As businesses grow, they need to upgrade their infrastructure to stay relevant. Considering the burgeoning pace at which technology is growing, not keeping up with new market trends and customer needs often means fading into obsoletion.
One of our clients, an end-to-end healthcare payment provider with a strong foothold in the market, found themselves in need of uphauling their infrastructure and data operations to keep up with the demands of their expanding business.
They chose to partner with CrossAsyst, considering our vast experience in digital transformation and custom software development. Our team’s expertise with modern data systems, compliance to regulations like HIPAA and keen eye for details made CrossAsyst the perfect technology vendor to help our client elevate their capabilities, paving the way towards long-term growth and sustainability.
Challenges
Our client encountered several roadblocks as their operations grew, highlighting the need for a significant overhaul of their infrastructure and systems.
These challenges underscored the urgency of modernizing their setup to sustain growth while maintaining operational efficiency and compliance.
1. Inefficient Kubernetes Infrastructure on AWS
The client’s existing Kubernetes infrastructure, hosted on AWS, was becoming increasingly difficult to manage.
The setup lacked the scalability and flexibility needed to accommodate their expanding operations.
Manual processes and outdated configurations made deploying and managing workloads challenging, leading to performance bottlenecks and operational delays.
Their ability to scale and maintain high availability was severely hindered without an optimized infrastructure.
2. Need for Microservices Architecture
The growing complexity of their system made it clear that the monolithic architecture was no longer sufficient.
A transition to microservices architecture was essential to divide their system into manageable, independent components.
This approach would allow individual services to be developed, deployed, and scaled independently, enabling faster innovation and more efficient resource utilization.
However, implementing such a transformation required meticulous planning and technical expertise.
3. Compliance with HIPAA and PCI Level 1 Standards
Operating in the healthcare payment space, the client must adhere to stringent compliance requirements, such as HIPAA for patient data protection and PCI Level 1 for secure payment transactions.
These regulations demanded a secure, audit-ready infrastructure that could withstand rigorous scrutiny.
Any deviation could result in significant legal and financial repercussions, making compliance a top priority during modernization.
4. Alignment with AWS Best Practices
To fully leverage the capabilities of AWS, the client needed their infrastructure to align with AWS best practices.
This included implementing robust security measures, optimizing resource allocation, and ensuring high availability across their systems.
The goal was to create a well-architected framework that could support their current needs while being flexible enough to adapt to future growth.
These challenges were complex and interrelated, requiring a comprehensive solution that addressed each issue while laying the foundation for long-term scalability and compliance.
CrossAsyst stepped in with the expertise and strategic approach needed to tackle these obstacles effectively.
Solutions Delivered by CrossAsyst
To comprehensively address the client’s challenges, CrossAsyst designed and implemented a range of solutions tailored to modernize infrastructure, streamline operations, and ensure compliance.
Each solution was strategically developed to meet the client’s goals while preparing their systems for future scalability and efficiency.
1. Infrastructure Modernization and Compliance Enablement
CrossAsyst took the lead in transforming the client’s infrastructure into a secure and compliant environment. Key initiatives included:
- Deployment of AWS Control Tower: CrossAsyst utilized AWS Control Tower to establish a multi-account structure, enabling centralized governance and simplified management.
- Security Enhancements: Robust security measures were implemented, including AWS CloudTrail for monitoring and logging, AWS Single Sign-On (SSO) for streamlined access management, and IAM boundaries to maintain strict role-based access controls.
- Compliance Readiness: The upgraded infrastructure met HIPAA and PCI Level 1 compliance standards, ensuring the client could operate securely within the highly regulated healthcare payments space.
2. Microservices Deployment
Recognizing the need for a scalable and agile system, CrossAsyst transitioned the client’s architecture to microservices:
- Amazon EKS with Terraform: A Kubernetes architecture was built using Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS) and Terraform for Infrastructure as Code (IaC), ensuring consistent and repeatable deployments.
- Migration to Production: After rigorous testing in staging environments, the microservices were migrated to production, ensuring a smooth and seamless transition.
- CI/CD Pipeline Integration: Tools like ArgoCD and Jenkins were integrated to establish a robust Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipeline, automating deployments and reducing manual errors.
3. Data Operations Optimization
CrossAsyst revamped the client’s data operations to enhance processing efficiency and reduce costs:
- Transition to Amazon MSK: The client’s Kafka-based streaming platform was transitioned to Amazon Managed Streaming for Apache Kafka (MSK) for improved reliability and scalability.
- Streamlined Processes: Data handling workflows were streamlined, reducing latency and improving overall performance.
- Cost Reduction: By leveraging AWS-native services, CrossAsyst optimized costs while maintaining high-quality data operations.
4. Cost Optimization and Performance Improvements
To improve system resilience and reduce operational costs, CrossAsyst implemented cutting-edge solutions:
- Karpenter Scheduler and EC2 Spot Fleet: These technologies were deployed to optimize resource utilization and reduce infrastructure costs. Karpenter dynamically adjusted Kubernetes resources, while EC2 Spot Fleet allowed cost-efficient use of spare AWS compute capacity.
- Enhanced Resilience and Scalability: The new infrastructure was built to handle increased workloads without compromising performance, ensuring future readiness.
Results Achieved
The solutions implemented by CrossAsyst delivered measurable improvements across all key areas of the client’s operations.
From enhanced efficiency to robust compliance, the results underscored the success of the modernization effort.
1. Improved Data Insights
With the transition to Amazon MSK and streamlined data operations, the client gained real-time visibility into their data.
This enabled them to make more informed decisions, enhance customer experience, and proactively address potential bottlenecks.
2. Scalable, Resilient Infrastructure
The newly designed infrastructure, built on Amazon EKS and optimized with Karpenter and EC2 Spot Fleet, offered unparalleled scalability and resilience.
The client’s systems could now handle increased workloads without compromising performance or availability, ensuring seamless operations even during peak times.
3. Increased Operational Efficiency
Integrating CI/CD pipelines with ArgoCD and Jenkins automated deployment processes, reducing manual intervention and errors.
This boosted overall efficiency, allowing the client to allocate resources more effectively and accelerate time-to-market for new features.
4. Significant Cost Savings
Using AWS-native services and cost-optimization techniques, including EC2 Spot Fleet, resulted in substantial cost savings.
The client reduced infrastructure costs without sacrificing performance by maximizing resource utilization and leveraging efficient scheduling solutions.
5. Compliance and Security Assurance
The upgraded infrastructure met stringent HIPAA and PCI Level 1 compliance requirements, providing the client with a secure, audit-ready system.
With advanced security features such as AWS CloudTrail, SSO, and IAM boundaries, the client’s operations adhered to the highest data protection and governance standards.
These results addressed the client’s immediate challenges and equipped them with a robust foundation for sustained growth and innovation in the competitive healthcare payments landscape.
Summing Up
Through its expertise in infrastructure modernization, compliance enablement, and cost optimization, CrossAsyst successfully transformed the client’s technology ecosystem.
CrossAsyst addressed key challenges like inefficiencies in Kubernetes infrastructure, the need for microservices architecture, and stringent compliance requirements, delivering a scalable, secure, and resilient solution tailored to the client’s needs.
The results spoke for themselves: improved data insights, streamlined operations, significant cost savings, and a robust system ready for future growth.
CrossAsyst’s approach solved immediate pain points and laid the foundation for long-term success, enabling the client to remain competitive and compliant in the ever-evolving healthcare payments industry.
This case study showcases how strategic planning, innovative technology solutions, and a commitment to excellence can help organizations overcome challenges and achieve transformative results.