I recall an episode of Dilbert where he & his crew had to figure out how to modify computer code in preparation for Y2K. What made the adventure entertaining was that (highlight for spoiler) they found out Wally, a current colleague, did the original programming on the mainframe. However, he had no recollection of setting it up.
Cases like that usually involve Legacy Systems, enterprise solutions that have been dated but paved the way for current technology. Nowadays, software & hardware are updated so frequently that it is a great challenge to align business processes with technology use. One organization I was working at was dependent on a version of SQL Server that wasn’t even supported by Microsoft anymore. That’s a high security risk.
The point I’m making is that without preparation, a company can leave itself vulnerable and would be forced to throw all its resources on a last minute effort to resolve a problem (reference Equifax). In the case of Dilbert & his crew, they were racing against the computer clocks that will set to ’00’ when it turns midnight on the year 2000.
Like any good business plan, placing strategic exits can help when it comes to investing in software & hardware. Planning for lifespans for the investments assist in realistic budgets and can be accounted for financially. You’re also preparing yourself & the company for any security vulnerabilities & have more leverage to manage risk.
Since it is Cyber Security Month, all month long the State of Hawaii and other local organizations are holding workshops throughout the islands. If you are interested, check out the following link: http://dod.hawaii.gov/cyber/events/cyber-safety/
Have any Legacy Software challenges you want to share? Let’s talk story, holler @ me.
One reply on “Legacy Systems & Cyber Security Month”
[…] Although, Spaghetti Code sounds like a cute name, it’s a headache for a company who is seeking to be scalable and sustainable. It also leaves the company vulnerable to losing knowledge. A lot of the thought process has a high chance of being lost in the sauce that makes the company successful. Turnover happens, instructions are lost, different individuals interpret documentation differently, and the only person who knows how it works is the programmer (callback to my previous post on Legacy Systems). […]