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legacy

From a previous generation. Legacy systems or applications are those that predate the current generation of investment in computing assets. The word was initially coined as a polite euphemism for 'obsolete', and described assets that predated client-server computing, such as mainframes and proprietary minicomputer systems. A new generation of CIOs have since inherited ageing client-server applications, which have become 'legacy' in their turn. Today, rather than being seen as an embarrassing hangover from a former age, legacy systems are regarded as a part of an organization's computing heritage. They continue to serve a vital role in many enterprise computing infrastructures, and web services can help to enhance their contribution by making their resources available in new, more flexible ways.

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