Category: Software Engineering (EN)

Featured-Post-Software-EN Software Engineering (EN)

Node.js, Bun, Deno: How JavaScript Run-times Are Changing the Game

Post author By Daniel
Post date 17 May 2025

Node.js, Bun, Deno: How JavaScript Run-times Are Changing the Game

In a world where digital innovation has become a key driver of competitiveness, companies are increasingly turning to flexible and scalable technologies to build their digital ecosystems. Modern JavaScript run-times, such as Node.js, Deno, and Bun, offer a powerful response to the challenges of agility, speed of development, and performance. These platforms allow businesses to streamline their development processes, accelerate time-to-market, and reduce costs, while ensuring optimal interoperability and security.

This article explores why these technologies have become essential pillars for the digital transformation of companies, particularly in a context where rapid evolution of information systems, resource optimization, and compliance are critical to the long-term success of businesses.

The Role of JavaScript Run-times in the Enterprise World

Modern server-side JavaScript platforms have become a strategic foundation for innovating faster, standardizing technologies, and accelerating digital transformation.

Today, JavaScript run-times play a strategic role in enterprise information systems. Originally designed for the front-end, JavaScript made its way to the server with the introduction of Node.js in 2009, allowing organizations to streamline their technology stacks. Node.js not only enabled JavaScript to run outside the browser, but it also paved the way for a unified architecture, where the same languages, frameworks, and practices can be used from the back-end to the front-end.

This technological alignment has transformed the way IT departments structure their teams and projects. It allows for better skill-sharing, accelerated development cycles, and reduced training and maintenance costs. Node.js is now used daily by more than a third of professional developers worldwide, with over 1.4 billion downloads in 2024—massive adoption that attests to its robustness and relevance in professional environments.

The success of TypeScript, a statically-typed superset of JavaScript developed by Microsoft, further strengthens this trend towards standardization in businesses. Thanks to its static typing, it enhances the quality, maintainability, and robustness of code in large-scale projects. Its growing adoption (estimated at nearly 80% of developers) reflects organizations’ need to better structure their codebase, limit technical debt, and ensure the reliability of deliverables.

Beyond Node.js, the ecosystem has diversified with the emergence of alternative run-times like Deno and Bun. Deno, created by the inventor of Node.js, emphasizes security by default and native integration of TypeScript—essential assets in regulated or high-exposure contexts. Bun, on the other hand, stands out for its exceptional performance, capable of handling over 52,000 HTTP requests per second in some benchmarks—a significant advancement for platforms requiring extreme performance at low cost.

All these environments share valuable characteristics for businesses: they are open-source, cross-platform, supported by active communities, and easily integrable into modern architectures (microservices, serverless, edge computing). Their rise allows IT leaders to access reliable, scalable, and cost-effective technological building blocks while maintaining high flexibility for their business applications.

Advantage #1: Accelerating Development Cycles and Reducing Time-to-Market

By relying on Node.js and modern JavaScript run-times, IT leaders witness faster deployments, increased team productivity, and accelerated market delivery of innovations.

In a context where competitive advantage is measured by the ability to innovate quickly, adopting a server-side JavaScript run-time can make all the difference. Thanks to Node.js and its counterparts, development cycles are significantly shortened. The reasons are manifold: code reuse between front-end and back-end, an abundance of ready-to-use open-source libraries, and a reduced learning curve for teams (only one language to master instead of multiple). As a result, features go from concept to production in record time, improving time-to-market and responsiveness to business needs.

This velocity also translates into lower development costs. Fewer languages and tools to manage, and no expensive proprietary licenses, means less training and simplified maintenance. Studies estimate that Node.js can reduce development costs by up to 58%, while improving performance by 50%. A notable case is Netflix, which was able to reduce the startup time of its video service from 40 minutes to under a minute by migrating to Node.js—an enormous time-saving that leads to improved user experiences and infrastructure savings. Likewise, companies like PayPal and Walmart have also seen similar gains by restructuring their architectures around Node.js.

Moreover, the modular architecture encouraged by these run-times (microservices, APIs) allows for frequent, targeted updates. It is possible to add or modify an application module without disrupting the entire system, reducing the risk of bugs and facilitating rapid iteration cycles. For decision-makers, this means being able to test new ideas on a smaller scale (MVPs, pilot projects) and then quickly scale successful concepts. Ultimately, the company gains agility and ROI: each feature created delivers value sooner, while mobilizing fewer resources thanks to the efficiency of the Node.js ecosystem.

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Advantage #2: Scalability, Security, and Integration: Node.js in Complex IT Systems

When used properly, Node.js (and modern JavaScript run-times) meet the requirements of large enterprises: highly scalable applications, controlled security, and seamless integration with heterogeneous IT systems.

While Node.js initially gained traction with innovative web projects, it has since proven its scalability at the enterprise level. Its non-blocking architecture and lightness enable it to handle thousands of concurrent requests without any issues. Deploying Node.js in the cloud (via Docker, serverless, etc.) provides effortless scaling: it’s as simple as adding instances to handle traffic or using interconnected Node.js microservices. Concrete successes have shown that a well-designed JavaScript application can scale to millions of users.

Another strength of these run-times is their integration capability: rich in APIs and libraries, they easily connect to databases (SQL, NoSQL), message queues, or existing web services, often acting as the glue between disparate systems. At Edana, we have extensively used Node.js in this role, particularly to revitalize monolithic and/or blocking solutions. By designing microservices or middleware in Node.js, we have enabled our clients to evolve their existing systems without rewriting them, making it easier to add new features and ensure interoperability with other software components.

Naturally, security must be a top priority for use in critical IT environments. The Node.js ecosystem has matured in this regard: frameworks and libraries like Nest.js, Express.js, Fastify, and Hapi.js offer robust mechanisms for request management, input validation, and authentication. Complementary solutions such as Helmet (for securing HTTP headers), Rate-limiter-flexible (for preventing denial-of-service attacks), and OWASP Dependency-Check (for tracking vulnerabilities in dependencies) further strengthen security. Deno takes this even further by executing each program in a sandboxed environment that requires explicit permissions to access the network or disk, drastically reducing the risk of exploitations. As with any technology, a rigorous governance process for open-source dependencies (tracking vulnerabilities, updates) is essential to maintaining trust in the IT system.

Finally, these technologies integrate into complex environments, provided a custom architecture is planned. For example, our team worked with a Swiss insurer whose legacy system was hindering the addition of new online services. By introducing a microservices API layer in Node.js on top of the existing core system, we were able to handle a significant increase in traffic without degrading performance, while enabling the deployment of new features in weeks rather than months. This type of success relies on a modular and scalable software design aligned with the company’s standards (protocols, compliance).

Advantage #3: JavaScript Run-times Are Eco-Friendly

Adopting technologies like Node.js, Deno, and Bun can have a positive impact on the energy efficiency of infrastructures, an increasingly important criterion for Swiss companies engaged in environmental responsibility initiatives.

Sustainability and reducing carbon footprints have become essential strategic objectives, not only to comply with regulations but also to align IT with clear CSR (corporate social responsibility) goals. In this context, modern JavaScript run-times stand out due to their lightness, scalability, and ability to significantly reduce resource consumption. Here’s why, in four key points.

1. Fewer Resources for Greater Performance

JavaScript run-times are designed around a non-blocking architecture and an asynchronous event model. This approach allows them to manage large volumes of simultaneous requests without overloading the processor or memory.

In concrete terms, this means:

Fewer servers required for the same traffic
Less bandwidth consumed
Less heat generated, meaning less cooling required

This inherent efficiency directly translates into reduced energy consumption, and thus a lighter carbon footprint.

2. Optimizing Cloud Infrastructure

On-demand cloud computing already optimizes resource usage. However, to fully benefit from it, applications need to be able to adapt dynamically. This is precisely what JavaScript run-times enable through microservices and containerized architectures.

Each component can:

Be scaled individually based on actual needs
Scale up or down automatically
Avoid over-provisioning by default

The result: a more refined, agile, and less energy-hungry infrastructure.

3. Less Complexity, More Digital Sobriety

The modularity of applications written with Node.js, Deno, or Bun makes maintenance, evolution, and scaling easier. Each microservice can be isolated, replaced, or stopped without affecting the entire platform. This allows:

Limiting massive redeployment cycles
Allocating resources only when and where needed
Integrating serverless solutions more easily for even more efficient execution

This approach not only reduces technical debt but also the overall energy footprint of the system.

4. A Community Driven Towards Sustainability

These run-times rely on active, transparent open-source ecosystems. This collaborative approach enables:

Shared development efforts
Rapid adoption of best practices (performance, security, sustainability)
Reduction of redundancy and proprietary dependencies

Fewer redundant software solutions, more sharing, less digital waste.

Comparison with Java, .NET, and PHP: A Clear Advantage for JavaScript Run-times

Unlike traditional environments like Java, .NET, or PHP, modern JavaScript run-times were designed from the outset for lightness, asynchrony, and the cloud. Where Java or .NET rely on heavier multi-thread models and require complex application servers, Node.js, Deno, and Bun adopt a non-blocking approach, ideal for distributed and resource-light architectures.

PHP, on the other hand, remains easy to deploy, but its synchronous execution and low modularity make it harder to adapt to cloud-native and serverless infrastructures. At scale, this leads to resource overuse and lower energy efficiency.

Technical Criterion	JS Run-times	Java	.NET	PHP
Native non-blocking async	✓	✗	✗	✗
Low memory consumption at high load	✓	✗	✗	✗
Optimized startup time	✓	✗	✗	✓
Adapted to serverless architectures	✓	✗	!	✗
Containerized / microservice-ready	✓	!	✗	✓
Low overall energy impact	✓	✗	!	✗

Legend:
✓ = Compatible / performant
✗ = Not suitable or inefficient
! = Possible with effort or significant tuning

Edana’s View: Open Source, Modularity, and Customization for Sustainable ROI

To fully leverage Node.js and similar technologies, a custom technological strategy is required. By combining proven open-source components, specific development, and modular architecture, businesses maximize the benefits while limiting risks.

Adopting a new JavaScript run-time does not mean starting from scratch or following a rigid methodology. On the contrary, it’s about building a technology stack tailored to your goals, carefully choosing what to reuse and what to develop in-house. At Edana, we often advocate for an intelligent mix: leveraging robust open-source blocks (to avoid “reinventing the wheel”) while adding custom modules to meet specific business needs. This modular approach offers the best of both worlds: limiting vendor lock-in and licensing costs, while delivering a solution precisely tailored to the business.

The benefits are manifold. On one hand, customization eliminates unnecessary functions and reduces technical debt, improving performance and maintainability in the long run. On the other hand, open-source ensures increased sustainability and transparency: the code is auditable, fixes and updates are shared by the community, and the company retains full control over its system. It’s also an approach aligned with digital responsibility (CSR), because, as seen earlier, pooling software resources and optimizing infrastructure reduces the environmental footprint of the IT system.

A well-thought-out JavaScript modular architecture results in tangible ROI. The flexibility gained makes it easier to add new features without a complete overhaul, and time-to-market continues to improve. According to the Node.js Foundation, 96% of organizations that have adopted this technology report a positive impact on their applications. By staying agile and selective in your technological choices, you ensure that Node.js, Deno, or Bun become true strategic assets for your business.

The key lies in orchestration: skillfully combining the strengths of these run-times with your existing setup, according to a pragmatic roadmap. By doing so, your digital transformation rests on solid, scalable technological foundations.

