Modernizing Legacy PHP Applications for a Leading Australian University

Benefit - Modernizing Legacy PHP Applications

Client Overview

Leading university based in Melbourne, Australia, known for its strong focus on innovation, technology, and applied research. The university manages a wide range of web-based systems to support students, academic staff, and administrative departments.

Project Objective

The goal of this project was to modernize University’s legacy PHP applications, originally built using Core PHP and CodeIgniter, by migrating them to modern PHP standards using the Laminas framework. The modernization aims to improve scalability, performance, security, and ease of maintenance while aligning with the university’s digital transformation strategy.

Scope of Work

The modernization covered a wide range of applications, including:

Student-based applications (Course Applications, Internship Application, Student Community portal, Placement portals etc.)
Administrative systems (Training applications for faculties, Application management portals, Applications for managing student transfers, Laptop grants portal etc.)
Scholarship management tools
Course setup and migration systems (for academic year rollovers)

Marketing and communication tools
Printable certificate generation systems
Planner and scheduling tools
Academic report applications
Complaints and feedback forms

Key Modernization Activities

As part of the migration process, we undertook several major initiatives:

Framework Upgrade: Migrated from Core PHP/CodeIgniter to the Laminas framework, following MVC or modular architecture based on the application.
Cloud Storage Migration: Moved all media storage from local disk to Azure Blob Storage, improving performance, reliability, and accessibility.
Email System Modernization: Updated email handling to trigger through Azure services, enabling better scalability and monitoring.

API Transformation: Replaced JSON file–based operations with RESTful APIs to improve interoperability and enable seamless integrations with other university systems.
Authentication and Authorization Upgrade: Transitioned admin authentication from database-based login to Azure Single Sign-On (SSO) for enhanced security and easier user management.
Standardization: Unified code structure, deployment workflows, and security practices across all applications for better maintainability and consistency.

Key Challenges and Solutions During Migration

Database Restructuring: During the migration process, several legacy databases were highly coupled and complex. To improve performance and maintainability, we decoupled large tables into smaller, more efficient ones, added new columns where needed, and removed redundant tables. This restructuring significantly reduced data complexity and improved query performance.
Deprecated PHP Functions and Package Compatibility: The legacy codebase contained multiple deprecated PHP functions that were no longer supported in modern PHP versions. Migrating such functions required code refactoring and rewriting of core logic. Additionally, several third-party packages used in the older framework lacked compatibility with modern PHP, requiring custom-built replacements or extensions. This added significant technical complexity but ensured long-term maintainability and performance.

Stakeholder Coordination: The University has over 150 applications, each managed by different departments, student committees and stakeholders. Continuous communication and collaboration were required to understand the functionality, dependencies, and workflows of each application being migrated. Coordinating with multiple stakeholders across departments was a major challenge but crucial to ensuring accuracy and continuity.
Seamless Migration with Minimal Downtime: Ensuring that each application was migrated smoothly without affecting live users or ongoing operations required careful planning and phased rollouts.

Outcomes and Benefits

A centralized platform was developed to efficiently manage multiple applications. The system also allows authorized users to temporarily reopen closed applications when required.
One such use case is as follows: Prior to the start of the academic year, applicants can apply for specific courses at the university. Once the application period ends, the portal for applications is permanently closed and only reopened during the next intake window. In special circumstances where a closed form needs to be temporarily reopened, this can be managed through the centralized application without requiring intervention from the development team.

Improved system performance and scalability through cloud-based storage and APIs.
Enhanced security and user experience via Azure SSO authentication.
Streamlined maintenance and deployment with standardized coding and DevOps practices.
Increased integration capabilities across systems through RESTful API adoption.
Stronger collaboration between IT teams and university stakeholders.

Technology Stack

Backend:	Laminas Framework (PHP)
Frontend:	PHP-based views with dynamic form rendering
Database:	MySQL
Hosting:	Azure Cloud (App Service)
CI/CD:	Azure Pipelines for automated build and deployment

Conclusion

The modernization of PHP applications has transformed legacy systems into a future-ready, cloud-enabled platform built on modern web standards. This initiative supports the client’s broader goal of creating a secure, scalable, and efficient digital ecosystem for students, staff, and administrators.

Modernizing Legacy PHP Applications for a Leading Australian University

Client Overview

Project Objective

Scope of Work

Key Modernization Activities

Key Challenges and Solutions During Migration

Outcomes and Benefits

Technology Stack

Conclusion

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