Whether it’s your mobile phone, laptop, Fitbit or games console, it’s unlikely you are still using the same model you bought even four or five years ago. Most people replace their tech regularly – out with the old, in with the new.
At work, you may have “legacy” testing software that hasn’t been replaced for a few years.
So is this a case, too, of out with the old, in with the new? Should you replace your testing software regularly, as soon as it doesn’t do what you need any more?
Not so fast.
You have a few other choices, which might be easier, cheaper and even better.
1. Upgrade. As I mentioned in my blog from last week, there’s a good chance that since you bought your testing software, there have been several upgrades released. If you implemented them, your “old” testing software might be completely up-to-date, on par with any new system.
Upgrading will not only be much cheaper, but it will also allow you to preserve your testing assets (itself a major saving of both time and money).
It is also a saving to be able to use a more recent version of a tool you have been using for years, instead of having to learn a new one.
You may worry that upgrading your software is complicated, but that is not necessarily the case. If you have a Micro Focus product, we can make it simple for you – just drop me a line to see how we can help you upgrade.
2. Return to support…. And then upgrade. It is harder to upgrade if you are out of support, and therefore unable to access the latest versions of your testing software.
But this does not have to be an insurmountable obstacle. It used to be the case that if you wanted to return to support, you had to backdate your payments – making this an expensive proposition.
This is not necessarily the case anymore. Returning to support might be much simpler than you think.
And even if it’s not, there may be an upgrade path you haven’t thought of. Again that is something we can help you with just drop me a line to find out more.
3. Replace your tool. In most cases, it is only when you have explored both these options and come up empty-handed that it makes sense to look at totally new software, which will likely cost you more and take time to learn.
Simply replacing what you have with a newer, shinier tool is not always the right approach.
You need to look at the assets you already have, and figure out how to use them going forward. They might be an enormous asset and replacing them could be an unwelcome and costly expense.
Not sure which path to follow? Need help bringing your legacy tools up to date?
We will audit your legacy Micro Focus software for free, then figure out the best path to get you back to a current version. Or, if that is not possible, help you find the best replacement tool.
But don’t wait – this free audit is only available to the first 5 companies to apply.