Make JavaScript Run-times a Competitive Advantage for Your Business

Modern JavaScript run-times like Node.js, Deno, or Bun are powerful accelerators for digital transformation when employed methodically. They can enhance your company’s competitiveness by combining rapid delivery, application performance, and cost optimization.

However, maximizing these benefits requires a personalized approach aligned with your objectives and existing IT assets. With a well-thought-out modular architecture and the right support, these run-times become powerful allies for sustainable innovation, rather than just trendy technical choices.

At Edana, we design powerful enterprise ecosystems, tailor-made to your objectives and specifics. Built to last and support your transformation over time, they are true drivers of growth and competitiveness in the long run. Want to invest in reliable, sustainable, and agile technologies? Let’s talk!

Discuss about your challenges with an Edana expert

PUBLISHED BY

Daniel Favre

Daniel Favre is a Senior Software Engineer. He designs and builds bespoke business solutions (SaaS, mobile apps, websites) and full digital ecosystems. With deep expertise in architecture and performance, he turns your requirements into robust, scalable platforms that drive your digital transformation.

Featured-Post-Software-FR Software Engineering (EN)

Software Obsolescence: Critical Risks and Modernisation Strategies

Post author By Jonathan
Post date 10 May 2025

Software Obsolescence: Critical Risks and Modernisation Strategies

Outdated software is a silent threat to businesses. It exposes your organisation to security breaches, performance slowdowns, hidden costs, and competitive lag. Ignoring application obsolescence can jeopardise business continuity and the achievement of your strategic goals. As a decision-maker, it is essential to understand these risks and address them proactively. In this article, we outline the main critical risks of software obsolescence, their concrete impacts on business, and effective strategies to mitigate them.

Obsolete Software: A Growing Threat to Business Stability

Legacy systems introduce multiple risks — compromised cybersecurity, declining performance, escalating maintenance costs, reduced competitiveness, compatibility issues, and regulatory non-compliance — all of which can hinder business growth.

When a key application becomes outdated, the negative effects ripple across your entire organisation. Below are the main risks to anticipate:

Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities

Outdated software no longer receives security updates from its vendor, leaving it wide open to cyberattacks. Known but unpatched vulnerabilities can be easily exploited, leading to data breaches or ransomware attacks. For instance, an unpatched legacy CRM system could allow attackers to steal your client database, resulting in severe financial and reputational damage. Moreover, running unsupported systems may violate internal security policies or compliance standards (e.g. ISO 27001), exposing the company to failed audits or sanctions.

Performance Degradation and Productivity Loss

Over time, obsolete software tends to slow down and become unstable. Increased response times, frequent crashes, and buggy features create frustration for both employees and customers. Internally, productivity drops as teams waste time restarting applications or finding workarounds. Externally, a sluggish website or crashing mobile app harms the customer experience and drives users toward faster alternatives. In the end, performance issues linked to outdated software can directly affect revenue and tarnish your brand reputation.

Hidden and Escalating Costs

Paradoxically, keeping old systems alive can be very expensive. Corrective maintenance consumes more resources as developers spend increasing time patching urgent issues or troubleshooting unexplained breakdowns. Lack of official support may require costly extended support contracts or rare technical skills to maintain legacy code. There is also a significant opportunity cost: every franc spent propping up dying technology is a franc not invested in innovation. On top of this, service outages and downtime caused by ageing systems can result in lost revenue and expensive recovery operations after major incidents.

Competitive Disadvantage and Innovation Barriers

Outdated software makes it difficult to implement new features or adopt emerging technologies. Your IT department struggles to meet evolving business needs, which slows innovation. For example, if your ERP system cannot integrate with a modern e-commerce platform, you may be unable to offer connected services that your competitors already provide. In this way, outdated technology translates into competitive delay: more modern players gain market share while your company struggles to adapt. Ultimately, your business agility suffers — every evolution becomes a disproportionate effort or, in some cases, simply impossible.

Compatibility and Integration Challenges

In a constantly evolving digital environment, legacy software becomes increasingly incompatible with its surroundings. It could be a critical business app that only runs on an old Windows version or a database no longer supporting current data exchange formats. This lack of compatibility creates technological silos: the obsolete system becomes an isolated island, unable to communicate with your cloud services, mobile tools, or partner APIs. As a result, manual workarounds, data duplication (and potential errors), and an inability to leverage third-party solutions ensue. Ultimately, software obsolescence weakens your IT architecture by retaining misaligned components.

Regulatory Compliance Risks

Regulatory and legal requirements evolve alongside technology. Running end-of-life software can put you out of compliance — often without you realising it. For example, an outdated management system that doesn’t support the latest Swiss nLPD or GDPR standards, or new tax rules, exposes your company to penalties. Additionally, regulators increasingly demand high security standards: running unsupported apps without patches may be viewed as gross negligence in audits or investigations. Several organisations have been fined following data leaks caused by unpatched servers. The regulatory risk compounds the technical one — with potentially severe legal and financial consequences (fines, certification losses, etc.).

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System Modernisation and Modular Software Architecture: Reducing Technical Debt

Modernising your legacy applications is key to closing the technology gap and reducing the infamous technical debt accumulated over the years.

A modular software architecture provides future-proof agility and easier maintenance. In this second part, we present the most effective strategies for managing software obsolescence. From technical refactoring to modular architecture and custom development, each approach supports the same goal: securing your IT systems while maximising ROI from your technology investments.

Proactive Legacy Application Modernisation

System modernisation involves updating or redesigning ageing software before it becomes unmanageable. In practice, this means eliminating technical debt by replacing outdated components, migrating to current technologies, and optimising code. Depending on the situation, modernisation may take the form of a simple upgrade, a replatforming (e.g. to the cloud), or a full reengineering.

The key is to act early and strategically — before problems become critical. By integrating regular modernisation cycles into your planning (e.g. when a business project touches a legacy module), you can spread the effort over time and avoid disruptive “big bang” migrations.

When done right, modernisation improves performance, stabilises operations, and lays a solid foundation for future evolution. It’s an investment that often yields measurable returns: processing times halved, uptime nearing 100%, drastic reduction in support tickets — all strong business signals.

Embracing a Modular and Scalable Architecture

Restructuring your systems around a modular software architecture — such as microservices or clearly separated components — is a highly effective strategy against obsolescence. While monolithic applications tie all features into one block (making updates risky), modular systems decouple these elements so each component can evolve independently. A headless architecture also plays a vital role in addressing application obsolescence. For more detail, see our article comparing monolithic and headless approaches.

Modularity brings numerous advantages: you can update or improve a single part of the system without affecting the rest, launch new features more quickly, and evolve the architecture incrementally instead of through massive overhaul projects.

In practice, this might involve implementing independent web services for specific functions (authentication, billing, product management…) or applying hexagonal architecture principles to clearly separate core business logic from technical interfaces. The result is a more flexible and resilient IT system: a localised failure no longer disrupts the entire operation, and integrating new tools or responding to new business needs becomes far simpler.

A well-designed and documented modular architecture extends the useful life of your software by allowing you to plug in or replace components as technology evolves — without having to rebuild the entire system.

Leveraging Targeted Custom Development

Off-the-shelf solutions won’t always match your exact needs, and some proprietary technologies may eventually lock you in — a topic we’ll address further below. That’s why custom development can be a smart move, especially when it provides competitive advantage or better alignment with business processes. A tailor-made application eliminates the workarounds often needed to fit standard software into your reality.

For example, instead of clinging to an outdated CRM module that no longer reflects your workflows, a custom-built alternative — ideally leveraging trusted open source frameworks — can offer precisely the features you need, with an optimised user experience.

Custom development also grants long-term control: you own the code and can evolve it at your pace, free from vendor constraints.

Naturally, custom builds should be focused on high-value areas or when no commercial solution fits the bill. By combining standard components with bespoke modules developed for your context, you create a best-of-breed hybrid system — efficient, scalable, and tightly aligned with your business needs. This tailored approach significantly reduces future obsolescence by eliminating the short-term patches and workaround layers that build tomorrow’s technical debt.

Open Source and IT Governance: Avoiding Vendor Lock-in and Securing the Longevity of Your Systems

Technology choices and IT management practices play a decisive role in preventing software obsolescence.

By prioritising open source solutions and adopting proactive IT governance, you reduce vendor lock-in and ensure long-term maintainability of your systems. In other words, you create an environment where your digital tools can evolve with agility, free from excessive dependencies or organisational inertia.

Prioritising Open Source Technologies and Open Standards

One of the most effective ways to retain control over your digital future is to invest in open source technologies. Unlike proprietary software tied to a single vendor, open source solutions offer transparency and independence. You can access the source code, adapt it internally or through a trusted partner, and you’re not dependent on the goodwill (or continued existence) of a single provider.

In practice, choosing an open source database, a widely adopted community-supported web framework (e.g. Node.js, React, Symfony, Laravel), or a free operating system helps you avoid vendor lock-in. Should one of these components reach end-of-life, chances are a large community has already developed patches, forks, or migration tools to a compatible alternative.

Open source also tends to follow open standards, which enhances interoperability between your systems and reduces future compatibility issues. Additionally, open source solutions often offer a lower total cost of ownership — no licensing renewals — freeing up budget for custom development or technology watch initiatives. Importantly, open source does not mean no support: professional maintenance contracts and expert integrators are available. Ultimately, you remain in control: you can modify, extend, or replace the tool as needed — a crucial safeguard against obsolescence.

Establishing Proactive IT Governance

Technology alone is not enough — it must be supported by long-term management. Effective IT governance means anticipating obsolescence, not just reacting to it. This involves key organisational best practices: maintaining a current inventory of applications and their versions, monitoring each component’s lifecycle (e.g. end-of-support dates, security alerts), and scheduling upgrades proactively.

For instance, your architecture committee or CIO could define a modernisation roadmap where a fixed percentage of team capacity is dedicated annually to tech upgrades and technical debt reduction. Agile development cycles should systematically include technical tasks such as refactoring and updates — for example, embedding technical user stories into every sprint.

It’s equally important to communicate the value of these efforts to business stakeholders — with numbers. For example, an unmaintained app today might cause a week-long production halt tomorrow. A missed update could double the integration costs of a future initiative. Good governance also means upskilling your teams continuously, so you’re not reliant on a single person who “still knows how to keep the old system running”.

On an operational level, deploying automation tools — continuous integration, automated testing, proactive monitoring — reduces the maintenance burden and increases migration reliability. Finally, longevity-focused governance must always align IT with business value: not everything needs to be cutting-edge, but every system supporting a critical process or competitive advantage must remain technically current. With these reflexes and routines in place, your software architecture stays flexible, your application stack aligned with business needs, and obsolescence effectively kept at bay.

Tailored Modernisation: How a Swiss Company Overcame Software Obsolescence

A real-life example illustrates the impact of a successful anti-obsolescence strategy. A Swiss distribution company, struggling with an ageing system that was holding back operations, undertook a bespoke modernisation of its core business software. The result: it eliminated its technical debt, improved operational performance, and secured its IT environment — all while strengthening its competitive edge. Here are the key elements of this exemplary digital transformation, successfully executed through a methodical approach and sound technology choices.

Initial Context

This mid-sized company had been using a monolithic software system for over ten years to manage all of its operations, from customer orders to warehouse inventory. Over time, the system had become increasingly bloated, with ad hoc modules added to meet evolving needs.

