Boasting more than 3,200 stores and employing over 400,000 people, this American company has a strong presence across various regions, and provides a diverse range of products and services, catering to millions of customers weekly. Its commitment to innovation, sustainability, and community engagement has earned it a reputation as a trusted leader in the retail grocery industry.
The company sought to migrate approximately 410 applications from Pivotal Cloud Foundry (PCF) to Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), along with their respective dependencies, following a structured pattern to a cloud platform. This decision was driven by increasing confusion and cost challenges following VMware’s acquisition and the subsequent rise in licensing prices, prompting the organization to move away from VMware-based solutions in search of more cost-effective and scalable alternatives. With the revamped infrastructure, the company also sought to improve operational efficiency by reducing computing expenses and overhead costs.
Requiring rigorous planning and execution, the company partnered with Brillio to ensure that each application’s components were seamlessly transitioned without disrupting business operations. Brillio was chosen as a partner due to its automation-led, factory-based model, which enabled the migration to be completed within an aggressive timeline while maintaining efficiency and minimizing risks.
Major processes and runbooks were carefully documented to support the migration, providing clear guidelines for future reference and ensuring smooth execution. The goal was to eliminate PCF licensing within the given timeline, requiring each application to be transformed into the Kubernetes platform. Additionally, stakeholder interviews were conducted with teams across applications, infrastructure, and network security to align the migration strategy with the organization’s broader goals and technical requirements.
As part of the preparation, current performance metrics and security and compliance benchmarks were captured, ensuring that the migrated applications met the necessary standards and continued to operate efficiently and securely in the new cloud environment.
Brillio’s consulting-led approach, supported by deep expertise in both source and target platforms, ensured a smooth and predictable migration from PCF to Azure Kubernetes Service. Architecture audits and redesigns, incorporating cloud-native elements, optimized performance and scalability, while the factory-based migration model streamlined the process for maximum efficiency.
Leveraging proven accelerators to expedite migration and mitigate risks, Brillio’s cloud-certified architects precisely executed the project, aligning it with the client’s business objectives and technical needs. Key features of this approach included faster and iterative assessments, deployment of cloud infrastructure as code, and comprehensive monitoring and management configurations to ensure smooth and efficient operations post-migration.
The migration delivered substantial benefits, including significant cost savings of approximately $20 million on PCF licensing alone. Additionally, overall licensing costs were reduced by 40%, enhancing the project’s financial impact.
Performance improvements were notable, with a 20% increase in application performance and a 30% boost in agility and scalability, enabling the systems to better adapt to evolving business needs.
Operational costs were also reduced, with a 25% decrease in computing expenses and a 40% reduction in support operations staff, streamlining resource allocation and cutting overhead costs.
The project also reduced ongoing code maintenance costs, improving overall efficiency and agility. The organization avoided future risks by addressing technical debt, maintaining a stable product roadmap, and ensuring long-term operational.
