Managing Legacy Data in a Cloud-First World With SNP
Modern enterprise resource planning (ERP) transformations promise efficiency—but many organizations are discovering hidden costs after go-live. In a recent ERP Today article published by content director Radhika Ojha, she explains why legacy systems, often left running “just in case,” are quietly undermining those gains. After migrating to platforms like SAP S/4HANA or the cloud, companies frequently keep old systems alive for audits or legal access. These “zombie systems” drive up costs, consume resources, and introduce security risks—especially when they’re no longer patched or actively managed. Instead of delivering savings, they create ongoing technical debt. A smarter approach starts with separating operational data (needed daily) from historical data (kept for compliance). Moving decades of old data into modern systems can slow performance and inflate cloud costs. Tools like Kyano Outboard help by offloading historical data into flexible storage while keeping it accessible for reporting—reducing strain on core systems. Even more impactful is eliminating the need to keep entire legacy applications running. Solutions like Kyano Datafridge allow organizations to retire the application layer entirely while preserving data in secure, compliant, browser-based archives. This ensures auditors and users can still access records without maintaining outdated infrastructure. The payoff is significant. Companies that actively decommission legacy systems can reduce total cost of ownership by up to 80%, while improving security and freeing IT teams to focus on innovation. Ojha’s key takeaway is ERP transformation doesn’t end at go-live. A complete strategy includes a “sunset phase” for legacy systems—ensuring organizations preserve their data history without letting it hold back their future.
