are old and cannot interact with new technologies. It proves to be a major obstacle to transitioning when you want to modernize legacy systems.

Unscalable & Incompatible Outdated Architecture

Older systems are at the end of their life, meaning, they do not have any possibility for updates, or patches, or aren’t competitive enough with their peers. Moreover, many legacy systems require specialized knowledge that is becoming scarce as professionals retire or move on. Furthermore, user resistance to change is another challenge, that employees accustomed to legacy systems may resist migrating to or learning new systems.

Data Silos & Fragmented Data

Legacy systems are known to create data silos that restrict the flow of information across departments. Without real-time syncing, businesses face challenges of legacy system integration like delayed updates, fragmented insights, and inconsistent records. Duplication of data across systems is another common issue, leading to inefficiencies and multiple storage costs. Additionally, the monolithic architecture of many legacy systems makes it difficult to implement seamless integrations or scale solutions, further reinforcing silos and complicating workflows.

Manual Data Workflows Across Platforms

In the absence of automation, legacy systems rely heavily on manual processes to complete routine tasks. This not only increases the risk of human error but also consumes valuable time and resources. Employees often face inefficiencies and frustration as they grapple with outdated tools, hindering overall productivity. Modernizing workflows is crucial for streamlining operations and freeing up teams to focus on higher-value activities.

Security Vulnerabilities & Non-Compliant Systems

Legacy systems are susceptible to cyberattacks due to outdated security protocols, lack of encryption, and missing patches. These vulnerabilities expose sensitive data to risks, from breaches to ransomware attacks. Moreover, many legacy systems fail to meet modern compliance standards like GDPR, HIPAA, or CCPA, putting businesses at risk of hefty fines and legal complications. For instance, they may lack audit trails or mechanisms to ensure secure data handling, making it challenging to adhere to stringent data protection regulations.

MakeWebBetter Connect—One-Stop Solution for Legacy System Integration

MakeWebBetter Connect is an iPaaS solution and an iPaaS proves to be your best option to connect legacy systems with the cloud environment. It enables you to attend to all the challenges of legacy system integration with iPaaS and empowers organizations to modernize legacy systems operations while preserving critical data assets. The core features of MakeWebBetter Connect include:

• 100+ App Connectors Library (aimed 1000+)
• HubSpot iPaaS solution
• Prebuilt Workflow Templates
• Advanced Workflows Runs Log
• Native CRM Card Builder
• Centralized Integration Control
• User Roles & Project Management
• Custom Integration Builder
• HubSpot API integration tools

Incorporating MakeWebBetter Connect iPaas for legacy system integration ensures flexibility, scalability, and cost-effectiveness. Let’s learn what makes MakeWebBetter Connect the best iPaaS platform.

How does MakeWebBetter Connect Resolve Legacy System Integration Challenges?

MakeWebBetter Connect iPaaS acts as a stepping stone toward digital transformation. It bridges your legacy systems with cutting-edge technologies such as cloud computing, AI, and other SaaS platforms. Besides holding the capacity for multifaceted integrations, the iPaaS solution is centered around HubSpot. It is aimed at improved scalability and future readiness by consolidating data alongside better structuring and mapping. Here’s what makes MakeWebBetter Connect standout amongst the best iPaaS software and how it resolves your legacy system integration challenges.

Supports Boundless Innovation & Customization

The integration enables businesses to leverage innovative solutions like data automation and analytics, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and staying relevant in the market. Whether it’s increased transaction volumes, new functionalities, or expanded operations, customizations and integrations are needed every step of the way. Thus, an iPaaS like MakeWebBetter Connect is the only tool for future-proofing your tech stack and incorporating evolving technologies.

MakeWebBetter Connect offers a custom app builder, allowing systems to adapt to their growing business needs. This builder is perfect for building legacy systems integration. Talk to our team to discuss the scope of your desired integration and lay the groundwork for scalable solutions with MakeWebBetter Connect iPaaS.

Broad Spectrum of Integration Capabilities

Besides bringing a plethora of prebuilt apps & workflow templates for data integration, MakeWebBetter Connect has provisions for integrating legacy systems. The iPaaS solution has 100s of prebuilt integration apps and plans to extend it to 1000+ connectors, ensuring scalability and flexibility for diverse business needs. This vast availability of app connections through multiple mediums supports the idea of ‘legacy systems integration’.

While creating custom workflows in the built-in workflow builder, you can integrate even local data by channeling it through Google Sheets to any platform you desire. This approach addresses common blockers that you may experience with your outdated ERPs, local servers, custom-built on-premise tools, or other vendor-exclusive legacy tools. This makes it feasible to integrate legacy systems and enhances operational efficiency across your business systems, through a centralized data integration hub ‘an iPaaS’.

Unified Data Systems Through Automation

Data unification has always been a necessity for business intelligence. The insufficiencies of integration capacity in legacy systems pose challenges for data integration and consolidation. These prove to be a blocker when it comes to data automation of marketing, sales, and other engagement. Fortunately, there are possibilities to integrate legacy systems effortlessly and modernize legacy systems through the incorporation of iPaaS.