The IT leadership faced a critical situation: degraded performance (overnight processes slowing the entire logistics chain), frequent bugs when adding features, an inability to integrate with modern e-commerce platforms, and — worse — security alerts due to embedded open source components that hadn’t been updated in years. Some libraries were no longer even supported, with the original maintainers having shut down.

The company found itself locked into an obsolete tool — a textbook case of accidental vendor lock-in, caused by stacking ageing proprietary technologies. The business impact was real: exploding maintenance costs (up to 30% of the IT budget spent on firefighting), virtually no agility to launch new services, and rising concern from leadership about the risk of a critical outage halting operations.

Action Plan and Solutions Deployed

Realising that swift action was essential, the company partnered with Edana to lead its application modernisation. A team of software architecture experts began by auditing the legacy system to identify critical components, obsolete dependencies, and high-priority areas for refactoring. Based on this audit, a tailored modernisation roadmap was developed, with a gradual, low-risk rollout strategy.

Instead of rewriting the entire system in one go, the chosen approach involved progressively modularising the monolith. Core functions — order management, inventory, invoicing — were extracted and rebuilt as independent microservices using modern open source technologies (e.g. Node.js for web services, PostgreSQL replacing the old proprietary database). Each new bespoke module was interfaced with the existing system via APIs, allowing for phased deployment without service disruption.

Simultaneously, all relevant software dependencies were upgraded to supported versions. Automated testing and a continuous integration pipeline were introduced to ensure the safety and consistency of each iteration.

Thanks to an agile and flexible methodology, the company could track progress through iterations and adjust priorities as needed — for example, fast-tracking the rebuild of a module to meet new regulatory requirements. Internal IT staff were closely involved throughout the project, receiving training on the newly adopted open source tools. This ensured both strong ownership of the final system and a long-term internal capability to maintain it.

Results and Business Impact

Within 12 months, the transformation delivered results. The new modular system was rolled out incrementally, without major service interruptions — an achievement in itself given the legacy complexity. The benefits were immediate and measurable.

Reliability improved significantly: gone were the unpredictable system-wide crashes. With each microservice isolated, the overall IT availability rose to 99.9%.

Performance increased sharply: for example, warehouse order processing times dropped from 4 minutes to under 1 minute, enabling faster shipping and better handling of demand spikes without overtime.

On the security front, all known vulnerabilities were patched, and a regular update process was established — reassuring both management and partners about the system’s compliance posture.

The company also achieved substantial cost savings on legacy maintenance: corrective support costs dropped by around 30% over the following year, thanks to the new system’s stability and documentation (developers could now focus on value-adding work instead of constant troubleshooting).

Most importantly, the modernisation unlocked business innovation. Freed from outdated constraints, the company launched a new customer-facing mobile app connected to its modernised backend, implemented real-time analytics on inventory data, and secured fast integrations with three new logistics partners — all of which would have been impossible with the legacy system.

This case clearly demonstrates that, with the right tailored approach, an evolutive architecture, and the support of multidisciplinary experts, software obsolescence is not inevitable. It can be overcome — and doing so leaves your business more agile, more competitive, and far better prepared for the future of its digital infrastructure.

From Software Obsolescence to Operational Excellence

Fighting software obsolescence is no longer optional — it’s a necessity for any organisation aiming to remain resilient and competitive in the digital age. The risks of neglect — cyberattacks, inefficiencies, spiralling costs, and lost market share — far outweigh the benefits of proactive modernisation. On the other hand, investing in a secure, scalable information system delivers significant ROI: operational continuity, enhanced productivity, increased customer satisfaction, and new business opportunities.

The path to modernisation may seem complex, but with the right roadmap and trusted partners, it becomes entirely manageable. Start by assessing the current state of your software landscape and prioritising actions. A targeted application audit will quickly uncover urgent risks and early wins. When it comes to obsolescence, it’s always better to act a year too early than a day too late.

If you’re considering expert support — from the initial audit to full technical implementation — our team at Edana is here to help. We offer a tailored approach built on flexibility, open source technologies, and long-term value creation. Get in touch today for a personalised diagnostic, and turn your IT into a strategic asset in the fight against obsolescence.

Discuss your challenges with an Edana expert

PUBLISHED BY

Jonathan Massa

As a specialist in digital consulting, strategy and execution, Jonathan advises organizations on strategic and operational issues related to value creation and digitalization programs focusing on innovation and organic growth. Furthermore, he advises our clients on software engineering and digital development issues to enable them to mobilize the right solutions for their goals.

Featured-Post-Software-EN Software Engineering (EN)

Comparison of iPaaS Connectors: Zapier, Make, Mulesoft, n8n and Alternatives

Post author By Daniel
Post date 24 April 2025

Comparison of iPaaS Connectors: Zapier, Make, Mulesoft, n8n and Alternatives

The iPaaS connectors, or Integration-Platform-as-a-Service, orchestrate and automate the flow and transformation of data between heterogeneous applications (CRM, ERP, business tools) without requiring complex development or specialized resources. In other words, they allow you to link separate solutions into a cohesive ecosystem. Unlike traditional APIs, they provide a low-code or even no-code interface to design, test and monitor sophisticated workflows while simplifying the integration of new systems. They do have certain limitations, and licensing fees can sometimes become a significant expense, but their advantages are considerable.

This guide is aimed at decision-makers and technology leaders who want to accelerate the deployment of digital services, reduce time spent on manual tasks, ensure data consistency and quality across the ecosystem, and control costs, dependencies, security and compliance requirements through a centralized, flexible and scalable integration solution. We will compare the available platforms and give you the keys to make an informed choice.

1. Strengths and Limitations of Leading iPaaS Connectors

Each platform strikes its own balance between deployment speed, functional richness, scalability and control. None is the “universal” solution: the balance of these criteria will guide your choice.

Zapier – Extreme Simplicity and Time-to-Value

Strengths of Zapier

Immediate onboarding: create a workflow in a few clicks, 100% visual interface.
Extensive catalog: over 5,000 ready-to-use integrations (CRM, messaging, e-commerce…).
Rapid ROI: implementation in hours, no advanced technical skills required.

Limitations of Zapier

Step limits: max. 250 actions per Zap – challenging for very long or deeply nested processes.
Short timeouts: ~30 s per action, unsuitable for heavy operations or slow API calls.
Sequential execution: no native parallelism or “fan-in/fan-out”—everything runs end-to-end.
Closed connectors: can’t code or deploy a custom connector for an internal API.
Exponential cost: beyond 10,000 tasks/month, higher-tier plans become expensive.

Who does it better? Make and n8n handle long or parallel scenarios; Mulesoft or n8n allow custom connectors; Make supports timeouts up to 1 hour.

Make (formerly Integromat) – Granularity and Flexibility

Strengths of Make

Advanced modules: loops, conditional filters, fine-grained error handling (retries, alerts).
Complex scenarios: chaining hundreds of modules, multiple branching logics.
Open transformations: JavaScript scripts and native JSON instead of proprietary syntax.

Limitations of Make

Maintainability: a map with hundreds of modules quickly becomes hard to understand and version.
Max execution time: 1 hour per scenario—insufficient for very long-running processes.
Cloud only: no on-premise or VPC option, which can be problematic for sensitive data.
API throughput: ~5 requests/sec per HTTP module, limiting certain loads.

Who does it better? n8n self-hosted or Mulesoft for on-premise deployment; n8n for unlimited runtime; Mulesoft for adjustable throughput.

MuleSoft Anypoint – Enterprise-Grade, On-Demand Integration

Strengths of MuleSoft

Scale & SLA: CloudHub/RTF or on-premise infrastructure, linear scaling and availability guarantees.
API management: portal, security (OAuth 2.0, SSO, encryption), granular policies and quotas.
DataWeave: powerful language for XML/JSON transformation, complex mappings with continuous validation.
Monitoring & observability: built-in metrics, alerting and end-to-end transaction tracing.

Limitations of MuleSoft

Deployment complexity: requires Java/deployment expertise and a multi-week/month implementation schedule.
High cost: runtime licenses per instance, total cost often disproportionate for mid-market companies.
Technology lock-in: proprietary DataWeave syntax and a Java-centric ecosystem.

Who does it better? Zapier/Make for rapid deployments without Java expertise; n8n for zero software cost; custom development (covered below) for greater flexibility and lower TCO.

n8n – Open Source and Total Control

Strengths of n8n

Open source: create custom nodes, JavaScript extensions, containerized CI/CD.
No license fees: only your server resources limit capacity.
Horizontal scalability: self-host anywhere (bare-metal, Kubernetes…), no imposed software timeout.
DevOps integration: manage workflows in Git, automated deployments.

Limitations of n8n

Infrastructure responsibility: you must handle security, backups, high availability and patching.
Variable node quality: some community connectors are less maintained, requiring validation before production.
Limited monitoring: basic UI for error retries, no enterprise dashboard or SLAs.
No native commercial support: relies on external service providers for guidance and compliance.

Who does it better? MuleSoft or custom development for enterprise monitoring and certifications; Zapier/Make for an out-of-the-box managed service.

At this point, your choice will come down to the speed and simplicity of SaaS (Zapier), the rich visual modularity of Make, the enterprise robustness and support of MuleSoft, or the total control of open source (n8n). Next, we’ll explore alternatives that can fill the gaps left by these connectors, lower your total cost of ownership (TCO) and strengthen your ecosystem’s resilience.

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2. Open Source Alternatives and Custom Development

These solutions provide full control over data flows and help reduce total cost of ownership by eliminating SaaS licensing fees.

Beyond standard iPaaS platforms, two families of alternatives stand out: open source integration frameworks and bespoke connector development. Frameworks like Apache Camel or Talend Open Studio offer a foundation for building integration pipelines. Apache Camel uses a Java DSL, ideal for Java/TypeScript teams orchestrating microservices or connecting SAP, databases and message queues. Talend Open Studio provides a powerful ETL graphical studio, suited to high-volume batch processes and complex data transformations.

The other approach is to develop custom connectors perfectly aligned with business needs. Whether synchronizing a proprietary customer database or interfacing an IoT system, this method ensures minimal technical overhead and native integration into your stack (Node.js, Java, Go, Python, .NET, etc.). However, it requires a mature DevOps foundation and a CI/CD pipeline for versioning, automated tests and deployments. This can be entirely outsourced to a digital services provider like Edana. Indeed, it’s often one of the smartest options for securing a stable, reliable, scalable and secure ecosystem with a relatively low total cost of ownership.

Concrete example
Our team supported a mid-sized Swiss insurance company in building an internal data lake. We chose Talend Open Studio to automate daily extraction and transformation of claims data, then deployed Node.js microservices to feed a real-time data visualization tool. The result was a 50% reduction in processing time and a 30% decrease in software costs within one year.

3. Selection Criteria for Choosing the Best Option

Choosing between an iPaaS connector or a custom solution hinges on five key criteria: volume, complexity, security, cost and flexibility.

Volume and Performance

SaaS solutions (Zapier, Make) suit light to intermediate volumes.
Open source or enterprise platforms (n8n, MuleSoft) handle hundreds of thousands to millions of transactions.

Workflow Complexity

Linear automations: Zapier is sufficient.
Conditional logic and loops: Make or Talend.
Multi-branch orchestrations and advanced transformations: MuleSoft, Apache Camel or custom development.

