A Guide to Adopting OutSystems Developer Cloud (ODC) — Modern Application Development

The technology industry is constantly evolving, presenting both challenges and opportunities for organizations. This constant change, drives innovation but making existent applications obsolete. OutSystems Developer Cloud (ODC) offers a powerful solution to modernize application development and help businesses stay competitive.

ODC introduces a transition from the traditional cloud applications to a robust cloud-native architecture. This is not merely an upgrade — it’s a paradigm shift in architecture — it integrates cutting-edge technologies and features to significantly enhance productivity, scalability, and security in application development.

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Cloud-Native Architecture of ODC

ODC’s cloud-native architecture stands as a testament to OutSystems’ foresight in adapting to industry needs. OutSystems Developer Cloud is built on key features from earlier versions while using a boost of performance and flexibility with cloud-native setups.

• ODC Deployment Infrastructure — By utilizing microservices and Kubernetes, ODC ensures that critical applications can scale independently and maintain high availability. This enables organizations to deploy updates with minimal disruptions, reducing downtime and maintaining the continuity of essential operations. The new architecture supports a environment multi-tenant hosted, with isolated and encrypted databases, allowing to optimize resource use and safeguarding sensitive data.
• ODC Microservices Architecture — The move to ODC aligns with principles of microservices architecture, service-oriented architecture (SOA), and event-driven architecture — key drivers of modern application ecosystems.

This architectural approach empowers organizations to achieve significant efficiencies, focusing to delivering customer value rather than managing complex infrastructure. It also promotes greater autonomy for teams teams, allowing to innovate without constrains of monolithic structures.

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Migration from O11 to ODC

Recognizing the importance of migration, OutSystems is structuring the transition from OutSystems 11 (O11) to ODC to be as smooth as possible.

• Licence Costs— Current O11 customers can migrate to ODC without incurring additional licensing costs during a transition period. This allows organizations to embrace new technologies at their own pace while benefiting from the advanced features offered by ODC.
• Automatic Migration Tool — To facilitate migration, OutSystems is introducing an automatic migration tool, expected to launch in Q4 2024. For smaller portfolios (up to 300 AOs), a one-time migration will be supported, while larger or more complex applications will follow an incremental migration approach. This tool is designed to minimize disruptions, but some development is necessary during the process.
• Self Managed Private Cloud — A self-managed private cloud deployment option, allowing customers to host ODC on their own premises or in private clouds, will be available by early 2025. Customers with this setup will have the same support options for upgrading to a modern cloud architecture, whether public, hybrid, or private ODC.
• O11 Sunset — OutSystems is committed to supporting O11 through at least March 2029, ensuring continuity for customers as they transition to ODC.

This flexibility demonstrates OutSystems’ dedication to guiding customers through technological shifts, enabling them to modernize portfolios while maintaining stability. All information is publicly available, here a resume:

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Benefits of modernization to ODC

By adopting ODC, organizations gain access to powerful new features that enable them to adapt quickly to evolving business needs, empowering them to:

• Enhance productivity and efficiency
• Improve security
• Achieve greater scalability and flexibility
• Leverage a modernized architecture
• Integrate seamlessly with external systems

These benefits collectively position businesses to stay competitive in an ever-changing market. The new exclusive features in ODC are:

ODC Mentor — ODC includes an AI-powered digital assistant designed to support the entire software development lifecycle (SDLC). The ODC Mentor automates repetitive tasks such as app prototyping, iteration, and validation, helping development teams accelerate their workflows while ensuring high-quality output.

ODC Workflows — ODC workflows automate business processes by organizing tasks into specific sequences. This feature is particularly useful for managing approval processes (e.g., vacation or loan approvals), as it automates repetitive actions and streamlines tasks that require user intervention, increasing efficiency and reducing manual errors.

ODC Data Fabric — ODC introduces Data Fabric, a feature that facilitates seamless integration across diverse data sources, giving organizations a unified view of their information landscape. With ODC’s Data Fabric, integrating external systems becomes easier while maintaining tight control over data security policies. This architecture ensures sensitive data is handled securely, utilizing in-memory processing and temporary query results to minimize data exposure. ODC’s approach to data privacy aligns with best practices for safeguarding confidential information.

ODC Event-Driven Architecture — ODC’s event-driven architecture allows applications to respond dynamically to real-time events, making them more responsive and adaptable. Additionally, ODC promotes the use of reusable assets and a domain-driven design, which improves maintainability and accelerates the pace of innovation.

ODC Security—Security is a top priority for ODC, and the platform incorporates a robust, multi-layered security framework to protect sensitive information. Key features include Transport Layer Security (TLS) for all communications, Encrypted databases to safeguard data at rest, a secret manager to securely store sensitive information, a built-in Identity Service to ensure proper management of user identities and minimize security risks. ODC’s design also excludes sensitive data from logs, ensuring enhanced privacy and data confidentiality.

The enhancements offered by ODC are not just incremental — they represent a leap forward in application development capabilities.

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Conclusion

In summary, migrating to OutSystems Developer Cloud is a strategic decision that enables organizations to harness the latest advancements in cloud-native technology. Its architecture integrates key features like scalability, security, and efficient data management, while offering tools for real-time monitoring and performance optimization.

By adopting this transformative platform, organizations invest in robust cloud-native solutions that drive productivity, enhance agility, and maintain a competitive edge in their markets. This shift empowers businesses to thrive in an ever-evolving digital landscape, fulfilling OutSystems’ commitment to help customers build for the future while preserving and leveraging the integrity of their legacy systems.

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