MakeWebBetter Connect has a comprehensive workflow builder that facilitates everything—data integration, mapping, structuring, segmentation, reporting, and automation in everything. This works like magic for seamless communication between previously disconnected systems and modern systems. Furthermore, you can utilize HubSpot integration with iPaaS to unlock the full potential of your legacy systems data with a CRM.

Enhanced Data Accessibility & Real-Time Insights

Integration of legacy systems adds one more advantage to the fleet of remarkable functionalities. MakeWebBetter Connect hands you full control over your integrated data. You can assign workflows to fetch data and if that doesn’t suffice you can call it through Webhooks and custom connections while assigning actions in your app workflows.

To achieve this, you can keep track of your data syncing through the Runs log tab in MakeWebBetter Connect. Moreover, MakeWebBetter Connect has a CRM Card builder, which helps you visualize your data within HubSpot alongside object associations. This helps you centralize legacy system data and enable real-time synchronization of object-specific data. Therefore, this iPaaS empowers teams with access to consolidated & real-time data, actionable insights, and better decision-making capabilities with HubSpot.

Boosted Team Productivity

Teams and organizations become accustomed to the workflows of legacy technologies, for using them over longer periods. Availing iPaaS for legacy system modernization centralizes all your scattered data in one place. This data consolidation paves the way for agile workflows across departments and opens avenues for collaboration opportunities. The unified workflows further reduce the need for mundane and redundant tasks, allowing teams to focus on strategic initiatives.

On top of integrating and automating workflows across multiple platforms, MakeWebBetter Connect allows collaboration in integration projects among cross-team members. Thus, the iPaaS solution can be employed for enhancing efficiency across departments, reducing redundancies and manual interventions.

Cost Efficiency and Resource Optimization

Integrating legacy systems with modern tools enhances their longevity, delaying the need for costly system overhauls. Leveraging an iPaaS solution maximizes ROI by eliminating the recurring expenses of system replacements and middleware for each integration. It also reduces the need for investments in new infrastructure. Beyond cost savings, iPaaS bridges the gap between outdated and modern technologies, enabling streamlined workflows and automated processes for seamless operations across marketing, sales, service, and more.

Better Compliance and Security

Modern integrations play a vital role in meeting data regulatory compliance and bolstering data security across organizations. By standardizing data management practices, these integrations help businesses align with stringent industry regulations such as GDPR, HIPAA, or CCPA.

These measures ensure that critical systems—such as databases, servers, accounting platforms, HR management systems, and customer data repositories—are safeguarded against unauthorized access, breaches, and data loss. Furthermore, MakeWebBetter Connect iPaaS incorporates robust security measures like encryption, secure APIs, and access controls to protect sensitive information.

Steps For Seamless Legacy System Integration with iPaaS

A well-defined process to integrate legacy systems with modern technologies should look like this.

Define the Purpose and Scope of Integration

Identify why you think to modernization of legacy systems is needed and what outcomes are expected. Additionally, specify the data types and workflows to be integrated to ensure alignment with business goals.

Evaluate the Capabilities of Your Legacy Applications

Evaluate the existing legacy systems to determine their integration readiness, focusing on data formats, APIs, compatibility, and performance constraints. This assessment helps identify the level of customization or additional tools required. Based on this analysis, select the optimal integration approach—whether peer-to-peer, middleware, or iPaaS—that is aligned with your business needs and system complexity.

MakeWebBetter Connect iPaaS for Legacy System Integration

Peer-to-peer or middleware is best if you want one-off integration or do not need any sort of integration or automation in the future. If that’s not the case with your business, then the best iPaaS software for it. When screening, ensure that your preferred iPaaS facilitates legacy system supports the desired platforms, data automation, mapping, structuring, review, and utilizing of data. Leverage the capabilities of the MakeWebBetter Connect to achieve all this and data feasibility with HubSpot.

Execute the Integration Process

After this, you’ll proceed with the process of integrating legacy system. Follow a structured implementation plan, ensuring that all configurations are in place, systems are securely connected, and dependencies are accounted for. Plus, you must ensure proper coordination with MakeWebBetter Connect experts if you encounter common legacy system integration challenges. It can be issues such as obtaining keys & unique IDs for integration or defining integration protocols.

Test, Validate, and Deploy with Precision

Once, you’re through the setup, configurations, and integration process, it’s time for testing. Conduct rigorous testing to identify and resolve any issues in data syncing or automation tractions & action. Furthermore, validate the data flow, routes, and overall system performance before deploying the integrated solution for operational use.

Future-Proofing Your Business

Owing to the fact that legacy systems are incompetent to modern platforms, they further limit the capacity for integration and modernization. Moreover, the lack of support and updates makes them obsolete and potentially insecure. All this stifles the scalability and efficiency required in current business environments.

Having everything in one place further minimizes the risks associated with inconsistent data handling or storage. Therefore, incorporating an iPaaS to integrate legacy systems with modern technologies prevents compliance violations and hefty penalties.

With such a foundation, you enhance data integrity and feasibility and also future-proof operations and possibilities for integration. I hope you find this helpful. Contact our team for any queries. Happy connecting!