Security and Compliance

Enterprise offerings come with ISO/SOC certifications.
Open source options require internal audits, TLS encryption and fine-grained access control.

Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)

SaaS: monthly subscription tied to task/operation counts.
Open source/custom: upfront engineering investment, followed by operating costs (hosting, maintenance). Such investment often yields a more favorable CAPEX over a three-year horizon compared to proprietary SaaS.

Flexibility and Sovereignty

SaaS: rapid time-to-market but potential vendor lock-in.
Open source/custom: full control, extensibility and personalization, at the expense of stronger governance requirements. Outsourced to a trusted provider, however, these solutions can be turnkey and free of complexity.

Concrete example
For a retail group in Romandy, our team assessed these five criteria to select a platform for daily order flows exceeding 200,000 records. Choosing Apache Camel hosted in a private cloud combined performance with data sovereignty requirements, while optimizing TCO. After eight months, the initial setup costs were amortized, and license savings compared to a proprietary SaaS exceeded 180%.

4. Hybrid Architecture for an Evolving Ecosystem

Build a hybrid architecture to leverage the strengths of SaaS, open source and custom microservices.

A hybrid design comprises several bricks:
iPaaS SaaS (Zapier, Make) for rapid, low-criticality automations deployed in days.
Open source platforms (n8n, Apache Camel) for sensitive, high-volume workflows, self-hosted under DevOps supervision.
Custom microservices (Node.js, Nest.JS, Go, etc.) for specific business requirements and complex logic.

An event bus (Kafka, MQTT) or a lightweight ESB can serve as the backbone to decouple bricks, ensure resilience and absorb load spikes.

Concrete example
At a Swiss banking institution, our team implemented this mixed architecture: Make for customer alerts, n8n for regulatory data flows and Nest.JS microservices for real-time transaction processing. This modular organization reduced time-to-production by 65% and improved overall exchange reliability between systems.

Conclusion: Tailored Solutions for Every Use Case

You now have an in-depth view of iPaaS connectors and their open source or custom alternatives, the selection criteria, and a hybrid architecture blueprint for an agile, high-performance IT ecosystem. Depending on your volumes, workflow complexity, strategic financial considerations and security or sovereignty requirements, you can assemble the combination that best fits your context.

If you need help choosing the right technologies or executing a technical implementation to create a reliable, flexible and scalable digital ecosystem, get in touch to discuss your challenges.

Discuss about your challenges with an Edana expert

PUBLISHED BY

Daniel Favre

Featured-Post-HomePage-EN Software Engineering (EN)

Mastering Technical Debt to Secure Your Company’s Future

Post author By Jonathan
Post date 23 April 2025

Mastering Technical Debt to Secure Your Company’s Future

Technical debt encompasses all the compromises made to accelerate the production deployment of web and software solutions—hacked-on extensions, monolithic code, incomplete testing—that, in the long term, stifle innovation and weigh down your platform. Whether you lead a startup, an SME, or a large enterprise, unmanaged technical debt can cause revenue losses, security incidents, regulatory fines, and even bankruptcy. In this article, you will first discover the major business impacts of uncontrolled debt, then its origins, how to remediate it if you’re already mired, and finally best practices to prevent it and ensure a continuous innovation cycle.

Business Impacts of Technical Debt and Disaster Scenarios

Uncontrolled technical debt endangers your time-to-market, your budget, your security, and your customers’ trust—and can lead to a prolonged stall in growth.

Delayed Innovation
Every new feature demands understanding complex, poorly documented code, fixing inherited bugs, then end-to-end testing before deployment. In some projects, these catch-up activities can double an initial development cycle. Sometimes it’s even impossible to implement improvements or innovations because the underlying technologies have reached their limits. Result: more agile competitors launch their offerings while your teams are tied up in fixes or simply can’t deliver certain advances, costing you strategic opportunities and a vital competitive edge.

Exploding Maintenance Costs
A simple bug fix on a hacked-on extension can require up to three times more developer hours than a clean, modular codebase. Your IT budget becomes consumed by perpetual incident resolution and support tickets. For example, one industrial SME we worked with discovered that 65% of its budget went to corrective maintenance, leaving less than one-third for enhancements and innovation—delaying the release of its new business application by 14 months.

Growth Plateau and Strategic Block
When technical debt accumulates to the point where there’s no other option but to rebuild your software solution or ecosystem from scratch to resolve the issue. This rebuild can take several years, during which you’re not innovating but merely correcting past mistakes in an effort to start clean. Meanwhile, your competitors continue to innovate and seize market share at your expense, and your growth slows. This phenomenon is known as the “S-curve,” because the growth trajectory hits plateaus (while an S-curve can arise for reasons other than technical debt, it’s a frequent culprit). Each plateau may last for years, creating a structural lag that favors more technologically nimble players. If nothing is done quickly and intelligently, you risk losing your lead and watching your market share dwindle.

Security Failures and Sanctions
Outdated dependencies and lack of automated testing multiply exploitable vulnerabilities. A single breach can lead to data leaks, ransomware attacks, and GDPR fines of several hundred thousand euros. A Swiss group recently paid €500,000 in remediation after an intrusion via an unpatched third-party component—without counting the reputational damage. Proper technical-debt management would have prevented this.

Loss of Customer Trust
Service incidents and downtime erode user confidence. An e-commerce site facing recurring outages can see churn rates climb by 15%, while negative reviews proliferate on social media. In critical sectors (healthcare, finance), reputational damage can be irreversible—potentially leading to license revocations or in-depth regulatory audits.

Extreme Scenarios
In the most dramatic cases, prolonged outages can bring operations to a complete halt: hospitals unable to access patient records, payment platforms offline, public services blocked. Such interruptions can cost tens of millions, and if recovery proves too onerous, may force the company to shut down entirely.

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Diverse Origins of Technical Debt

Technical debt wears many faces; understanding its mechanisms allows you to anticipate and mitigate its negative effects.

1. Hacked-On Extensions
Adding ad-hoc code to a standard solution introduces hidden fragilities. To meet a specific need (a custom workflow or data attribute), teams embed “homegrown” code directly into a CMS or other standard platform, often bypassing its rigid structure. Without documentation or tests, these extensions become black boxes: any core update can break them, triggering domino-effect failures and urgent hotfixes. Maintaining them becomes time-consuming and may block other projects.

Example: A mid-sized Swiss company we work with grafted a custom PHP plugin onto its standard CMS to manage geolocated promotions. With each CMS upgrade, the plugin failed—two days per week spent restoring service, marketing campaigns delayed, and traffic dropping by 12%.

2. Frozen Dependencies
Postponing library updates for fear of regressions accumulates vulnerabilities and incompatibilities. When teams habitually delay dependency upgrades, projects run on outdated, unsupported, and vulnerable versions. Security patches become heavier, and integrating new components requires costly workarounds. Eventually, introducing new features without risk becomes extremely difficult.

Example: A mid-sized retailer we supported was running React 15, while React 17 addressed several critical vulnerabilities. This lag allowed an XSS flaw to be exploited, compromising user sessions and triggering a consumer association investigation that cost over CHF 80,000 in remediation. We then updated all libraries, refactored the codebase for future seamless upgrades, and implemented automated back-end and front-end testing to shorten deployment cycles and ensure bug-free dependency updates.

3. Development Shortcuts
Sacrificing tests and documentation for deadlines creates heavy debt. Under pressure, teams skip unit tests, minimize documentation, and promote prototypes to production without refactoring. Code becomes unreadable; every new developer wastes time deciphering it, and each change carries high hours and regression risks.

Example: A distribution company we collaborated with delivered an MVP of its platform without comprehensive test coverage. A traffic spike triggered an infinite loop, blocking requests for five hours and cutting daily transaction volume by 8%. They then called us in. We restructured their core code, conducted thorough testing, and implemented automated test pipelines. Since then, we manage their infrastructure.

4. Monolithic Architecture
A single, all-in-one codebase makes every modification risky and costly. Housing all functionality in one repository forces you to test, rebuild, and redeploy the entire system for a simple fix. Deployment cycles lengthen, scaling becomes complex, and one local outage can paralyze all services.

Example: One of our clients ran a monolith handling content, payments, and authentication. A single poorly optimized product-API call saturated all threads, bringing the portal down for three hours and affecting 100,000 users. We gradually extracted strategic microservices, breathing new life into their infrastructure, which is now stable, flexible, scalable, and secure.

5. Proprietary Solutions and Vendor Lock-In
Relying heavily on proprietary platforms traps you in rising costs and dependencies. Tools like Adobe Commerce or SAP Cloud Commerce promise rapid deployment, but their high licensing fees, expensive customizations, and centralized update processes create debt that’s hard to repay. Altering even a simple business process can require official support, months of waiting, and a hefty invoice. In a VUCA environment, the inability to pivot quickly leads to brutal competitiveness losses and shrinking market share.

Example: A European retailer we consulted for, had chosen Adobe Commerce for its e-shop and invested in multiple proprietary custom modules. With each major release, Adobe consultants billed days of work, delaying improvements by six months and tripling the cost. Meanwhile, an agile competitor launched a new offering within a quarter. Over two years, this retailer saw a 20% revenue decline and had to renegotiate a credit line just to survive until a full platform rebuild. Designing a healthier architecture from the start would have been far more prudent.

How to Remediate Existing Technical Debt

Conduct a Comprehensive Audit
Inventory hacked-on extensions, map their functional scope, list frozen dependencies with versions and known vulnerabilities, perform static code analysis to measure complexity and duplication, and assess test coverage to pinpoint unprotected modules.
Prioritize by Business Impact and Risk
Rank each item by its direct effect on revenue (traffic, conversions, transaction volume) and exposure to security or availability risks. Focus first on components whose failure would be most damaging.
Implement Quick Wins
Update the most vulnerable dependencies immediately and refactor or remove the most unstable extensions. These rapid fixes reduce incident risk and free up capacity.
Break Down Monoliths
Gradually isolate critical functions—payment processing, authentication, catalog management—into independent microservices to shrink the debt footprint and speed up deployments.
Automate Tests and Deployments
Establish CI/CD pipelines that run unit, integration, and end-to-end tests on every commit, ensuring each change is validated and reproducible before it reaches production.
Set Up Continuous Reporting
Monitor complexity metrics, test coverage, and dependency versions automatically. Early alerts let you plan updates before debt accumulates dangerously.
Real-World Success
For a Swiss retail platform suffering from both hacked-on extensions and a rigid monolith, our team extracted the custom plugin into a Docker container, migrated the payment API to its own service, and deployed a Jenkins pipeline running 200 unit tests and 50 integration tests per commit. The result: a 70% reduction in update-related incidents and a 40% faster time-to-market.

Strategies to Prevent Future Debt and Safeguard Innovation

Adopt Modular, Microservice Architectures
Design your system as a suite of independent services—authentication, catalog, promotions—that can each evolve and scale on their own.
Favor Open Source and Targeted Custom Development
Build upon proven tools like Node.js, TypeScript, and React, and develop in-house only the business-specific features you truly need, avoiding heavy platform hacks.
Embed CI/CD and a Testing Culture from Day One
Automate your delivery pipelines using Jenkins, GitLab CI, or GitHub Actions so that every commit triggers a comprehensive suite of tests, catching regressions early.
Maintain Agile Governance and Collaborative Oversight
Track both feature work and debt-reduction tasks in a single Jira backlog, run monthly “technical debt reviews” with IT, business stakeholders, and architects, and train teams in clean-code and TDD practices.
Deploy Proactive Monitoring and Alerting
Use Prometheus, Grafana, or ELK stacks to spot performance anomalies and security issues before they escalate, making technical debt an early-warning indicator rather than a crisis point.

