Many businesses grapple with the question of why modernization matters. However, staying stagnant in the rapidly evolving tech landscape can lead to unforeseen consequences, particularly when it comes to cybersecurity.
Picture it…
- Your business is running smoothly.
- Your applications are functioning just fine.
- You have yet to encounter any significant issues.
So, why bother with modernization?
Because of the data-driven landscape that runs our world, cyber threats are increasing, with bad actors constantly seeking vulnerabilities to exploit. Just glance at the headlines—cyberattacks are becoming increasingly sophisticated, and the costs associated with breaches are skyrocketing.
From automated phishing to ransomware, the threats are real, and the consequences are dire.
The Hidden Costs of Not Modernizing
The repercussions of not modernizing your application platform can be steep. Consider the staggering costs of data breaches—not just in monetary terms but also in reputational damage and lost productivity. Downtime due to outdated systems can cost businesses thousands of dollars per minute, impacting customers, internal operations and employee morale.
Moreover, failing to modernize can impede innovation, limit scalability and decrease efficiency. In today's business environment, staying ahead of the curve is essential for maintaining a competitive edge and meeting customer expectations.
OpenEdge 12.8 Is Your Modernization Superstar
Enter OpenEdge 12.8, the latest release designed to address these modernization challenges head-on. With built-in enhanced security capabilities, advanced observability features, performance and scalability improvements and modern tooling support for DevOps, OpenEdge 12.8 empowers businesses to thrive in an increasingly digital world.
Enhanced Security Features
OpenEdge 12.8 introduces various security enhancements, including External Security Administration Manager (ESAM) for better protection of executables and libraries and TLS 1.3 support for enhanced encryption protocols.
Compliance and Regulatory Considerations
In today's landscape, compliance is non-negotiable. OpenEdge 12.8 offers robust compliance features, including transparent data encryption (TDE) to facilitate data confidentiality, dynamic data masking to help safeguard sensitive information at runtime and JSON Web Encryption (JWE) to help secure data transmission.
With dynamic data masking, there is high assurance of data confidentiality for your applications using AES-GCM encryption and many more built-in security improvements. These capabilities can help businesses meet stringent regulatory requirements such as HIPAA, GDPR and CCPA.
OpenTelemetry for Enhanced Observability
OpenEdge 12.8 also introduces OpenTelemetry, a standard-based API for improved application observability. With support from popular APM tools, businesses can gain valuable insights into application performance, identify bottlenecks and proactively address issues before they impact operations.
Platform Stability and Greater Innovation Support
For businesses currently on older releases, upgrading to OpenEdge 12.8 offers numerous benefits, including:
- Access to the latest features
- Enhanced platform security
- Continued support for modern operating systems
- Interoperability with other technologies
This latest release also provides more online operations support, minimizing downtime for your applications and ongoing maintenance for your business applications through LTS updates.
With retirement milestones for older releases, now is the time to plan your upgrade and stay ahead of the curve.
The Time Is Now
In conclusion, modernizing your application platform is not about staying current—it's about unlocking your business' full potential. With OpenEdge 12.8, businesses can enhance security, improve efficiency and drive innovation in an ever-evolving digital landscape. Don't wait until it's too late—take the first step towards modernization today and help future-proof your business for tomorrow's challenges.
To learn how the new features in OpenEdge 12.8 can improve day-to-day business, watch our Did You Know? webinar for business leaders.
Jessica Malakian
Jessica Malakian is a product marketing specialist at Progress who focuses primarily on Progress OpenEdge. Jessica is a recent college graduate and is excited to begin her professional journey with Progress. Outside of work, Jessica loves reading and writing.