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This article was originally written for and published by Forbes.
The journey to enterprise cloud applications is now entering its third decade. Like kids on a long car ride, it is easy to ask: “Are we there yet?”
While the vast majority of front-office, customer and employee productivity applications are now cloud-based, a long tail of back-office applications are still on-premise. The trifecta of sophisticated security risks, massive potential of AI and volatile macroeconomic/political factors is finally exposing those who have ignored their on-premise estate.
Delaying the move to the cloud is no longer just a matter of convenience. It’s a threat to your business’s ability to innovate, adapt and stay secure in an increasingly competitive and volatile environment.
Why Transitioning To The Cloud Is More Pressing Than Ever
Legacy solutions that many IT leaders rely on like Oracle Agile product lifecycle management (PLM), Microsoft Dynamics GP or SAP ECC and R3 enterprise resource planning (ERP) are rapidly approaching critical end-of-life and end-of-support windows.
Continuing to operate these outdated systems until developers cease updates or suspend support poses significant risks, leaving you exposed to security vulnerabilities, operational inefficiencies and escalating costs without access to vital patches or assistance.
Is it worth the risk to delay transitioning to modern, cloud-based alternatives that offer the scalability, security and innovation required to stay competitive?
Security issues are a key factor in why many IT leaders are abandoning on-prem for the cloud. While both on-premise and cloud-based systems have their own set of vulnerabilities, the specific risks can vary based on factors such as configuration management, supply chain security and the implementation of security best practices.
Organizations should carefully assess their security posture in both environments to mitigate potential threats effectively. For aging on-premise solutions, new and ongoing vulnerabilities send a clear warning sign that there is a weak link in a company’s IT architecture.
On-premise software architecture was built for a different era of cybersecurity. With each passing year, attackers grow more sophisticated while these solutions grow older and more vulnerable.
If you’re using on-premise solutions, you’re not alone; thousands of companies are on these platforms. But, this isn’t a case of safety in numbers; it’s the opposite.
Three Steps To Reduce Your Risk
As a former Salesforce CIO and someone who has seen what happens when businesses hold onto outdated systems, I’m compelled to share why this is a moment of reckoning. The challenges surrounding on-premise solutions are compounding, and the risks are escalating. This is not a “nice-to-have” conversation about modernization—it’s a survival necessity.
While it’s clear that the long-term solution is to migrate to the cloud, here are some immediate steps you can take to reduce risk in the short term:
1. Upgrade to the latest version available.
While many of the most recent releases for these solutions probably were announced years ago, it is still important to upgrade. If you are on an older version, upgrading is non-negotiable. Usually, only the latest versions receive security patches—and even that is not a long-term solution.
Don’t wait for vulnerabilities to stack up before making the move.
2. Secure expertise while you can.
Many on-premise software experts are becoming scarce. Engineers trained on legacy systems are retiring, and the next generation of developers aren’t learning about them. The pool of consultants who specialize in many of these solutions is dwindling fast, making it a classic case of “musical chairs.”
3. Invest in premier support—for now.
Premier Support is your best bet for receiving patches and resources. But remember, in many cases, the service window is most likely closing soon. After that, you’re on your own for fixes, security patches and support services. That typically means you have a year or two at most before your safety net disappears.
The clock is ticking, and every IT leader should be asking: “What’s my plan for when these vendors step away entirely?”
Why Modernization Is the Only Real Option
Taking these steps may buy you time, but they are stopgaps. The underlying issue is that on-premise solutions are old technologies that have not been meaningfully updated in years.
Contrast that with modern, cloud-based solutions that offer continuous updates, enhanced security and greater flexibility to meet today’s business needs. Staying with on-premise offerings means clinging to a platform that is less secure, less reliable and increasingly expensive to maintain.
Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late
The vulnerabilities we’re seeing today are just the beginning. As these solutions inch closer to their end of life, these risks will only grow. If you wait too long, you will face escalating costs, greater security threats and an ever-narrowing window to execute a smooth migration.
It’s time to act. Take stock of your current system, make short-term adjustments to reduce risk and, most importantly, start planning your move to a modern solution.
For those still weighing options, here’s a sobering thought: If your competitors modernize while you’re still patching a platform from the early 2000s, who will be in a better position to adapt and innovate?
This isn’t only about staying safe—it’s about staying relevant.
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