Once the transaction closes and the post-acquisition integration starts, a strong pressure to recoup the investment quickly builds. Even though a quick ROI is understandable and desirable, it often backfires.
This is when you find yourself on the integration migration treadmill. If you plan to keep the migrated apps long-term, then it won’t be a problem. Otherwise, they will remain on life-support along with the new legacy infrastructure being built to support it. This will cost more than you expect in both money and resources. The risk of unexpected outages in the short-term, and the known risks being issues of concern will grow.
This may be okay in the short-term, but at what point does it turn into a long-term burden?
The first step on the treadmill: finding the quickest and easiest approach
What happens in the post-acquisition planning is that an assessment of apps is made, and then project plans drawn out to migrate the app over in the quickest and easiest way possible.
The second step on the treadmill: finding the missing process
Once the users are migrated (employees and customers alike), there are compatibility issues. Best case, it is found in testing. Worst case, the users will find out themselves when they use the app for their job in your ecosystem for the first time post-cutover.
The final step on the treadmill: addressing deferred issues
From the initial evaluation to the final push, there are issues uncovered during the process. Some of the issues will have been known prior to the acquisition and deferred on the acquired company’s risk log. Other issues found as a part of the initial migration and deferred until after the cutover.
Question:
Was the migrated app brought over because it was expedient? Was it because it would have the least impact during the transition? Or does it fit with the greater strategic goals of the acquisition?
Depending on how you answer the question will determine how you can get off the treadmill.
The key point to keep in mind:
If the application is meant to act as a temporary bridge towards your longer-term strategic goal with the intent to be retired, then this is where you need to be the most careful.
The two key items to do during earliest planning phase of the integration:
- Ensure that the users and data being migrated have a clear transition path forward beyond a straight data migration or replication approach.
- Have an expected end of support date for the application being migrated and a transition path to the replacement apps/services.
The first key item decreases the risk and project timeline substantially for retirement. It ensures the necessary users and data are in place. The result is that you don’t need to worry about an additional data migration project after the initial cutover work is completed.
The second key item ensures you have a clear end goal for when to get off the treadmill. It minimizes the amount of work required during and after the cutover to sustain and remediate the system you are planning to sunset.
When it comes to the pre-integration planning, what can you do?
Synchronize systems post-cutover
You can account for a synchronization mechanism to keep both systems in place (or have an integration layer to ensure data and users are available to both systems). This will create additional overhead and complexity for the interim period, but gives you less risk and a faster transition path than keeping both systems separate.
Align the users and data in both systems
When performing the data migration, you still need to migrate the data and users. Get a head start on ensuring the data and users align with the new systems, by adding support in the apps being migrated as a part of the integration exercise.
Plan the end date and transition path for the apps being migrated
This forces your team to keep an eye on the ultimate end state and work. It will minimize the amount of tech debt and reduce the scope your team will need to worry about.
What apps and users are you migrating and are they on the treadmill?
This is a part of what we call Tech Diligence. If you’re finding yourself on the treadmill, and looking for a way to get off, then let us know.