Executive Summary

Kitsilano Technologies Limited, an Advanced AWS Partner, successfully migrated Mini Bakeries’ critical SAP Business One application with a HANA database from on-premises infrastructure to the robust, scalable, and secure Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud environment. This strategic transformation leveraged AWS’s comprehensive suite of migration and modernization tools to address key performance and scalability challenges while positioning Mini Bakeries for sustained digital transformation. By implementing a structured four-phase approach – Assess, Mobilize, Migrate, and Modernize – Kitsilano Technologies effectively resolved immediate operational inefficiencies and established a cloud-native architecture that enables ongoing optimization.

Customer Challenge

Mini Bakeries faced substantial challenges with their legacy on-premises SAP Business One system running on HANA databases. The growing data volume and increasing transaction loads were straining the existing infrastructure, leading to performance bottlenecks, extended downtimes, and rising maintenance costs. These issues disrupted key business processes, impacting order processing, inventory management, and customer service. Additionally, the on-premises setup lacked scalability and hindered Mini Bakeries’ ability to adopt modern digital capabilities, exposing them to potential data loss and security risks.

Partner Solution

To address these challenges, Kitsilano Technologies deployed a comprehensive AWS-based solution using a multi-phase approach that leveraged AWS’s industry-leading cloud services.

Phase 1: Assess – Evaluating Cloud Readiness and Defining the Migration Strategy Kitsilano conducted a detailed assessment using AWS Migration Evaluator to analyze the existing infrastructure and generate a comprehensive migration readiness report. The objective was to develop a data-driven migration strategy aligned with the AWS Migration Acceleration Program (MAP). During this phase, AWS Application Discovery Service was employed to identify and map out dependencies between systems, providing a clear overview of data flows and potential migration risks.

Phase 2: Mobilize – Establishing a Secure AWS Landing Zone In the mobilization phase, Kitsilano established a secure AWS landing zone using AWS Control Tower to enforce governance, compliance, and security best practices. AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) was implemented to establish role-based access controls, ensuring secure and compliant data handling throughout the migration process. Additionally, AWS Systems Manager enabled centralized management of resources, streamlining operational workflows and maintaining consistent configurations across all environments.

Phase 3: Migrate – Transitioning to AWS During the migration phase, Kitsilano utilized a range of AWS migration services to facilitate seamless data transfer and minimize downtime:

• AWS Database Migration Service (DMS): This service was used to migrate the HANA database to Amazon RDS, ensuring minimal data loss and zero downtime. DMS supported data replication during the cutover phase, enabling continuous data synchronization until the final switchover.

• AWS Application Migration Service (MGN): The SAP Business One application was rehosted using MGN, which enabled automated server replication to EC2 instances with minimal manual intervention.

• Amazon EC2: R5.2xlarge instances were provisioned to host the HANA database, providing optimal memory and CPU performance for data-intensive workloads. M6i.4xlarge instances were configured for the SAP Business One application layer, ensuring balanced performance across the application stack.

• Amazon Elastic Block Store (EBS): EBS volumes were configured for high-performance storage, with data volumes optimized using General Purpose SSD (gp3) for the application and Provisioned IOPS SSD (io2) for the database to handle intensive read/write operations.

• AWS Direct Connect: To ensure secure, low-latency connectivity between on-premises systems and the AWS environment during migration, Direct Connect was utilized, minimizing potential data transfer disruptions.
  
  

Phase 4: Modernize – Enhancing Performance and Optimizing Costs In the modernization phase, Kitsilano implemented advanced AWS services to optimize infrastructure, enhance security, and enable future scalability:

• Amazon S3 and S3 Glacier: Data backups were configured to utilize S3 for short-term storage, with lifecycle policies transitioning older snapshots to S3 Glacier for cost-effective archiving. S3 Object Lock was implemented to protect critical backups against accidental deletion or corruption.

• AWS CloudWatch: Continuous monitoring and performance optimization were enabled through CloudWatch, providing real-time insights into resource utilization, error logs, and application performance metrics.

• AWS Lambda and AWS Step Functions: Serverless workflows were introduced to automate data processing and streamline operational tasks, reducing the need for manual intervention.

• AWS GuardDuty and AWS Security Hub: Comprehensive security monitoring and threat detection were deployed to identify potential vulnerabilities and maintain robust security postures.

• AWS Cost Explorer and AWS Trusted Advisor: Kitsilano leveraged AWS Cost Explorer to identify cost-saving opportunities through resource rightsizing and utilization monitoring. AWS Trusted Advisor provided ongoing best practice recommendations to maintain optimal AWS configurations and control costs.

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Results and Benefits

Following the implementation of Kitsilano Technologies’ AWS-powered solution, Mini Bakeries realized substantial operational and financial gains:

• Performance Gains: Database response times improved by over 60%, with downtime incidents reduced by 75% through the use of high-performance EC2 instances and EBS volumes.

• Scalability and Agility: The adoption of AWS services enabled Mini Bakeries to scale resources dynamically, accommodating seasonal demand fluctuations seamlessly.

• Cost Optimization: By transitioning to S3 Glacier for long-term data archiving and optimizing instance types, Mini Bakeries achieved a 30% reduction in annual maintenance costs and a 20% decrease in IT operational expenses.

• Operational Efficiency: Automated workflows using AWS Lambda and Step Functions reduced manual intervention, freeing IT resources to focus on strategic initiatives.

• Enhanced Security and Compliance: AWS GuardDuty, Security Hub, and IAM policies strengthened the overall security posture, ensuring data integrity and regulatory compliance.