Application Retirement: The Long Goodbye

Author(s): Curtis Gittens

Determining if/when to retire an application is a difficult proposition especially in enterprises that have a large application portfolio. This research note outlines a three-phase methodology for performing Application Retirement Management (ARM) for IT executives and business leaders tasked with application retirement. This research note gives:

  • An overview of the costs associated with corrective and preventative maintenance.
  • Five key factors that IT executives and business leaders should think about when considering application retirement.
  • An overview of the possible team structures that can be used in an ARM initiative.
  • Guidance on how to assess applications and determine if they should be retired.
  • Three options for disposing applications that have been earmarked for retirement.

Enterprises that are streamlining their IT environment should use this three-phase approach to put the right applications out to pasture and maximize the value of the application portfolio.