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Upgrade your game: migrating to the latest .NET versions

.NET

Migration

According to Venturebeat, the vast majority of companies (79%) believe legacy applications are hindering their organization’s digital transformation initiatives. 91% of respondents agree or strongly agree that application modernization plays a critical role in their organization’s adaptability to manage rapidly changing business conditions. A third (33%) of respondents said a lack of skills or expertise is their biggest challenge, while about a quarter struggle with a lack of budgets and investments (26%) or outdated processes and tools (25%).

Research conducted by Infosys indicates that companies are actively engaged in the race to modernize their systems. The study highlights that within the next two years, approximately 50% of the global legacy application landscape is projected to undergo modernization. Furthermore, an even more significant transformation is anticipated, with 70-90% of obsolete applications expected to be modernized within the next five years.

At Innowise, we understand the significance of staying ahead of the curve in the ever-evolving technology landscape. As the support period for .NET 7 concludes on May 24, 2024, and .NET 6 on November 24, 2024, it becomes imperative for businesses to consider migrating to the new versions of .NET. In this article, we explore the benefits of .NET migration, empowering businesses to make informed decisions and ensuring their digital infrastructure remains robust and future-proof.

Stuck on an aging legacy system?

Boost the performance of your software by upgrading to the latest .NET version.

Why should businesses upgrade their tech products to the latest software language versions?

According to a McKinsey Global Survey of executives, companies have accelerated the digitization of their customer and supply-chain interactions and internal operations by three to four years. This has helped them stay competitive in the new business and economic environment by adopting changes immediately. Security is another accelerator for digital transformation, as updating software can prevent cybercriminals from gaining access to sensitive corporate data.

Performance and efficiency

Newer software languages often come with performance enhancements and optimized features. They are designed to be more efficient, enabling faster code execution and improved resource utilization. Migrating to the latest language versions can significantly enhance the performance of tech products, resulting in better user experiences and increased productivity.

Security enhancements

As technology evolves, so do security threats. Software language updates frequently include security patches and improvements to address vulnerabilities discovered in previous versions. Migrating to the latest language versions ensures that businesses’ tech products have the most up-to-date security features, minimizing the risk of data breaches, cyberattacks, and other security incidents.

Compatibility and interoperability

Software languages are constantly evolving, with new versions often introducing new features and syntax changes. By migrating to the latest versions, businesses can ensure compatibility with other software components, libraries, and frameworks, enabling seamless integration with third-party tools and systems, and facilitating collaboration and interoperability between different technologies.

Access to new functionality

Language updates often introduce new functionality and libraries that can enhance the capabilities of tech products. By migrating, businesses can leverage these new features to innovate, improve existing functionalities, and develop cutting-edge applications. Staying up-to-date with the latest software languages enables companies to remain competitive and meet evolving customer expectations.

Community support and resources

Popular software languages have large and vibrant developer communities. Migrating to the latest language versions ensures access to a wider range of community support, tutorials, code samples, and documentation. This can be immensely valuable for troubleshooting issues, acquiring knowledge, and accelerating development timelines. Businesses can tap into the collective expertise of the community to overcome challenges and foster continuous improvements that drive considerable benefits.

Long-term maintainability

Using outdated software languages can result in legacy codebases that are difficult to maintain and enhance over time. As technology advances, developers proficient in older languages may become scarce, making it harder to find skilled resources for maintenance and updates. By migrating to the latest language versions, businesses can future-proof their tech products, ensuring that they remain maintainable and adaptable to rapidly changing business needs.

Overall, migrating tech products to the latest software language versions brings numerous benefits, including improved performance, enhanced security, compatibility with other systems, access to new functionality, community support, and long-term maintainability. It empowers businesses to leverage the latest advancements in technology, stay ahead of the competition, and improve operational excellence.

Revamping legacy systems: unlocking business potential through software modernization

The term “legacy system” refers to a system that fails to meet its intended performance goals, primarily determined by its inability to complete operational tasks rather than its age. Even a recently implemented solution can become a legacy if executed poorly. Such systems fall short of keeping pace with your business objectives, resulting in maintenance challenges, subpar user experience, lack of support, and inadequate handling of growing data volumes. Consequently, these issues hinder your business’s overall performance. This is precisely where legacy software modernization becomes an essential step forward.

Apart from underwhelming performance, maintaining legacy systems can be prohibitively expensive. Neglecting to modernize your legacy software can deplete your budget due to various cost factors:

Maintenance and support. The cost of maintaining legacy systems often surpasses the initial development expenses within a span of five years since system deployment.
Integration and compliance. Regulatory requirements are periodically updated, and failure to meet them can lead to hefty penalties.
Security. Outdated security protocols pose significant risks, and without prioritizing security updates, data breaches can result in substantial financial losses.
Missed opportunities. A lack of innovation can have long-term implications for profitability. Failure to adapt to evolving market standards, customer demands, safety regulations, and quality criteria can result in missed business prospects.
Limited agility and efficiency. Embracing modernization and automation can greatly enhance process efficiency, often achieving up to a remarkable 50% increase.
Brand reputation. Outdated software that lags, crashes, or appears unprofessional can significantly damage your brand reputation and scare away loyal customers.

You can only intensify the challenges associated with operating your business on aging systems by delaying the modernization of your legacy software. Taking on these challenges head-on is crucial to unlocking your organization’s full potential and thriving in the long run.

