The Hidden Risks in Legacy Numerical Systems – And Why They Matter Today

Every large enterprise relies on a web of critical software systems. But what happens when the code at the heart of these systems was written decades ago, by experts who have long since retired?

We hear this story over and over:

• “It works… but don’t touch it.”
• “We’re one failure away from downtime.”
• “Our auditors don’t understand the code we’re running.”

From financial services to engineering and healthcare, unsupported numerical software is a growing risk. Not because businesses don’t care, but because fixing it is complex and costly.

The irony? Everyone knows modernization is the end goal—but few can afford to wait years for a total rebuild. What’s missing is the bridge. A practical path that gives enterprises confidence, continuity, and compliance while they figure out the future.

Our team is exploring what a bridge might look like: delivering new forms of support that ensure compliance, continuity, and structured transition without waiting years for a full rebuild. Early feedback has been eye-opening—some leaders only realized the scale of their risk once they saw the options mapped out.

In the months ahead, we’ll share insights to how enterprises can tackle this problem—what works, what doesn’t, and what’s next. What’s the biggest legacy challenge you’re facing right now?

Related reading:

• Mechanical Orchard reports that “maintaining those systems can be a costly burden, with an average of 60–80% of IT budgets allocated to keeping them running.” https://www.mechanical-orchard.com/insights/1-14-trillion-to-keep-the-lights-on-legacys-drag-on-productivity
• TechRadar Pro cites “a report from Dell estimates that organizations currently allocate 60‑80% of their IT budget to maintaining existing on‑site hardware and legacy apps.” https://www.techradar.com/pro/fix-it-even-if-it-aint-broke-the-price-of-legacy-technology  
• RecordPoint notes that in 2019, the U.S. federal government spent 80% of its IT budget on operations and maintenance, primarily involving legacy systems. https://www.recordpoint.com/blog/maintaining-legacy-systems-costs  
• Audacia similarly states: “Maintaining those systems can be a costly burden, with an average of 60‑80% of IT budgets allocated to keeping them running.” https://audacia.co.uk/blog/cost-of-legacy-systems  
• PSP‑IT says: “Research estimates that organizations spend anywhere between 60‑80% on keeping their older IT systems running.” https://psp-it.com/blogs/staggering-stats-that-show-how-outdated-technology-could-be-damaging-your-business/