Client
Our esteemed client, a leading global law firm, recently embarked on a crucial transition, shifting its business operations from traditional on-premises infrastructure to a cloud-based solution.
Challenge
Client’s Business Need
The worldwide decoupling trend is influencing technology firms and other professional services firms, compelling executive teams globally to grapple with the substantial shift and its significant business implications. Motivated by the dual objectives of advancing business scalability and fortifying support for operations in the Asia Pacific region, the client’s strategic decision addresses the escalating challenges related to data and regulatory compliance. A key component of this strategic initiative was imperative for a unified user experience, ensuring seamless navigation and operational consistency across the diverse spectrum of users.
Client’s Challenges
Our client encountered a significant challenge stemming from geopolitical tensions and escalating data security regulations in China. In response, the CIOs evaluated the vendor landscape and identified suitable deployment options to ensure compliance, global efficiency, and local growth.
The client approached Hexaware with the task of conducting a comprehensive assessment of their entire infrastructure portfolio. They sought guidance on defining strategies for the target architecture, migration, Disaster Recovery (DR), backup, licensing, storage, and various other aspects. Additionally, they required assessments of their applications and a roadmap to fully harness the potential of cloud technology. This presented us with an opportunity to not only meet compliance requirements but also facilitate local growth while maintaining global efficiency, ultimately delivering enhanced value to the business.
Geopolitical tensions and increasing data security regulations pressured this global organization to decouple their applications for China. Our client needed a solution to mitigate IT system risk and avoid business interruption.
Solution
Hexaware adopted a two-pronged strategy to address critical security issues and formulate an exit plan for the client’s data center, optimize global efficiency, and support local growth to meet compliance requirements.
To kickstart the process, our specialists conducted a comprehensive analysis of the client’s existing cloud environment strategy. This involved identifying pain points and embarking on an in-depth server discovery phase. Through this meticulous examination, Azure emerged as our client’s optimal cloud platform, considering factors such as maturity, cloud service capability, pricing, organization type, and service support.
We provided a two-phase approach.
- Phase 1 encompassed the logical separation of user access control, policy, and application data.
- Phase 2 involves the physical separation of the client’s APAC offices from the existing global IT infrastructure and applications landscape.
Hexaware aided the client in their assessment of China’s data laws. The overarching goal was to achieve long-term isolation and explore options for hybrid or complete separation from broader technology stacks, with a primary emphasis on immediate and future compliance in the Chinese market.
Solution Implementation
We embraced a strategic framework that focused on the core cloud migration for the law firm and the establishment of a robust infrastructure.
- IT Infrastructure Assessment and Planning: We conducted a comprehensive assessment of all existing client infrastructure standards, including active directory, server, storage, networking, security, etc., to understand the current operating environment for deploying the target APAC design.
- APAC Cloud Foundation: We implemented organization, system, network, data, and user security controls as part of a new landing zone. This initiative minimized security risks and incorporated Infrastructure as Code (IaC) templates and DevOps practices, resulting in an uptick in workforce productivity.
- Disaster Recovery: Our focus extended to ensuring operational stability and business continuity. Effectively transferring backup applications and moving databases to the cloud fortified our client’s infrastructure against potential disruptions.
- Active Directory and Email Separation: We created a logical separation of AD identities (by creating a separate OU) and designed and implemented high availability and redundancy for email data and services in Hong Kong. We also designed the APAC email infrastructure and related services, deploying Exchange servers in Azure IaaS East APAC Region to host all APAC user mailboxes.
- Application Assessment: We conducted a top-down evaluation of over 120 applications, including performance, security, risk, compliance scalability readiness, and financial attributes. We categorized applications based on those needing hosting in APAC and those that could remain in the US with required read-only access, finalizing data separation requirements within each application.
- Business Case Development: We built a compelling business case that addressed key risks and operational inefficiencies, providing a foundation for future business agility.
- Execution Plan: Finally, we delivered an execution-ready plan complete with a clear timeline of transformation phases, investments required, and the value that would be delivered to our client.
Through this robust approach, we improved overall security posture and data isolation, enhancing the firm’s ability to support Chinese regulatory compliance.
Benefits
- Immediate Compliance with China Data Laws: We assisted our client in adhering to Chinese cybersecurity, PIPL, and data security laws. This significantly enhanced the firm’s capability to meet local regulatory compliance requirements effectively.
- Migration to Azure: We established the firm’s Asia Pacific Azure environment to facilitate local expansion and fulfill compliance prerequisites. All APAC applications were seamlessly migrated to Azure, resulting in improved operational efficiency and scalability for the business. This migration notably enhanced the IT experience for APAC users as applications and data were brought closer.
- Cost Reduction: Through the implementation of an efficient cloud migration strategy, we managed to reduce the client’s total cost of ownership by nearly 25%.
- Improved Resiliency and Agility: The transition to Azure improved the transparency, agility, and resilience of the business, setting the client up for success in the dynamic business environment.
- Operational Efficiency: Hexaware ensured minimal impact on user experience with a global and local growth and data approach.
- Future-Proofing the Business: Implementing the Cloud Adoption Framework ensured our client’s infrastructure could meet current and future needs, effectively future-proofing their business.
- Risk Mitigation: We mitigated business continuity risk by implementing disaster recovery on aging backup infrastructure and improved the Business Continuity Risk Preparedness score from 5 to 8.
- Time to Market: Leveraging the service-oriented and responsive nature of local vendors, the deployment timeline was notably shortened for both building custom applications and creating an isolated China stack.
One User Experience: Our distinctive separation approach preserves a seamless user experience for attorney partners, paralegals, and other users. Amidst any adjustments or advancements– the user experience remains unaffected. This ensures a unified and consistent interface for all, fostering a sense of familiarity and ease in navigating through tasks.
Summary
Hexaware has effectively assisted the client in creating a distinct Azure tenant in Hong Kong, ensuring the separation of applications related to the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. This initiative has improved data compliance, operational efficiency, and a robust groundwork for upcoming projects. The client has successfully transitioned entirely to Azure, achieving strong logical isolation between two regions, minimal data flow, and controlled access to comply with local regulatory requirements. The outcome is an agile, resilient, and cost-efficient system, well-prepared to address future demands.
