"We are very happy that Softjourn’s DevOps team came in and really took the ball and ran with it. Their deep banking knowledge brought valuable insights, and they seamlessly integrated with our internal team to proactively move the project forward."
Banking Infrastructure Migration from a Legacy SaaS Core System to AWS
We Developed a Custom AWS Infrastructure to Replace End-of-Life Banking Systems
ABOUT THE CLIENT:
SERVICES USED:
SERVICES USED:
Challenge
With vendor support for its SaaS core system ending, the client required a fully automated, cloud-native infrastructure built from scratch, all within a strict deadline.
Solution
Softjourn’s DevOps team architected and deployed a scalable AWS infrastructure, implemented observability and automation, and completed the migration ahead of the legacy system’s shutdown.
Benefits
- Built AWS infrastructure from scratch
- Fully automated and cost-optimized
- Completed ahead of deadline
- High availability and monitoring enabled
Introduction
A forward-thinking financial institution that embraces innovation to better serve its customers and remain competitive in the evolving banking landscape partnered with Softjourn to modernize its infrastructure.
Having already worked with Softjourn on core system migration, regulatory audit preparation, and engineering process improvements, the institution had established a strong foundation of trust and collaboration.
When their legacy SaaS core system reached end-of-life with just months remaining before vendor support ended, the organization faced a critical decision: purchase an expensive off-the-shelf replacement or build something better from scratch in the cloud.
They chose innovation – partnering with Softjourn to create custom, scalable infrastructure that would position them for the future.
- Client's Project Manager
The Challenge
The client had a year to completely replace their legacy SaaS banking platform before vendor support ended. They needed to migrate to a modern cloud infrastructure while maintaining the stringent security, stability, and compliance requirements essential for banking operations.
The challenge was multifaceted: not only did they need to build an entirely new cloud-native infrastructure from scratch, but it also had to be fully automated, easily replicable, and scalable for future growth.
Despite a tight timeline and evolving priorities, the team worked intensively to meet the production deadline, delivering a stable solution while maintaining quality.
The Solution
Softjourn’s DevOps team partnered with the client to architect and build their entire cloud infrastructure from scratch in AWS.
We joined the project after foundational decisions had been made and contributed to refining, implementing, and stabilizing the architecture. Working with clear AWS accounts and full autonomy, we built out comprehensive monitoring and optimization systems.
Throughout the build, the team continuously refined its technology choices, sometimes switching approaches when initial selections didn’t meet the specific demands of banking operations.
Key Technical Implementations
Cloud Infrastructure & Architecture:
- Designed and implemented scalable AWS cloud infrastructure from the ground up
- Migrated from legacy SaaS systems to modern cloud-native architecture
- Built a fully automated, reproducible infrastructure using Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
- Implemented Linux-based services, serverless solutions, and Kubernetes clusters
Monitoring & Observability:
- Deployed a comprehensive monitoring system using the New Relic platform
- Established a complete observability stack including logs, application metrics, and custom alerts
- Integrated alert management with IT service management systems for 24/7 support
- Ensured proactive monitoring to prevent issues before they impact operations
Optimization & Performance:
- Implemented cost-effective architecture design from the outset
- Utilized third-party tools and AWS native services for ongoing cost analysis
- Continuously optimized infrastructure by upgrading to newer, more efficient instance types
- Balanced cost savings with the stability requirements specific to banking operations
Banking-Specific Considerations:
- Implemented dedicated, stable compute resources to ensure consistent performance
- Applied financial services security and compliance best practices
- Designed for high availability and reliability standards required in banking
The Benefits
The successful migration delivered significant advantages across multiple dimensions:
Timeline Success – Delivered complete cloud infrastructure migration within the critical timeline. The infrastructure build accelerated in the final six months, with the overall project spanning over a year, from initial planning to production readiness. Deployment was completed 1–2 months ahead of the legacy system’s end-of-life, enabling parallel operation for thorough testing and validation.
Operational Excellence – Achieved stable, production-ready cloud infrastructure with comprehensive monitoring and alerting systems, plus established fully automated deployment processes for future scalability and reliability.
Strategic Advantages – Built reusable, automated infrastructure that can be deployed for other institutions; gained modern cloud capabilities including auto-scaling, disaster recovery, and enhanced security; and positioned the client for future growth and technological advancement with cutting-edge AWS services and a foundation for innovation with serverless solutions and Kubernetes clusters.
Cost Optimization – Implemented cost-effective architecture design optimized for banking operations, established ongoing cost analysis and optimization processes, and balanced cost savings with the stability and reliability requirements essential for financial services.
Team Integration – Successfully integrated Softjourn’s DevOps experts with the client’s internal engineering team, provided knowledge transfer and mentoring to help internal staff become comfortable with new tools and platforms, and established self-organizing, collaborative workflows that continue to drive project success.
Conclusion
What started as an urgent deadline to replace failing legacy systems became a successful transformation that delivered exactly what the client needed—while being ahead of schedule.
The bank now operates on modern, scalable cloud infrastructure, positioning them well for future growth.
Softjourn continues to support the institution with ongoing DevOps services, building on the strong foundation and deep system knowledge established during the initial build.
This partnership demonstrates how the right technical expertise can turn a critical deadline into a strategic advantage.
Partnership & Recognition
