The 26-Year Legacy Rescue Checklist
82 field-tested checks across triage, code archaeology, rescue vs rewrite, and vendor handoff. No credit card. No pushy sales.
What's inside
- 1. Triage (15 checks) — the first 48 hours of a legacy crisis. Credentials, backups, escalation paths.
- 2. Code archaeology (20 checks) — understanding what the system actually does before any technical decision.
- 3. Rescue vs rewrite decision (15 checks) — evidence-based, not emotional. Vendor quotes, references, contingency.
- 4. Rescue engagement scope (15 checks) — what a rescue actually includes, in writing, before you sign.
- 5. Vendor handoff and risk mitigation (16 checks) — never be one departure away from a crisis again.
A printable operations tool. Walk through each section with your operations lead. Not a whitepaper.
"If your Section 1 count of unchecked items exceeds three, do not proceed to Section 2 until they're closed."
— from the introduction
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A few excerpts
From Section 1 — Triage
“The domain registration and DNS credentials are in your name (not the departing vendor's).”
From Section 2 — Code archaeology
“You have identified any code that references specific dates (year-end logic, compliance deadlines).”
From Section 3 — Rescue vs rewrite
“You have talked to one customer of the proposed rewrite vendor whose project did NOT ship on time.”
More depth on the underlying framework: