An HR Software Company

The customer offers a comprehensive, cloud-based HR and payroll software suite that simplifies everything from recruitment and onboarding to performance reviews and talent management. As the company looked to scale, rising Microsoft SQL Server licensing costs became a challenge. The customer engaged D55 to conduct an AWS Optimisation and Licensing Assessment (OLA) to identify opportunities for cost savings and modernisation. The assessment revealed that migrating to AWS Aurora Postgres could significantly reduce costs while improving performance and scalability.

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The customer faced escalating costs associated with Microsoft SQL Server licenses, making it difficult to scale the application cost-effectively. In addition, their development team needed to balance modernising the database with building new features, without compromising system functionality. The large number of stored procedures and functions in the existing database made automated conversion difficult, further complicating the modernisation effort.

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D55 conducted an AWS Optimisation and Licensing Assessment (OLA), which uncovered the potential for substantial savings by migrating from Microsoft SQL Server to AWS AuroraPostgres. The migration process involved carefully modernising the application’s databases, ensuring all procedures and functions operatedidentically post-migration through custom software solutions.

To support the transition, D55 provided Postgres upskilling for the customer's development team and worked closely with them to design a mutually agreed delivery and cutover plan. AWS Aurora Postgres, a cloud-native and fully managed service, significantly reduced the complexity of managing the database infrastructure, including the need for patching and upgrades. The move resulted in cost optimisation, with an annual saving of £151,000 in Microsoft SQL Server licenses.

By leveraging AWS’s scalable, cost-efficient database services, the customer can now scale rapidly and handle increasing workloads without the overhead of costly Microsoft licenses.

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Beyond the successful database modernisation, D55 is working with the customer to further optimise their development processes. Proposals for introducing DevOps, test automation, and AI-supported development through AWS CodeWhisperer aim to drive an additional £300,000 in yearly savings. These improvements will further enhance the productivity and efficiency of the customer's developer resources.

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