Conclusion: Turn Technical Debt into a Competitive Advantage

Technical debt won’t vanish on its own, but approached methodically, it can become a driver of performance. By combining a precise audit, a prioritized action plan, modular open-source architecture, and agile governance, you slash maintenance costs, secure your deployments, and keep your time-to-market razor-sharp. Your platform gains resilience, your teams regain focus on innovation, and your company preserves its leadership—even in a VUCA world.

Discuss about your challenges with an Edana expert

PUBLISHED BY

Jonathan Massa

Featured-Post-Transformation-EN Software Engineering (EN)

Business Intelligence: Comparison of Power BI, Tableau, Superset, Metabase

Post author By Jonathan
Post date 20 April 2025

Business Intelligence: Comparison of Power BI, Tableau, Superset, Metabase

Well known to decision‑makers and technology leaders, business intelligence (BI) encompasses a set of tools and methods to turn your data into strategic insights. Each solution has its own strengths and limitations depending on your business context. This guide compares Power BI, Tableau, Superset, and Metabase to help you choose the option best suited to your digital transformation strategy.

Power BI: strengths and limitations

Power BI delivers tight integration with the Microsoft ecosystem and a fast ramp‑up for teams.

Power BI, developed by Microsoft, appeals with its familiar interface and native Office 365 integration. For IT directors already using Azure or a Windows environment, deployment is swift and licensing costs are often more predictable than with competing products. Connecting to data sources (SQL Server, SharePoint, Excel) takes just a few clicks, and the wealth of preconfigured visuals simplifies the creation of interactive dashboards. From an ROI perspective, business adoption tends to be faster thanks to the familiar user experience and automatic report updates.

However, Power BI can create significant vendor lock‑in for organizations pursuing a multi‑cloud or hybrid strategy. Licensing models tied to Office 365 or Azure can cause budgets to balloon if you exceed certain user or data volume thresholds. Technically, advanced customization (complex DAX scripts, custom visual extensions) demands specialized skills that few teams possess in‑house, and even with deep Power BI expertise, important limits remain. For example, data refreshes are capped at eight times per day on the Pro plan (and tightly controlled on Premium), which can hinder near‑real‑time use cases—whereas Superset or Metabase let you configure continuous update pipelines at no extra cost. Another constraint: interface customization (themes, workflows, embedding in internal portals) is confined to Microsoft’s frameworks, while an open‑source solution gives you full code access to tailor the user experience to your exact needs.

To balance scalability and security, Edana often adopts a “custom‑built” hybrid approach: use Power BI for rapid exploration, while developing open‑source connectors to reduce dependence on proprietary APIs. This hybrid architecture methodology ensures flexibility to evolve your BI tools over time, while leveraging Microsoft’s strengths.

Tableau: key advantages and use cases

Tableau stands out for its advanced visualizations and active community, ideal for deep analytics.

Tableau is renowned for its powerful visualization engine and drag‑and‑drop interface. IT directors value the ability to craft sophisticated charts without a developer, and real‑time data updates streamline operational decision‑making. The built‑in Data Prep tool makes it easy to clean and transform sources, while Tableau Server provides enterprise‑grade governance and security.

On the ROI front, Tableau licenses may appear more expensive upfront than an open‑source tool, but rapid deployment and strong business‑user buy‑in often justify the initial investment. Conversely, scaling Tableau Server requires a robust infrastructure and significant DevOps support to ensure performance and availability: adding nodes to a cluster incurs additional Core licenses and manual server configuration, while embedding dashboards for external users demands paid View or Explorer licenses. Technically, the Hyper engine can exhaust memory and slow response times without fine‑tuned partitioning, and the extensions API is sandboxed in JavaScript, limiting the integration of complex visuals—constraints that Superset or Metabase do not share, as they offer native auto‑scaling and direct code access for unlimited interface customization.

A semi‑custom model can work well with Tableau. For instance, we supported a major industrial client in deploying Tableau (which some decision‑makers were already comfortable with) in a multi‑cloud environment, defining a mixed architecture based on Kubernetes and microservices. This hybrid model—combining standard components and bespoke development—reduced technical debt and ensured scalability in line with the client’s CSR goals (server resource optimization, carbon footprint reduction).

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Superset and Metabase: flexibility and controlled costs

Open‑source solutions Superset and Metabase cut costs and avoid vendor lock‑in through full customization.

Apache Superset and Metabase are increasingly popular open‑source BI platforms for cost‑conscious IT directors seeking technological independence. Superset, backed by the Apache Foundation, offers a broad range of visualizations and an integrated SQL editor for advanced users. Metabase, by contrast, shines with its ease of use and rapid onboarding—perfect for mid‑sized companies or teams starting out in data analytics.

The major advantage of these tools lies in their high scalability, flexibility, and zero licensing fees. With solid software development skills, you can build a high‑quality, low‑maintenance BI system. For example, our team recently assisted a Swiss retail company with implementing Metabase on an Infomaniak‑hosted infrastructure in Switzerland. Our bespoke approach involved creating custom connectors to their PostgreSQL and ElasticSearch databases and automating deployment via Terraform scripts. This flexibility delivered a strategic dashboard in under two weeks and saved the client 60 % on licensing costs compared to proprietary solutions—laying a solid foundation for ongoing digital‑infrastructure cost optimization.

In terms of security and scalability, Superset and Metabase integrate with your authentication systems (LDAP, OAuth2) and run behind a reverse proxy. We recommend a modular architecture using Docker containers and a Kubernetes orchestrator to ensure resilience and seamless updates. This strategy aligns perfectly with our ecosystem‑architect vision, built around sustainability and operational performance.

Choosing the right BI solution for your context

Selecting the ideal tool depends on your business drivers, data maturity, and budget.

The decision starts with a clear assessment of your context and priorities. If you already operate in a Microsoft ecosystem and need rapid adoption, Power BI may be the right fit. For advanced analytics needs, Tableau remains a benchmark thanks to its active community and certified training programs. If your goal is a fully customizable tool that adapts perfectly to present and future requirements—or to minimize costs and avoid vendor lock‑in—Superset and Metabase offer unmatched flexibility, at the price of investing in internal skills or external support.

Key evaluation criteria include data volume, refresh frequency, visualization complexity, governance, and security requirements. Also consider technical debt: deploying a “tacked‑on” solution can incur hidden long‑term costs, underscoring the value of a semi‑custom build.

Finally, involve your business stakeholders and IT provider from day one to define KPIs and priority use cases. A rapid proof of concept (PoC) also validates your tool choice before full‑scale rollout. This agile methodology, combined in Edana’s case with our expertise in TypeScript, Node.js, and React, ensures smooth integration of your BI tools with existing systems and effective change management.

In summary

With this comparison of Power BI, Tableau, Superset, and Metabase, you have the insights to align your BI strategy with your business goals. Each solution brings unique advantages: native integration for Power BI, advanced visualization for Tableau, and open‑source flexibility for Superset and Metabase. Your choice will hinge on your data maturity, budget, and tolerance for vendor lock‑in. As a rule, drive your digital transformation with a modular, custom‑built architecture that delivers performance, sustainability, and advanced personalization for optimal results.

Discuss about your challenges with an Edana expert

PUBLISHED BY

Jonathan Massa

Featured-Post-Software-EN Software Engineering (EN)

Microservices vs. Modular Monolith: Choosing the Right Architecture for Your Information System

Post author By Jonathan
Post date 19 April 2025

Microservices vs. Modular Monolith: Choosing the Right Architecture for Your Information System

Microservices vs. modular monolith: behind these two types of software architecture lies the same ambition — making your information system more reliable, scalable and profitable. Technology leaders still have to determine which model best reflects their business challenges, organisation and budget. Microservices consist of a set of independent services, whereas a modular monolith packs all features into a single, carefully compartmentalised deployment. Choosing well therefore means balancing autonomy, complexity, time‑to‑market and governance. Below are the key points for an informed decision.

Microservices: agility and frictionless scalability

Decouple to accelerate, but never neglect governance.

Popular with cloud giants, the microservices architecture breaks the application into autonomous services, each responsible for a specific business domain. Exposed via lightweight APIs, orchestrated by a mesh of containers, and routed through API gateways, these services can be deployed independently. Your team can release a new feature without freezing the entire product, test business hypotheses rapidly and tune capacity precisely to demand. Decoupling boosts velocity, lowers the risk of global regression and underpins a ROI‑driven “fail fast” strategy.

Beyond speed, microservices leverage a vast open‑source ecosystem — Kubernetes for orchestration, gRPC for high‑performance communication, and Keycloak or Ory for identity federation. This freedom reduces vendor lock‑in and optimises infrastructure costs by maximising the pay‑per‑use model of cloud providers. Another benefit is resilience: an incident affecting a payment service no longer brings the whole e‑commerce platform down. That said, multiplying services erodes visibility unless observability practices (tracing, correlated logging, metrics) are rigorously woven in from the very first sprint.

Operational complexity is the flip side. Version management, Zero‑Trust policies between services, FinOps budgets, recruiting SRE profiles — each dimension becomes a project in its own right. This is why Edana favours a gradual approach: first stabilise a reproducible DevSecOps foundation, then extract the most volatile microservices step by step, often written in Go or Node.js for execution speed. You keep control of dependencies while capitalising on bespoke development. The result: a modular IS able to handle traffic peaks without sacrificing gross margin or energy performance.

Modular Monolith: operational coherence and cost control

Centralise intelligently to ship faster and simplify maintenance.

The modular monolith follows the opposite logic: gather the application in a single executable, but organise it into explicitly decoupled modules within the same codebase. It is sometimes called a “guided monolith” because each module exposes clear interfaces and forbids circular dependencies. In production, a single artefact is deployed, reducing the error surface and simplifying monitoring. For a financial or industrial service that values stability, this approach limits network‑related mishaps while remaining fully compatible with CI/CD pipelines and containers.

Budget‑wise, a single deployment simplifies cloud billing: one shared database, less inter‑service traffic and shorter build times. Teams stay focused on business needs rather than plumbing. Open‑source frameworks like Spring Boot or .NET 8 now enable strict modularisation (hexagonal architecture, Gradle modules, plug‑ins) while delivering near‑C++ performance. The paradigm is far from obsolete: it even adapts to serverless architectures thanks to faster cold starts than a constellation of scattered microservices.

However, codebase size can become prohibitive if the organisation scales too quickly. Test cycles grow heavier, technical debt may accumulate unchecked, and a major outage can immobilise the entire system. Our team therefore recommends moving toward internal domain‑driven decomposition or planning a gradual shift to microservices as the company strengthens its DevOps governance. Through architecture audits, we pinpoint “hotspots” to extract first, while ensuring critical business logic remains under a single pipeline’s control to guarantee service quality.

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Business and technical criteria for choosing

Your architecture must serve your business goals first – never the other way around.

Before choosing, list the outcomes you expect: reduced time‑to‑market, regulatory compliance, international performance or a controlled carbon footprint. An elastic microservice can absorb peaks during a global marketing campaign, whereas a modular monolith often fits better with a stable roadmap where functional coherence is paramount. Clarifying these priorities helps weigh orchestration costs, high‑availability needs and risk tolerance.