Unleashing the power of .NET 8

.NET 6 and 7 are popular and widely used software frameworks employed by many businesses for their web applications and software development needs. However, as their support will end in 2024, businesses must understand why migrating from previous .NET versions to 8 should be a top priority. Here’s what’s new in .NET 8.

Improved performance: unleash the full potential

Performance is a critical aspect of any software framework, and .NET 8 shines in this area. With a host of improvements, optimizations, and bug fixes, this latest version offers an unparalleled boost in overall performance. By leveraging these advancements, developers can build high-performing applications that deliver a seamless user experience.

Introducing C# 10: empowering developers

.NET 8 embraces the power of the new C# 10 language. This upgrading to .NET 8 brings forth a myriad of enhancements, including new syntax, improved source generators, and an array of other language-level advancements. These additions empower developers to write cleaner, more concise code while enhancing productivity and maintainability.

Unleashing the potential of WebAssembly: unparalleled performance

In the era of web applications, performance plays a pivotal role. With .NET 8, developers can harness remarkable performance improvements for WebAssembly, enabling the creation of highly performant web apps. This newfound efficiency translates into faster loading times, smoother user interactions, and ultimately, a superior user experience.

Intuitive APIs: simplifying development tasks

.NET 8 introduces a set of new and intuitive APIs that simplify common development tasks. Notable additions include System.Text.Json.Serialization.Metadata and System.Net.Http.Json, which enhance working with JSON data and handling HTTP requests respectively. By streamlining these essential tasks, developers can save time, improve code quality, and deliver projects more efficiently with no scope creep.

Enriched library ecosystem: expanding possibilities

.NET 8 comes bundled with a range of new libraries that broaden the developer’s arsenal. Among these, System.CommandLine and System.Runtime.TieredCompilation stand out, providing developers with powerful tools to streamline command-line interfaces and optimize runtime performance. These additions facilitate the creation of high-quality applications that meet the most demanding velocity and responsiveness requirements.

Streamlined packaging: easier adoption, seamless integration

Recognizing the importance of smooth adoption across different platforms, .NET 8 introduces significant improvements to its packaging system. NuGet packages have been simplified, enabling faster installation and seamless discovery of libraries and dependencies. These enhancements make .NET 8 more accessible and user-friendly, ensuring developers can effortlessly leverage its capabilities across a wide range of platforms and deployment scenarios.

Enhanced Visual Studio integration: unleashing productivity

Seamless integration with development environments is crucial for developers’ productivity, and .NET 8 delivers precisely that. With improved integration with Visual Studio, developers gain a powerful environment to create, debug, and deploy .NET Core projects with ease. This enhanced workflow eliminates unnecessary complexities, enabling developers to focus on what truly matters: building exceptional applications.

Case study: enhancing legacy system synchronization

Currently, our team is working on a project to integrate legacy systems with a modern, microservice-based system for one of our clients. To achieve this, we have created various microservices that handle different functionalities, including classic CRUD microservices, synchronization mappers, and microservices for searching and creating bookings, among others. Initially, most of these microservices were built using .NET Core 3.1, which was a long-term support (LTS) version. However, we are now in the process of upgrading all our systems to .NET 6, with an LTS version as well.

Accordingly, we developed a microservice responsible for displaying information about bookings for selected locations within a specific period based on certain criteria, such as the number of participants and the availability of additional activities. Originally, this service was built using .NET Core 3.1. However, after upgrading it to .NET 6 and updating all the NuGet packages it relied on, we observed a 25% increase in performance without making any changes to the service’s code.

It is time to start planning for the .NET migration

Application modernization is not a sudden event but rather a continuous journey. On this path, every organization takes incremental steps and may implement various technologies such as cloud computing, mobility solutions, advanced analytics, and cybersecurity. Legacy modernization follows an iterative approach, allowing organizations to transform their IT ecosystem to meet present and future business requirements while establishing a flexible foundation for future innovation.

With the end of the support period for .NET 6, businesses now have an opportunity to embrace the future of .NET development. By migrating to the latest versions, organizations can take advantage of enhanced features, ensure robust security measures, and future-proof their digital infrastructure. At Innowise, we offer comprehensive .NET 8 migration services to assist businesses in successfully navigating this migration. Our team is committed to providing .NET 8 migration solutions for businesses, empowering organizations to fully leverage the potential of the .NET framework and thrive in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

FAQ

What are the advantages of migrating to the latest .NET versions?

Migrating to the latest .NET versions brings several advantages, including access to new features, improved performance, enhanced security, and ongoing support from Microsoft. Upgrading ensures compatibility with modern technologies, fosters innovation, and positions your application for continued growth and efficiency.

What steps are involved in the migration process to the latest .NET framework?

The migration process to the latest .NET framework typically involves a systematic approach. It includes assessing the current application, planning the migration strategy, updating code and dependencies, testing thoroughly, and finally, deploying the updated application.

How does the latest .NET version enhance security and performance?

The latest .NET version elevates security and performance through advanced features such as enhanced security protocols, improved encryption algorithms, and optimized runtime performance. These upgrades not only fortify the application against potential threats but also contribute to faster execution and improved overall responsiveness.

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Dmitry Nazarevich CTO

Date: Jun 30, 2023

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