Enterprises continue to embrace the cloud as a fundamental part of their IT strategy. Some adopt a cloud-first approach to scale their services globally and dynamically, while others incorporate the cloud into their business continuity plans. In the latter case, core infrastructure remains on-premises, with the cloud serving as a backup solution for security incidents or major disruptions.
Application compatibility is a significant challenge when executing these strategies. Many enterprise applications were designed with traditional deployment tools and architectures in mind – such as Configuration Manager – making them difficult to manage, migrate, or deploy in the cloud.
So, what can you do if you have an application that isn’t cloud-ready?
Modernizing Legacy Applications with Cloudpager
The first hurdle to address is modernizing these applications for the cloud strategy. Numecent Cloudpager enables enterprises to containerize their applications, packaging them with a dedicated virtual file system and utilizing isolation techniques to ensure seamless migration to the cloud. Even the oldest, most complex custom-built applications can be Cloudpaged and successfully deployed to your cloud of choice.
By delivering applications as containers via a container management platform, you can dynamically provision applications to any physical or virtual Windows desktop, whether hosted on-premises or in the cloud. This approach eliminates the challenges of legacy application deployment, ensuring compatibility across modern IT environments.
The Challenges of Replacing Legacy Applications
Many organizations assume that switching to a cloud-based SaaS alternative is the simplest solution. However, this transition is often time-consuming, costly, and in some cases, entirely unfeasible.
Reasons your existing software may not be able to run in cloud environments include:
- The software is outdated, with no active vendor support or replacement available.
- It contains critical features that SaaS alternatives lack, Active Directory integration, flexible storage options, support for certain file types etc.
- Migration requires extensive reconfiguration or retraining, adding operational complexity.
- Storing data in a format that is not supported in other products, with access to the data remaining a requirement.
For organizations relying on legacy applications, a lift and shift of their existing software to the cloud is the most practical solution. That’s where Cloudpager excels.
With Cloudpager, enterprises can upload legacy applications as containers and make them instantly accessible to employees in minutes. This eliminates the need to keep applications hosted on-premises, provided via published applications, or worse accessed through RDP sessions. Instead, applications can be fully integrated into modern cloud desktops, ensuring employees have seamless access.
Overcoming Legacy Application Limitations
Many organizations that have been in business for decades rely on applications that are as old as their business. These applications were often built at a time when deployment tools like SMS or Radia were common and many organizations were even imaging PCs with Ghost when large software suite installations or updates were required. All this was long before the advent of global-scale cloud computing or hybrid work environments.
As a result, they often use outdated packaging formats or, in some cases, have no structured package format at all—merely consisting of files, scripts, and installation instructions.
Additionally, some legacy applications contain hardcoded paths to machine-specific locations, such as the root of C:\, making them incompatible with multi-session desktops and modern provisioning solutions. Containers offer a solution by abstracting these dependencies, enabling applications to function seamlessly on modern Windows operating systems.
Why Cloudpaging Containers Are the Ideal Solution
Cloudpaging containers provide a robust solution for ensuring legacy applications remain functional in cloud environments. Benefits include:
- Compatibility with modern Windows environments: Applications that require hardcoded paths can be adapted to work on multi-session desktops without creating conflicts.
- Support for complex dependencies: Win32 applications with COM+ Component Services, printers, drivers, and other intricate dependencies can be effectively managed.
- Seamless deployment across cloud and on-premises desktops: Cloudpager ensures applications are delivered efficiently without the traditional challenges of virtualization and layering solutions.
Future-Proofing Your IT Strategy
For enterprises adopting the cloud, legacy applications are no longer a a barrier with Cloudpager. You can modernize software for modern Windows OS, ensure seamless cloud migration, and provide employees with the tools they need to work efficiently in a cloud-first world.
Instead of struggling with outdated deployment methods or ineffective workarounds, embrace a solution that brings legacy applications into the modern era—efficiently, securely, and without disruption.
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