Organisational maturity is another filter. Microservices assume autonomous teams, an advanced DevSecOps culture and industrial‑grade CI/CD processes. Without these prerequisites, theoretical benefits evaporate quickly. Conversely, a modular monolith can be managed efficiently by a central team of up to twenty developers, provided code reviews and layering are rigorous. Security also plays a role: if you handle sensitive data (healthcare, finance), microservice segmentation isolates risks but expands the network attack surface.

Finally, the budget trajectory must remain visible. Microservices imply rising OPEX — per‑call billing, distributed monitoring, service‑mesh licences — whereas the modular monolith concentrates costs into CAPEX spikes (major upgrades, non‑regression tests). At Edana, we build three‑year comparative scenarios covering not only hosting but also HR costs, training and carbon footprint. This global view provides a tangible ROI aligned with CSR priorities and external‑growth ambitions.

Edana’s view: hybrid ecosystems and long‑term support

Leverage the existing, add bespoke elements and stay free for tomorrow.

Because no single solution is universal, Edana often designs hybrid architectures: a modular‑monolith backbone for core logic, surrounded by “satellite” microservices for high‑variability functions (data analytics, AI, payments). This strategy relies on open source — for example PostgreSQL, Keycloak, Node.js, Istio and Quarkus — to cut licence costs, avoid proprietary lock‑in and stimulate internal innovation. Our architects favour evolutionary designs (event‑driven, CQRS, API contract‑first) and living documentation to guarantee maintainability.

Consider the case of a Swiss healthcare group with about a hundred employees we assisted. Their legacy PHP monolith slowed product teams and caused 2 % monthly downtime. Our team progressively migrated the most volatile modules — patient scheduling and connected‑device catalogue — to containerised Node.js microservices, while refactoring the remaining code into a modular Laravel core. The outcome: continuous deployment every two weeks, a 35 % drop in critical incidents and stable infrastructure costs thanks to auto‑scaling.

Beyond technology, our support translates into co‑design workshops, transparent governance and jointly defined success metrics. This proximity avoids the tunnel effect typical of off‑shore approaches and strengthens internal ownership. It also embraces CSR: optimised CPU cycles, responsibly powered data centres with a low‑carbon footprint and documentation accessible to all. You gain a living software architecture aligned with your growth objectives and societal commitments.

Decide with confidence and plan for the future

Behind the “microservices vs. modular monolith” debate, the real issue is your ability to create value faster than your competitors while safeguarding margins and reputation. The right model is the one that matches your objectives, talent and financial horizon instead of constraining them. A clear‑eyed analysis of your DevSecOps maturity, regulatory constraints and scale‑up ambitions naturally guides the decision. Whether reinforcing an existing monolith or planning a shift to a constellation of microservices, the essential point is to secure each step so it remains reversible, measurable and aligned with your organisation’s broader strategy.

Discuss your challenges with an Edana expert

PUBLISHED BY

Jonathan Massa

E-Commerce Development (EN) Featured-Post-ECommerce-EN Software Engineering (EN)

Why and How to Use Headless Architecture in E-Commerce

Post author By Jonathan
Post date 15 March 2025

Why and How to Use Headless Architecture in E-Commerce

Modern e-commerce demands flexibility, scalability, and execution speed—capabilities that traditional monolithic architectures struggle to deliver. Headless architecture, which decouples the front-end from the back-end, enables companies to innovate more rapidly and adapt to changing market demands.

In this article, we will explore the principles of headless commerce, demonstrate its technical advantages, and provide concrete implementation examples. We will also examine how existing solutions like SAP Commerce, Adobe Commerce (Magento), Commercetools, and BigCommerce fit into this approach. Finally, we will discuss why custom development is often the best alternative for companies looking for long-term flexibility, reduced total cost of ownership (TCO), and full control over their infrastructure.

Understanding Headless Architecture

Headless architecture is built on a strict separation between the user interface (front-end) and the e-commerce engine (back-end). Unlike monolithic architectures where both layers are tightly integrated into a single solution, headless commerce enables each component to evolve independently through APIs.

In a traditional e-commerce platform, front-end requests (such as displaying a product or adding an item to the cart) are directly managed by the back-end. In a headless setup, these interactions occur through RESTful APIs or GraphQL, which provide data in a standardized format, allowing the front-end to utilize them freely.

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Modularity, Flexibility, and Scalability

One of the biggest advantages of headless commerce is its modularity. In a traditional setup, any modification to the front-end often requires adjustments to the back-end, making the system rigid and difficult to scale.

With a headless architecture:

The front-end and back-end evolve independently: You can change the site design or add a new sales channel (mobile app, voice commerce) without impacting product and order management.
Microservices replace monolithic blocks: Each functionality (payments, inventory management, customer loyalty) can be decoupled and updated or replaced individually.

Example of a Microservices-Based Headless Architecture

Front-end: React, Vue.js, or Angular (user experience layer)
API Layer: GraphQL, RESTful API (data communication layer)
Commerce Engine: Custom-built with Node.js and PostgreSQL or integrated with SAP Commerce, Magento, etc.
Microservices: Payment, order management, loyalty, inventory tracking, etc.

This structure allows for maximum scalability—for example, an inventory management service can be upgraded or replaced without affecting the rest of the system.

Use Cases: Why Headless is a Strategic Choice

To better understand why this architecture was developed and what problems it solves, let’s examine various real-world scenarios where companies benefit from headless commerce.

1. Implementing an Omnichannel E-Commerce Strategy

A retailer wants to sell products across multiple channels: a website, a mobile app, and interactive kiosks in physical stores. In a traditional architecture, this would require maintaining multiple front-end versions and managing interactions with a monolithic back-end.

With a headless approach:

A single centralized back-end provides data across all platforms.
Each channel is optimized independently (e.g., mobile experience differs from desktop).
Future expansions, such as a marketplace integration, are simplified via standardized API management.

2. Industry-Focused E-Commerce with IoT and Automation

A company specializing in industrial machinery sales wants to digitize its sales and maintenance operations. Over the next five years, they anticipate:

Integrating IoT sensors to monitor equipment and trigger automatic spare part orders.
Deploying a chatbot to assist customers in product searches and troubleshooting.
Automating inventory replenishment based on stock levels and consumption forecasts.
Providing B2B distributors with a personalized portal.

With a monolithic system, implementing these changes would be costly and require major platform overhauls.

With a headless architecture:

The core e-commerce engine remains unchanged, while IoT sensors connect via APIs for real-time inventory updates.
A chatbot powered by AI can directly interact with the product API and stock management modules.
Distributors can have custom portals without modifying the main system.
A B2B marketplace can be added without rebuilding the entire back-end.

3. Optimizing Performance for High-Traffic Events

A fashion brand experiences traffic spikes during sales events and new collection launches. A monolithic architecture struggles to handle such loads, causing slow page loads and lost revenue.

By adopting a headless approach:

The front-end is served via a Content Delivery Network (CDN), reducing server load.
The back-end only responds to API calls when necessary, minimizing resource usage.
Smart caching strategies improve page speed without increasing infrastructure costs.

4. Advanced Personalization and A/B Testing

An electronics e-commerce store wants to test different UI variations to boost conversion rates.

With a monolithic system, A/B testing requires significant back-end changes and risky deployments.

With a headless commerce setup:

Each variation is handled entirely on the front-end, without disrupting core functionality.
User data is analyzed in real time through analytics APIs (Google Analytics, Amplitude).
The customer experience dynamically adapts based on segmentation and engagement metrics.

Headless E-Commerce Solutions vs. Custom Development

Several ready-to-use headless commerce solutions exist to help businesses leverage this architecture without starting from scratch:

SAP Commerce Cloud: A robust enterprise-grade solution but with high costs and implementation complexity.
Adobe Commerce (Magento Headless): Enables headless transformation for existing Magento stores but requires performance optimization.
Commercetools: A native headless-first solution, ideal for API-centric businesses.
BigCommerce Headless: A flexible option with solid integrations with CMS and modern frameworks.

These solutions provide strong foundations but often come with limitations in terms of customization, scalability, and licensing costs. For businesses looking for long-term flexibility and control, custom development is often the better choice.

Custom Headless Development: A Scalable and High-Performance Solution

Custom development allows businesses to optimize every layer of their architecture, selecting technologies tailored to business constraints and performance requirements.

Why Choose Nest.js and PostgreSQL for a Headless Back-End?

For the back-end, Nest.js is a powerful framework built on Node.js and TypeScript. It offers:

Modular structure inspired by Angular, making maintenance easier.
Built-in GraphQL, WebSockets, and microservices support for scalable API interactions.
Better performance and security compared to traditional Node.js frameworks.

Paired with PostgreSQL, one of the most advanced relational databases, it ensures:

ACID transactions for secure order processing and stock management.
Advanced querying capabilities for fast product retrieval.
JSONB support, combining the best of SQL and NoSQL for flexible data storage.

By using TypeScript, developers benefit from static typing, improved code readability, and safer refactoring.

Is Headless the Right Choice for Your Business?

Adopting headless commerce is a strategic response to the challenges of modern e-commerce. By enabling modularity, flexibility, and scalability, it helps businesses adapt quickly to market trends, improve user experience, and ensure platform resilience.

Whether through integrated headless solutions or custom development, transitioning to headless commerce is a key driver of digital transformation that offers a significant competitive advantage.

With over 15 years of experience and 100+ delivered projects, our experts at Edana are ready to support your digital transformation journey.

Looking to transition to headless commerce? Contact an expert today.

Talk with an expert

PUBLISHED BY

Jonathan Massa

Cloud et Cybersécurité (EN) Featured-Post-About (EN) Featured-Post-CloudSecu-EN Featured-Post-HomePage-EN Software Engineering (EN)

How to Ensure Data Security with Your Enterprise Software?

Post author By Daniel
Post date 5 March 2024

How to Ensure Data Security with Your Enterprise Software?

Data security has become a critical concern for businesses of all sizes. With the proliferation of cyber threats and the increasing value of data, it is imperative for organizations to implement robust security measures to protect their sensitive information. Enterprise software, often the guardian of valuable data such as customer information, financial data, and trade secrets, is a prime target for cybercriminals. Therefore, ensuring data security within your enterprise software becomes a top priority to ensure business continuity and maintain customer trust.

In this article, we will explore different strategies and best practices for enhancing data security with your enterprise software. From risk assessment to establishing a robust security infrastructure, managing access and permissions, data encryption, and employee awareness, we will provide practical advice to help you effectively protect your critical information. By understanding potential threats and adopting a proactive approach to security, you can reduce the risk of security incidents and ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of your essential data.

Understanding Risks: Threat Assessment and Vulnerabilities

Before implementing effective security measures, it is essential to understand the risks facing your enterprise software. This involves a thorough assessment of potential threats such as phishing attacks, malware, and intrusion attempts, as well as identifying vulnerabilities in your IT infrastructure. By understanding these factors, you can better prioritize your security efforts and focus your resources where they are most needed to reduce risks and strengthen your data protection.

Once you have identified threats and vulnerabilities, you can develop a security strategy tailored to your organization. This may include implementing firewalls and intrusion detection systems, regularly updating software to address known security flaws, and continuously monitoring network activity to detect suspicious behavior. By taking a proactive approach to security and remaining vigilant against emerging threats, you can better prevent attacks and protect your data from cybercriminals.

