Gartner Research

Guidance Framework for Modernizing .NET Applications

Published: 09 January 2020

ID: G00377437

Analyst(s): Matt Brasier , Fintan Ryan

Summary

Heritage .NET applications are critical to many enterprises but need major investment to bring them into line with modern architectural approaches. Application technical professionals should use this guidance framework to modernize their .NET applications.

Table Of Contents

Problem Statement

The Gartner Approach

The Guidance Framework

  • Prework: Identify Business Goals and Constraints
    • Identify Unsupported and Near-End-of-Life Platforms
    • Identify Business Needs
    • Use Pace Layers to Identify Opportunities
    • Platform Infrastructure Support Goals
    • Guidance
  • Step 1: Evaluate and Classify Application
    • Review the State of the Current Application
    • Check for the Use of Cloud-Hostile and Cloud-Unfriendly Technologies
    • .NET Standard
    • Identify .NET Framework Components Not Moving to .NET Core
    • Analyzing an Application
    • Guidance
  • Step 2: Select Modernization Approach
    • Choose and Apply Architectural Approaches
    • Guidance
  • Step 3: Update Your Development Tooling and Practices
    • Core Development Tools
    • Create or Update CI/CD Pipelines
    • Update Your Build and Packaging Systems
    • Windows Containers
    • aPaaS and fPaaS Offerings
    • Guidance
  • Step 4: Modernize Your Application
    • Revise
    • Rearchitect
    • Rebuild
    • Guidance
  • Step 5: Establish Monitoring and Feedback
    • Guidance

Risks and Pitfalls

  • Modernization as a One-Off Effort
  • Overly Ambitious Modernization Leads to High Cost
  • Failure to Retire Applications When Appropriate
  • Related Guidance

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