Code and data audit
A written assessment of the codebase, schema, integrations and security posture, with the risks ranked by what they would actually cost you. The document is yours whether or not we do the work.
Software Development · Australia-wide
Modernising the system that runs your business, without stopping it running
Strangler-pattern migration in slices you can roll back, with the data reconciled at every step. We will also tell you honestly when the right answer is to leave it alone.
Migrated in reversible slices
Data reconciled at each step
Rollback tested before cutover
Every engagement includes
- Code and data audit first
- Run both systems in parallel
- Reconciliation at every step
- Rollback tested, not assumed
- Documentation as we go
Why this goes wrong
What we usually find, and what we do instead
<p>Legacy System Modernization by Webcotec is planned, designed and developed around your business workflow. We focus on performance, security, usability, SEO structure and long-term scalability so your digital system is easy to manage and ready to grow.</p>
What we usually find
- One person understands it — and the business has quietly organised itself around their availability.
- An unsupported runtime — on a PHP or .NET version that stopped getting security patches years ago.
- No test suite and no staging — so every change is made live and hoped about.
- A big-bang rewrite that stalled — eighteen months in, with the old system still running everything.
- Data nobody will vouch for — duplicated records and fields repurposed for something other than their name.
What we do instead
- Document before touching anything — the data model, the integrations and the undocumented behaviour people rely on.
- Migrate in slices — one capability at a time behind a facade, each one reversible on its own.
- Run old and new in parallel — compare outputs on real traffic until the new path is provably right.
- Reconcile at every step — row counts and totals checked against the source before anything is switched over.
- Say when not to rebuild — sometimes hardening and documenting the existing system is the cheaper, better answer.
What's included
What we actually work on
Not a checklist of 200 "optimisations". These are the things that move the result.
Strangler-pattern migration
New capability built alongside the old system behind a routing facade, so functionality moves across one slice at a time and any slice can be reverted on its own.
Data migration and reconciliation
Schema mapping, cleansing rules agreed with you, and row-level reconciliation after every migration step. Nothing is cut over on the assumption that the counts match.
Security and compliance remediation
Unsupported runtimes, unpatched dependencies, plaintext credentials and missing access controls, fixed and documented against Privacy Act obligations.
Test coverage where it matters
Characterisation tests around the behaviour you cannot afford to change, written before refactoring so a regression is caught by a test rather than by a customer.
Deployment and environments
Staging that matches production, automated deployment and tested restores, so releases stop being events and rollback is something you have actually done.
How we work
A sequence, not a black box
You see the plan before we touch anything, and you approve what gets done.
01
Audit
Code, schema, integrations and security reviewed and written up, including the behaviour that is undocumented but load-bearing.
02
Stabilise
Security patches, backups and staging in place first, so the existing system is safe while the work happens.
03
Slice
The migration plan broken into capabilities that can move independently, each with its own rollback.
04
Migrate
One slice at a time, running in parallel and reconciled against the old system before traffic moves.
05
Decommission
The old path retired only once the new one has run clean on real traffic, with the data archived.
Pricing
How much does modernisation cost in Australia?
Most agencies make you ask before they will quote a starting point. Here it is.
Code and data audit
$6,000 – $15,000one-off, AUD ex GST
- Codebase and schema assessment
- Integration and dependency map
- Security and compliance review
- Risk register with costs
- Recommended migration sequence
- The document is yours either way
Phased modernisation
From $60,000fixed scope, AUD ex GST
- Strangler-pattern migration
- Capability slices with rollback
- Data migration and reconciliation
- Test coverage on critical paths
- Staging and deployment pipeline
- Documentation delivered throughout
Harden in place
$8,000 – $25,000fixed scope, AUD ex GST
- Runtime and dependency upgrades
- Security remediation
- Backups and tested restores
- Staging environment
- System documentation
- No rebuild required
All amounts are in Australian dollars and exclude GST. These are indicative starting points and assume a scope agreed in writing before work begins. Anything outside that scope is quoted separately and approved by you first. We invoice against milestones, not hours worked.
Who this is for
Australian businesses we do modernisation for
Industries where we understand the buying cycle, the compliance constraints and how customers actually search.
Manufacturing & industrial
Financial services
Logistics & transport
Government & public sector
Healthcare & allied health
Wholesale & distribution
FAQ
Questions Australian businesses ask about modernisation
Should we rebuild or keep patching?
It depends on what the next two years cost either way. If the runtime is supported, the data model is sound and the pain is cosmetic, hardening and documenting is far cheaper. If you are on an unsupported runtime with no tests and one person who understands it, the risk is already priced in, you just have not been invoiced for it yet.
Can you do this without downtime?
Mostly. Slices migrate behind a facade while both systems run, so the switch for each capability is a routing change rather than an outage. Some data cutovers need a short window, which we schedule with you and rehearse first.
How long does modernisation take?
The audit is two to four weeks. After that it depends entirely on how many capabilities there are and how tangled the data is. Slices typically land every four to eight weeks, so you get value continuously rather than at the end.
What if the original developer is gone?
That is the normal case. We work from the code, the database and the behaviour of the running system, and we document as we go, which is usually the first documentation the system has ever had.
Will our data survive the migration?
We map every field, agree the cleansing rules with you before running them, and reconcile row counts and key totals after each step. The old system stays readable until you are satisfied.
Can we keep using the old system during the work?
Yes, that is the whole point of the approach. Nothing is switched off until the replacement has run in parallel on real traffic and the numbers match.
What does the audit actually give us?
A written assessment of the codebase, schema, integrations and security risks, ranked by what each would cost you if it went wrong, with a recommended sequence. It is yours to act on with or without us.
Is our old system a security risk right now?
If it runs an unsupported language version or unpatched dependencies, yes, and it is the first thing we address. We will tell you in the audit rather than holding it back as a reason to sign.
Related services
Often paired with modernisation
Custom Software Development
Custom software built around your operations, users and growth goals.
Mobile App Development
Native and cross-platform mobile apps with smooth UX and secure backend systems.
CRM Development
Custom CRM systems for leads, customers, follow-ups, sales teams and reporting.
ERP Development
ERP systems to manage operations, inventory, HR, finance, procurement and reporting.
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