The Client
Our customer is one of the leading NGOs in Africa working in the fields of education, basic health care, job skills training, microfinance loans, counseling, and other services. With more than 850 generous social workers and an international team of partners and leaders, plus missionaries from a global mission team, they are on a mission to transform lives and communities in the East Africa region through better education. They currently serve more than 25,000 children in 25 communities throughout Kenya and plan to do more noble work in the future.
Challenges Faced by the Client
For years, our customer had been using an on-premises setup with a variety of database tools and applications, but they were experiencing constant challenges in maintaining it with the business growth. The system was expensive to maintain and update. As the number of application users grew over time, the on-premises setup was unable to effectively handle the large amounts of collected data (of schools, social workers, and sponsors), and it could not provide the satisfactory level of functionality needed by the users. A low response time and high latency led to lower performance of the mobile and desktop apps. To maintain optimal application operation and performance, they needed to perform continuous upgrades, which also led to higher costs.
Due to on-premises data storage, the client faced many issues with data scalability and geo-replication, and it was very challenging and expensive to perform the same. Then, they were having issues with the Data because of its limited access.
The client needed a more cost-effective and flexible way to manage their data and have a robust data infrastructure in place. To get past all the challenges, they had to move to the Azure cloud with thorough assessment and deployment planning. We as Azure migration specialists, successfully implemented a comprehensive Azure cloud migration for them.
Solutions
Our aim was to conduct the successful cloud migration efficiently and effectively. With strategic planning, we successfully migrated all our client’s storage space, different file formats (like file shares, videos, images, and others), databases, and application servers to the cloud. To effectively handle large volumes of data (students/staff photos, files, attachments, and other reports), we implemented Azure SQL database and Azure Blob storage. This enables them to operate impressively and scale more efficiently while keeping costs down.
The implementation of the Azure web app and API services helps the system in better functioning, faster query handling, and ensures the global availability of student information, funds information, and other crucial data. The imposition of Azure application gateway and web application firewall helps in better security as well as efficient web traffic management.
To carry out every operation in the most efficacious manner, additional Azure services, such as Azure web jobs and Azure functions, have been implemented.
When an access request is made to the application (from the web app, mobile app, or tablet app), the request first passes through the Web Application Firewall and Application Gateway before getting to the application itself. Once authentication is done, the user can input/retrieve data such as student information, fund information, and other data as well and when it is needed. First, the users will interact with the application, then the application will interact with the API. In order to request and obtain the data, the API will then communicate with the Azure SQL database, Blob storage, and Azure web jobs. Using Windows services, all the data is moved from the on-premises file share to the Blob storage. The request/response handling related to the payment is smoothly carried out using services like Azure event grid and event handlers like Azure Functions.
The new cloud solution provides better data management at lower costs than their prior system. It also allows them to do their noble deed effectively by providing greater access to information across devices and locations. Under a virtual network, the customer environment is completely secured.
Solutions Benefits
- With the help of this cloud migration, our customer is deriving a direct impact both on cost and operational value
- Now, people from across the globe can access the applications and regardless of location, it will be fast
- Azure’s pay-as-you-go pricing model saves unnecessary spending on infrastructure upgradation, software integration, and others, it reduces costs for their organizations. In the last four years, they are witnessing nearly 20% cost saving
- Ease of operations, simplified management, and monitoring are enabled with this migration
- Cloud migration also enabled them for better flexibility, security, availability, and scalability
About Us
UB Technology Innovations, Inc. (UBTI) is one of the leading and preferred Microsoft Gold Certified Multiplatform partners backed by a world-class team of Microsoft Certified experts with rich experience in cloud and traditional technology development. Our data solutions help businesses achieve efficiency and optimize growth.
Winner of the prestigious Azure
Synapse Hackathon 2021 award
One of the Top 10 winners of the
Microsoft’s Azure AI & ML Workathon