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Notable Data Breach Example: Yahoo

Let’s look at an example that highlights the devastating impact a data breach can have on a company and underscores the crucial importance of implementing robust security measures to protect users’ sensitive information.

In 2016, Yahoo confirmed it had experienced a cyberattack in 2014, compromising data from over 500 million user accounts. This attack was considered one of the largest data breaches in history at that time.

The stolen data included sensitive information such as names, email addresses, hashed passwords, and in some cases, security questions and their associated answers. Additionally, Yahoo revealed in 2017 that another cyberattack, occurring in 2013, had affected all existing Yahoo accounts at the time, totaling around three billion accounts.

These incidents had a significant impact on Yahoo’s reputation and also had significant financial consequences for the company, including a reduction in the purchase price during the acquisition by Verizon.

Establishing a Robust Security Infrastructure

Establishing a strong security infrastructure is essential to effectively protect your data from potential threats. This involves defining clear security policies and implementing appropriate tools and technologies to monitor and control access to sensitive data. Key elements of a robust security infrastructure include firewalls, intrusion detection systems (IDS) and intrusion prevention systems (IPS), as well as identity and access management (IAM) solutions to ensure that only authorized individuals have access to critical information.

Additionally, careful planning for data redundancy and regular backups can ensure the availability of information in the event of a disaster or system failure. Network segmentation and securing entry and exit points are also important measures to limit the scope of damage in the event of a security breach. By adopting a multi-layered approach and combining multiple security technologies, you can strengthen the resilience of your IT infrastructure and protect your data from a variety of potential threats.

Some of Our Case Studies

Our software engineering teams are dedicated to creating robust and secure business solutions specifically designed to meet your unique needs and challenges. We are committed to providing solutions fully tailored to your use cases, with a particular emphasis on data security. Below, we present two examples illustrating our expertise in creating secure business solutions for Swiss companies that have invested in advanced digital transformation.

Digital transformation of a mittelstand

Filinea

Business software for an electrical company

Goteck

I want to discuss my needs with an expert from Edana

Access and Authorization Management: Principle of Least Privilege

Effective access and authorization management are essential to mitigate the risks of unauthorized access to your sensitive data. The principle of least privilege, which involves granting users only the access privileges necessary to perform their specific tasks, plays a central role in this strategy. By adopting this approach, you reduce the potential attack surface by limiting the number of users with extended privileges, thus reducing the risks of misuse or compromise of sensitive information.

Furthermore, implementing granular access controls and strong authentication mechanisms, such as two-factor authentication (2FA) or biometrics, can enhance the security of your systems by adding an additional layer of protection against unauthorized access. By regularly monitoring and auditing access to sensitive data, you can quickly detect suspicious behavior and take corrective action to prevent potential security breaches. By following these best practices, you can better control access to your data and reduce the risks of security compromise.

Data Encryption: Protecting Sensitive Information

By using robust encryption algorithms, you can make your data unreadable to anyone unauthorized who attempts to intercept or illicitly access it. Encryption can be applied at various levels, ranging from encrypting data at rest on servers to encrypted communications between users and servers, as well as encryption of backups and external storage devices. By adopting a holistic encryption approach, you can ensure that your data remains secure even in the event of a security breach or data theft.

Additionally, effective management of encryption keys is essential to ensure the integrity of the encryption process and prevent unauthorized access. By using secure key management practices, such as regular key rotation and separation of responsibilities, you can enhance the security of your data and minimize the risks of compromise of encryption keys. By incorporating data encryption into your overall security strategy, you can create an additional barrier against potential threats and ensure the protection of your most sensitive information.

Employee Training and Awareness: The Human Element of Security

Employees are often the weakest link in the security chain, as they can inadvertently compromise data security through human errors or negligent security practices. Therefore, it is essential to provide regular training on best security practices, including identifying threats such as phishing, malware, and social engineering attacks.

Furthermore, raising employee awareness of the importance of data security and the potential consequences of a security breach can encourage them to adopt secure behaviors in their daily use of company computer systems and data. Effective awareness programs may include phishing attack simulations, interactive training sessions, and regular reminders about company security policies. By investing in employee training and awareness, you strengthen the human factor of security and reduce the risks of security incidents related to human errors.

Conclusion

If you are looking to ensure the security of your data, our Swiss team specializing in strategic consulting and custom development is ready to support you in this endeavor.

Edana provides expertise to design personalized solutions that go beyond conventional standards in data security. By integrating security at every stage of managing your complex projects, our goal is to create memorable and secure experiences, surpassing simple business interactions.

Discuss with an expert

PUBLISHED BY

Daniel Favre

Digital Consultancy & Business (EN) Software Engineering (EN)

How to Solve Performance or Bug Issues in Your Enterprise Software

Post author By Daniel
Post date 5 March 2024

How to Solve Performance or Bug Issues in Your Enterprise Software

When the performance of your enterprise software begins to degrade or bugs disrupt the smooth flow of your operations, it’s essential to act quickly and effectively to maintain productivity and user satisfaction.

In this article, we will explore strategies and best practices for identifying, analyzing, and resolving performance and bug issues in your enterprise software. From data collection to analyzing underlying causes, to developing and validating solutions, discover how to implement a systematic and rigorous approach to problem-solving and optimize the performance of your enterprise software.

Performance Issue Analysis

In any enterprise IT environment, performance issues or software bugs can have a significant impact on daily operations and employee productivity. That’s why a thorough analysis of these issues is essential to identify underlying causes and develop effective solutions to ensure smooth operation and productivity within your organization.

Identifying Symptoms: The first step in the analysis is to identify the symptoms of performance issues. This may include delays in task execution, frequent software crashes, or slow response from the user interface. These symptoms can be reported by end-users or detected using performance monitoring tools.
Data Collection: Once symptoms are identified, it’s crucial to collect detailed data on system performance. This may include measurements such as response times, system resource usage (CPU, memory, etc.), database queries, and application transactions. This data provides an objective basis for problem analysis.
Analyzing Underlying Causes: Using the collected data, software engineers can begin to analyze the underlying causes of performance issues. This may involve identifying bottlenecks in the code, architectural design errors, server configuration issues, or defects in integrations with other systems.

Advanced Debugging Strategies

Once the analysis of performance issues is done, it’s time to implement advanced debugging strategies, essential for effectively identifying and correcting bug issues.

An advanced debugging strategy involves using sophisticated techniques and specialized tools to identify, analyze, and resolve bugs in enterprise software. This typically includes using powerful debugging tools that allow developers to examine code behavior in real-time, trace variables, monitor call stacks, and visualize execution flows.

An advanced debugging strategy often involves in-depth analysis of trace data to detect errors and unhandled exceptions, as well as code profiling to pinpoint performance bottlenecks and optimize them. Additionally, the use of advanced automated testing can be integrated into this strategy to expedite issue resolution and minimize operational disruptions.

By fostering collaboration among development team members and establishing structured debugging processes, organizations can maximize the effectiveness of their debugging efforts. Once this step is completed, it’s essential to move on to code and resource optimization to ensure optimal software performance.

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Code and Resource Optimization in Enterprise Software

Code and resource optimization are crucial aspects of enterprise software development, aiming to improve the performance and efficiency of IT systems. One of the key strategies to achieve this is to identify and eliminate inefficiencies in the source code, which can result in significant gains in terms of execution speed and hardware resource utilization. For example, regular code reviews help identify sections that may cause slowdowns or resource overuse, enabling developers to make targeted optimizations to improve overall system performance.

Furthermore, optimizing hardware resources is also essential to ensure efficient use of IT infrastructure. This may involve implementing memory and CPU management mechanisms to optimize resource allocation or using techniques such as caching to reduce data access times. For example, caching techniques can temporarily store frequently used data in memory, thereby reducing loading times and improving application responsiveness.

By adopting a proactive approach to code and resource optimization, organizations can not only improve the performance of their enterprise software but also reduce costs associated with IT infrastructure by maximizing the use of available resources. Ultimately, this optimization contributes to strengthening the competitiveness of the business by providing fast, efficient, and cost-effective software solutions.

Rigorous Testing and Validation

Rigorous testing and validation ensure the reliability, quality, and compliance with software functional requirements. A systematic testing approach involves several phases, from unit tests to integration and functional validation tests.

Unit Tests: Unit tests verify the proper operation of individual software components by isolating each part of the code to ensure it produces the expected results. For example, in a stock management system, a unit test could verify the accuracy of stock level calculations for a given product.
Integration Tests: Integration tests examine how different modules or components of the software interact with each other. This ensures that different elements work correctly together and that data is transmitted consistently between different parts of the system. For example, in an ERP system, an integration test could verify that accounting and human resources modules correctly share employee data.
Functional Validation Tests: Functional validation tests assess whether the software meets the requirements specified by end-users. This involves testing software features under real usage conditions to verify that it produces the expected results. For example, in an online booking system, functional validation tests could verify that users can book tickets without encountering errors.
Performance and Load Tests: Finally, performance and load tests evaluate the software’s ability to handle heavy workloads and maintain acceptable response times under maximum load conditions. This ensures that the software operates reliably even under high demand. For example, in an online banking system, performance tests could simulate thousands of users accessing the system simultaneously to verify its stability and responsiveness.

By implementing rigorous testing and validation at each stage of development, companies can minimize the risks of errors and malfunctions in their enterprise software, ensuring a smooth user experience and maximum customer satisfaction.

Continuous Improvement Process

Continuous improvement is a fundamental principle in enterprise software development, aiming to constantly optimize the performance, quality, and value of the final product. This process relies on a series of iterative and evolutionary activities, allowing for the identification of improvement opportunities, implementation of changes, and evaluation of their impact on the product and development processes.

User Feedback Collection: A key component of continuous improvement is the regular collection of user feedback, allowing for an understanding of the needs and preferences of end-users. This can be done through surveys, usage data analysis, or direct feedback sessions with customers. For example, in a project management software, users might express the need for additional features to better track task progress.
Performance Data Analysis: In-depth analysis of software performance data helps identify potential improvement areas and recurring issues. This may include examining performance metrics, error reports, and usage data. For example, analysis of system response times may reveal code bottlenecks requiring optimization.
Change Planning and Implementation: Based on user feedback and performance analysis, development teams plan and implement changes to improve the software. This may involve feature updates, bug fixes, or performance optimizations. For example, a development team might decide to add real-time collaboration features to a word processing software in response to user requests.
Results Evaluation: Once changes are implemented, it’s essential to evaluate their impact on the product and development processes. This can be done through validation testing, post-implementation performance analysis, or additional user feedback. For example, after adding real-time collaboration features to the word processing software, users could be asked to provide feedback on its usefulness and usability.

By adopting a continuous improvement approach, organizations can ensure that their enterprise software remains competitive, scalable, and aligned with the changing needs of users and the market. This iterative process continuously optimizes the performance, quality, and value of the product, ensuring maximum customer satisfaction and sustainable competitive advantage.

Conclusion

By analyzing these concrete examples and exploring recommended best practices, you can gain valuable insights into effectively solving performance or bug issues in your enterprise software. If you need personalized support and solutions tailored to your specific needs, don’t hesitate to contact our digital agency specialized in software development. With our recognized expertise in the field, we are here to help you optimize the performance and reliability of your enterprise software, ensuring the success of your IT operations.

