Anti-doping agency cuts cloud costs in half and adopts Azure 8x faster

Impact Story

Anti-doping agency cuts cloud costs in half and adopts Azure 8x faster

To prepare for a major international sports partnership, a leading anti-doping agency needed to move its flagship application from AWS to Azure. The team built a secure, automated cloud foundation that sped up adoption 8x faster and reduced costs by 50%. The migration improved security, simplified daily operations, and helped the team deliver new features on time.

01

Platforms

  • Azure Cloud
  • Azure Firewall Premium

02

Tasks

  • Network structure and routing (Hub/Spoke model)
  • Secure traffic flow and connectivity
  • Auditing and access control
  • Clear naming and labeling standards
  • Consistent tagging strategy
  • Automated security policies
  • Threat protection

03

Deliverables

  • Purpose-aligned team
  • Platform Landing Zone
  • Application Landing Zone
  • Automation: IaC + DevOps Pipeline
  • Azure Foundation Utilities

The challenge

From AWS to Azure: a strategic cloud migration

A leading anti-doping agency set out to modernize their flagship application as part of a major initiative. The goal was to deliver new features in time for a high-profile partnership with a prestigious global sports authority. At the same time, they wanted to improve the reliability, performance, and security of their application.


To support this effort, they decided to move from AWS to Azure. Their past experience with cloud technology showed them how important it is to build a strong cloud foundation - one that would support both their immediate needs and long-term goals for cloud adoption.

In the short term, they needed a foundation that would support the application modernization work already underway. In the long term, they aimed to grow their overall cloud capabilities while maintaining strong governance, security, and compliance standards.
With both the modernization and migration in mind, the agency also reevaluated their current system integrators. They were looking for a partner with deep expertise in cloud-native software development—particularly in application modernization and working with Azure Cloud technologies.

The Solution

How we designed and implemented a secure and scalable Azure foundation

To help the client modernize their flagship product and move successfully to Azure, we followed a strategic approach focused on three main areas: Cloud Architecture Optimization, Governance, and Application Modernization. Our goal was to deliver a complete solution that supported both their business and technical needs.

We made this possible by creating alignment across teams through guided discussions that uncovered shared goals and encouraged collaboration between departments. This cross-functional cooperation played a key role in the smooth migration to Azure, which became a crucial foundation for the broader application modernization effort.

01

Cloud architecture modernization

We designed the Azure setup to match the client’s goals—organizing resources, setting up networks, and managing access. By keeping the structure simple and reusable, the team can now build and scale without starting from scratch each time.

02

Governance and operational excellence

We worked with the client to set up clear rules for security, access, and compliance. We also helped them track costs, monitor systems, and manage daily operations more easily.

03

Modernizing application structure

Lastly, we reviewed the client’s application modernization strategy and the steps planned for implementation. This evaluation was important to ensure that their chosen cloud services were being used effectively. Based on this review, we designed a tailored application landing zone that would integrate smoothly with the existing foundational tools. This step was key to making sure the modernization approach aligned well with the client’s broader cloud adoption goals.

Results

Immediate digital value

We delivered significant improvements in the client's security posture, operational readiness, and team's cloud knowledge. We facilitated their transition to an automated, secure, and scalable cloud environment, which has had transformative impacts on their operations.

01

8x faster cloud adoption

In just six weeks, we accelerated the development of a secure, scalable, and efficient cloud foundation that aligned with the client’s business and technical goals. This strong foundation was built to grow with the organization and help avoid common problems like rising costs, governance issues, and security risks. It also allowed the client to modernize their flagship product on time, making the most of what cloud technology has to offer.

02

50% reduction in adoption costs

We automated the deployment and management of their infrastructure using Terraform for infrastructure as code and GitHub Actions for all deployments. This created a fully automated, end-to-end pipeline that reduced manual work, minimized human error, and accelerated delivery timelines. By removing repetitive tasks and streamlining processes, the team was able to work more efficiently, requiring fewer development hours and less operational overhead. As a result, the client significantly reduced adoption costs - by 50% - while increasing the speed, reliability, and consistency of infrastructure changes.

03

Enhancing security and compliance

We made major improvements to the client’s security and compliance, aligning their setup with well-known international standards like CIS, NIST, and PCI-DSS. This brought them to full compliance with Microsoft’s Cloud Security Benchmark, covering all key cloud-specific control areas. As a result, their data and resources are now better protected, potential security threats can be detected and addressed quickly, and their overall security posture is much stronger.

04

Empowering through upskilling

Our collaborative approach focused on helping the client’s team build their skills and gain the confidence to manage their Azure environment effectively. We provided thorough documentation and ensured a smooth handover process, which contributed to improving the overall quality of the digital products and services the business offers.

05

Ensuring operational readiness

We implemented an operational readiness strategy equipped with the necessary tooling, logging, metrics, and alerts for optimal visibility and control over their applications. This advanced monitoring system allows the client to identify potential issues before they escalate, minimize downtime, and optimize resources for smooth and efficient application performance. As a result, the client has reported improved user experience, reduced operational issues, and enhanced resilience and performance of their cloud.