This book investigates the methodology and strategic necessity of reverse engineering legacy data systems to optimize information assets within a networked enterprise. Author Peter Aiken, a recognized expert in data management, utilizes his extensive experience to provide a structured framework for identifying, extracting, and repurposing data trapped in aging or poorly documented systems. The text argues that understanding the underlying structure of legacy data is a prerequisite for modernizing enterprise architecture and improving organizational agility.

Experts frequently cite this work as a practical resource for IT professionals tasked with modernizing complex, outdated information infrastructures. Readers often note the technical density of the prose, which is balanced by the inclusion of detailed case studies that illustrate real-world application of the concepts.