PUBLISHED BY

Daniel Favre

Digital Consultancy & Business (EN) Featured-Post-Software-EN Software Engineering (EN)

Software Reengineering – When and Why to Resort to It

Post author By Benjamin
Post date 4 March 2024

Software Reengineering – When and Why to Resort to It

Software reengineering has become an essential element in the modern technological landscape. With the rapid evolution of user needs, technological advancements, and market requirements, many custom software systems are faced with challenges of obsolescence, inadequate performance, and incompatibility with new technologies. In this context, software reengineering emerges as an essential strategy to revitalize and modernize existing systems.

This article delves deep into the domain of software reengineering, examining the motivations, methods, and best practices associated with this crucial process. We will delve into the nuances of software reengineering, highlighting the telltale signs indicating the need for such an approach, the tangible benefits it can bring, as well as the challenges and strategies to overcome them.

Through concrete examples and case studies, we will illustrate how software reengineering can transform outdated systems into robust solutions tailored to contemporary requirements. Whether you are an IT professional, a business decision-maker, or simply curious, this article will provide valuable insights into software reengineering and its crucial role in maintaining the relevance and competitiveness of computer systems in an ever-changing world.

Understanding Software Reengineering

Software reengineering is a strategic approach aimed at revitalizing existing computer systems to improve their performance, efficiency, and maintainability. Unlike traditional software development, which involves creating new systems from scratch, software reengineering focuses on transforming existing systems to meet evolving needs and changing technological requirements. This approach is often motivated by factors such as technological obsolescence, the accumulation of defects and bugs, and the inability of systems to adapt to new business requirements.

Software reengineering encompasses a wide range of activities, from thorough analysis of existing systems to redesigning and reconstructing essential software components. This approach may also involve migrating to new technological platforms, integrating modern features, and optimizing performance. By understanding the ins and outs of software reengineering, organizations can make informed decisions regarding the allocation of resources and the planning of their computer system modernization initiatives.

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Indicators of the Need for Software Reengineering

When custom software begins to show signs of fatigue or inefficiency, several revealing indicators may emerge, thus indicating the need for reengineering.

Impact on system performance and productivity

A stock management application might experience increased loading times, resulting in delays in order processing and customer dissatisfaction. Similarly, a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system might suffer from an increased frequency of failures, leading to reduced productivity for sales and customer service teams.

2. Increasing complexity and maintenance difficulties

The increasing complexity of the software structure can make system maintenance and scalability difficult, as in the case of a project management software where adding new features becomes cumbersome due to outdated and poorly documented code.

3. Technological obsolescence and vulnerabilities

Technological obsolescence may manifest itself through the use of outdated programming languages or obsolete software libraries, making the software vulnerable to security breaches and limiting its ability to integrate new features and technologies. These examples illustrate the critical importance of carefully monitoring the health and performance of custom software and proactively engaging in reengineering initiatives when necessary to maintain their long-term competitiveness and usefulness.

Advantages and Outcomes of Software Reengineering

Software reengineering offers a multitude of advantages and significant outcomes for organizations engaging in this modernization process.

Optimization of performance and responsiveness

Software reengineering improves the overall performance of computer systems by identifying and eliminating bottlenecks, code redundancies, and inefficient processes. For example, by optimizing data processing algorithms or migrating to more powerful cloud infrastructures, organizations can significantly reduce processing times and improve the responsiveness of their applications.

2. Long-term maintenance cost reduction

Software reengineering also reduces long-term maintenance costs by streamlining development processes, simplifying software architecture, and eliminating costly dependencies on obsolete technologies. For example, by replacing aging software components with modern and scalable solutions, organizations can reduce expenses related to bug resolution and corrective maintenance.

3. Fostering innovation and competitiveness

Furthermore, software reengineering fosters innovation by enabling organizations to quickly adopt new technologies and respond to market developments in an agile manner. For example, by modernizing user interfaces and integrating innovative features such as artificial intelligence or the Internet of Things (IoT), organizations can offer differentiated user experiences and remain competitive in the market.

In summary, software reengineering offers considerable potential to strengthen the competitiveness, efficiency, and agility of organizations in an ever-evolving technological environment.

Challenges and Strategies of Software Reengineering

While promising in terms of improving existing systems, software reengineering is not without its challenges and complexities. One of the main challenges is change management, as reengineering often involves substantial modifications to software processes, architecture, and operation, which can provoke resistance among teams and stakeholders. Additionally, reengineering may face budgetary and time constraints, especially in organizations where resources are limited and justifying necessary investments is challenging.

To address these challenges, organizations must adopt effective and pragmatic reengineering strategies. This includes establishing strong governance to oversee the reengineering process, clearly defining objectives, priorities, and necessary resources. Moreover, transparent communication and effective stakeholder management are essential to minimize resistance to change and ensure the buy-in of affected teams.

Furthermore, it is crucial to adopt an iterative and incremental approach in the reengineering process, identifying and prioritizing improvements in stages. This helps mitigate the risks associated with reengineering by limiting the impact of changes on ongoing operations and enabling gradual adaptation to new architectures and technologies. Finally, training and developing team skills are essential to ensure the long-term success of software reengineering, facilitating effective adoption of new practices, tools, and technologies. By adopting these strategies and overcoming these challenges, organizations can maximize the benefits of software reengineering and maintain their competitiveness in a digitally evolving environment.

Case Studies and Best Practices in Software Reengineering

Case studies and best practices in software reengineering provide concrete insights into how organizations can successfully modernize their existing systems to meet contemporary challenges and changing business requirements. For example, a case study of a large e-commerce company facing slow loading times and poor user experience revealed that reengineering their software platform by adopting a cloud-based architecture and optimizing database queries significantly reduced loading times and improved user satisfaction.

Similarly, applying best practices such as using agile methodologies, such as Scrum or Kanban, can facilitate effective project management in reengineering projects by enabling close collaboration between development teams and stakeholders, as well as flexibility in managing priorities and changes. Additionally, adopting emerging technologies such as test automation and continuous deployment can accelerate the reengineering process by reducing development lead times and improving code quality.

By analyzing these case studies and leveraging these best practices, organizations can develop effective strategies to successfully carry out their own software reengineering initiatives, maximizing benefits while minimizing risks and potential obstacles. Ultimately, case studies and best practices in software reengineering offer valuable guidance for organizations seeking to modernize their computer systems and maintain their competitiveness in an ever-evolving digital world.

Conclusion

By examining these inspiring case studies and exploring recommended best practices, organizations can gain valuable insights for their own software reengineering projects. For tailored support and solutions to your specific needs, do not hesitate to contact our digital agency, Edana, specialized in software reengineering. With our proven expertise in the field, we are here to help you realize your digital transformation ambitions and ensure the success of your software modernization projects.

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Node.js, Bun, Deno: How JavaScript Run-times Are Changing the Game

PUBLISHED BY

Daniel Favre

Software Obsolescence: Critical Risks and Modernisation Strategies

PUBLISHED BY

Jonathan Massa

Comparison of iPaaS Connectors: Zapier, Make, Mulesoft, n8n and Alternatives

PUBLISHED BY

Daniel Favre

Mastering Technical Debt to Secure Your Company’s Future

PUBLISHED BY

Jonathan Massa

Business Intelligence: Comparison of Power BI, Tableau, Superset, Metabase

PUBLISHED BY

Jonathan Massa

Microservices vs. Modular Monolith: Choosing the Right Architecture for Your Information System

PUBLISHED BY

Jonathan Massa

Why and How to Use Headless Architecture in E-Commerce

PUBLISHED BY

Jonathan Massa

How to Ensure Data Security with Your Enterprise Software?

PUBLISHED BY

Daniel Favre

How to Solve Performance or Bug Issues in Your Enterprise Software

PUBLISHED BY

Daniel Favre

Software Reengineering – When and Why to Resort to It

The company

Engineering and development

Transformation and strategy

Let's talk about you

Let's talk about you

Node.js, Bun, Deno: How JavaScript Run-times Are Changing the Game

The Role of JavaScript Run-times in the Enterprise World

Advantage #1: Accelerating Development Cycles and Reducing Time-to-Market

Advantage #2: Scalability, Security, and Integration: Node.js in Complex IT Systems

Advantage #3: JavaScript Run-times Are Eco-Friendly

1. Fewer Resources for Greater Performance

2. Optimizing Cloud Infrastructure

3. Less Complexity, More Digital Sobriety

4. A Community Driven Towards Sustainability

Comparison with Java, .NET, and PHP: A Clear Advantage for JavaScript Run-times

Edana’s View: Open Source, Modularity, and Customization for Sustainable ROI

Make JavaScript Run-times a Competitive Advantage for Your Business

PUBLISHED BY

Daniel Favre

Software Obsolescence: Critical Risks and Modernisation Strategies

Obsolete Software: A Growing Threat to Business Stability

Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities

Performance Degradation and Productivity Loss

Hidden and Escalating Costs

Competitive Disadvantage and Innovation Barriers

Compatibility and Integration Challenges

Regulatory Compliance Risks

System Modernisation and Modular Software Architecture: Reducing Technical Debt

Proactive Legacy Application Modernisation

Embracing a Modular and Scalable Architecture

Leveraging Targeted Custom Development

Open Source and IT Governance: Avoiding Vendor Lock-in and Securing the Longevity of Your Systems

Prioritising Open Source Technologies and Open Standards

Establishing Proactive IT Governance

Tailored Modernisation: How a Swiss Company Overcame Software Obsolescence

Initial Context

Action Plan and Solutions Deployed

Results and Business Impact

From Software Obsolescence to Operational Excellence

PUBLISHED BY

Jonathan Massa

Comparison of iPaaS Connectors: Zapier, Make, Mulesoft, n8n and Alternatives

1. Strengths and Limitations of Leading iPaaS Connectors

Zapier – Extreme Simplicity and Time-to-Value

Make (formerly Integromat) – Granularity and Flexibility

MuleSoft Anypoint – Enterprise-Grade, On-Demand Integration

n8n – Open Source and Total Control

2. Open Source Alternatives and Custom Development

3. Selection Criteria for Choosing the Best Option

Volume and Performance

Workflow Complexity

Security and Compliance

Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)

Flexibility and Sovereignty

4. Hybrid Architecture for an Evolving Ecosystem

Conclusion: Tailored Solutions for Every Use Case

PUBLISHED BY

Daniel Favre

Mastering Technical Debt to Secure Your Company’s Future

Business Impacts of Technical Debt and Disaster Scenarios

Diverse Origins of Technical Debt

How to Remediate Existing Technical Debt

Strategies to Prevent Future Debt and Safeguard Innovation

Conclusion: Turn Technical Debt into a Competitive Advantage

PUBLISHED BY

Jonathan Massa

Business Intelligence: Comparison of Power BI, Tableau, Superset, Metabase

Power BI: strengths and limitations

Tableau: key advantages and use cases

Superset and Metabase: flexibility and controlled costs

Choosing the right BI solution for your context

In summary

PUBLISHED BY

Jonathan Massa

Microservices vs. Modular Monolith: Choosing the Right Architecture for Your Information System

Microservices: agility and frictionless scalability

Modular Monolith: operational coherence and cost control

Business and technical criteria for choosing

Edana’s view: hybrid ecosystems and long‑term support

Decide with confidence and plan for the future

PUBLISHED BY

Jonathan Massa

Why and How to Use Headless Architecture in E-Commerce