FRESH DATA: CIOs Often Mystified by Legacy Software, Says CAST Survey

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A new survey has discovered what many have long suspected—even CIOs are often clueless about what’s lurking deep in the bowels of their own legacy software programs.

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A new survey has discovered what many have long suspected—even CIOs are often clueless about what’s lurking deep in the bowels of their own legacy software programs.

CAST, a software intelligence firm, found that more than half of IT teams are running 25% of their applications on complex legacy technology stacks that few understand.

“What our research found is that enterprise IT still relies heavily on complex legacy software, and the data IT is trying to protect remains buried underneath layers and layers of legacy,” said CAST’s EVP of Strategy and Analytics Lev Lesokhin. “Teams lack transparency and understanding into software architecture, making it hard to digitally transform.”

See also: Cloud Computing Drives Uptake in Manufacturing IoT

The survey discovered that IT teams are spending at least 50% of their time on software maintenance, undermining their efforts to modernize.

The Software Intelligence Report surveyed 500 professionals, including CIOs, software architects and application owners, about their ability to meet business objectives based on the overall health of their software.

The survey uncovered a series of widespread IT inefficiencies. According to CAST, 70% of CIOs report their teams spend more than half their time hunting to finding the cause before they’re able to fix system problems. Also, 45% of IT organizations lack sufficient full-stack developer skills.

The report also found that band-aid solutions are often preferred to wholesale reform: Only 30% of CIOs make build, buy and retire decisions with input from software architects.

To access the full report, click here.

Bernice Landry

About Bernice Landry

Bernice is an international award-winning journalist and broadcaster. She has been a foreign correspondent for The Economist Group in Eastern Europe, an editor in New York's financial district, and a contributor to the Toronto Star, the CBC and others. Her two-hour documentary series, "The Dark End of the Spectrum" won a New York Festivals World Medal Award.

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