Automated Transformation (i.e., modernization) of software has tremendous and abiding advantages over manual transformation.

Goodness retained
All the time-tested goodness of legacy software is fully retained.

Forrester says: Although firms are vocal in their dissatisfaction of it, legacy technology continues to run core business functions for medium, large, and Global 2000 companies. Migration can mitigate many of these firms' issues, yet we also found some exceptions to the migration trend: In the words of one customer, "The custom-built legacy applications running on mainframes are the best transaction-processing platforms available." - Phil Murphy, Principal Analyst

Least costly

Cheaper than full re-write; cheaper than manual migration; cheaper than adopting packaged software; and cheaper than "no action". The Gartner Group notes that the cost for manual code conversion can range from $6 - $26 per line-of-code. (Gartner Group study "Forecasting the Worldwide IT Services Industry"). In comparison, automated transformation costs is typically around $1.00 per line-of-code.

Fastest, quickest solution

Even if you are trying to migrate from an uncommon legacy platform, this is by far the quickest solution for fixing your legacy woes. It is even quicker than implementing packaged solutions. Again, the same Gartner Group study notes that a legacy system with a million lines of code requires some 28+ man-years of labor to convert. With a team of 10, this takes 3 elapsed years if done well. In comparison, automated transformation of several millions of lines-of-code can be accomplished in a matter of months.

Highest accuracy

Since automated transformation retains the tested logic of the old code, no new bugs are introduced in the target application.

Least risk

It is the least risky method not only because it is the most accurate method with the least cost and the quickest turnaround compared to all alternate solutions, but also because it is least likely to fail. While a manual migration team is attempting to build a replacement, the legacy system must still continue to support the company and it must evolve to meet corporate needs -- so changes are continually made to it. Such changes cause untold trouble for the migration team, which now has to go back and rework code already converted. This extends the project duration, causes serious cost overrun, and increases the chances of the project being scrapped.

Highest Quality

Manual migrations invariably have uneven conversion quality because the competence of individual programmers varies. Automated transformations give you a consistently high quality of code.

Most "future proof"

Automated transformation can give you the most "future-proof" application if the MDA process is followed, as that will give you a maintainable Business Model from which code for existing and new technologies can be generated through automated means. So your investment in the Business Model remains intact regardless of how many times you change implementation technology. (More about this under MDA).