- Case Study -
Modernizing Corporate Billing's IT Infrastructure and Core Applications
About Corporate Billing, LLC
Corporate Billing, LLC, a subsidiary of SouthState Bank, helps other companies eliminate credit risk, improve cash flow, and grow by providing flexible factoring solutions. They specialize in the accurate and timely processing of financial transactions, from generating invoices to managing accounts receivable. Their IT landscape, including multiple proprietary internal applications, is an integral part of their success.
The Need for IT Modernization
Corporate Billing faced significant challenges due to their reliance on an outdated .NET application, which was built and maintained by a single developer, presenting a substantial key-person risk. The outdated and complex legacy code made updates and feature improvements difficult and time-consuming, hindering the company's agility. Additionally, scaling the application to accommodate new integrations and business upgrades was increasingly challenging. Compliance and security requirements were becoming more stringent, adding to the urgency for modernization.
These factors collectively underscored the need for Corporate Billing to modernize its applications and IT infrastructure to ensure sustainability, security, and scalability for the future.
Mindex Approach
To address Corporate Billing's modernization needs, Mindex conducted a comprehensive multi-day workshop to gather necessary details and understand the intricacies of their IT landscape. We then partnered to migrate all their applications and infrastructure to the cloud, enhancing security, reducing reliance on their on-prem data center, establishing an improved continuity strategy, and enabling scalable resources for one of their core operational applications.
Leveraging Amazon AppStream 2.0 for Efficiency
A key aspect of this migration was the adoption of Amazon AppStream 2.0, a fully managed application streaming service by Amazon Web Services (AWS). It enables secure streaming of desktop applications or thick client applications through the cloud using web protocols. Users can access applications through a web browser or the Amazon AppStream 2.0 client application without needing local installation or storage. Amazon AppStream 2.0 offers a cost-effective and scalable solution for delivering applications to users from any device with an internet connection and from any location.
FactorSoft, the core of Corporate Billing's operations, initially ran on dedicated servers within their office. As their user base expanded, concerns arose about efficiently scaling these resources. Amazon AppStream 2.0 provided an effective solution by allowing the deployment of FactorSoft on cloud servers, enabling users to stream it seamlessly from their local environments.
Benefits of AWS AppStream
Amazon AppStream 2.0's user-based scaling proved to be exceptionally advantageous. It allocated resources based on user demand, ensuring a seamless experience for all users. This flexibility eliminated the need for over-provisioning resources to accommodate peak usage, a common challenge with on-premises deployments. Here are a few examples of other benefits that Corporate Billing has obtained:
Operational Efficiency:
Because a cloud-based solution is being leveraged, Corporate Billing will gain operational efficiencies due to less reliance on traditional corporate data center operations and other physical hardware maintenance.
Strengthened their Development Capabilities:
In a strategic move, our client can now expand their core team, strengthen their development capabilities and contributions, while capitalizing on the extensive experience and proficiency of their development and engineering teams to drive innovation and facilitate growth.
Access to Greater Resources:
By embracing cloud-based virtualization, Corporate Billing can enjoy the flexibility of leveraging additional resources, making use of features such as auto-scaling and compute, without being constrained by storage limitations.
Dedicated Partner for Support & Maintenance:
Corporate Billing has chosen Mindex as its trusted provider for Cloud Managed Services (CMS). With Mindex by their side, Corporate Billing can now rely on a dedicated partner who will ensure their operations run smoothly and efficiently. Mindex will not only support them but also help maintain their systems effectively.
Post-Migration
After migrating and re-platforming their infrastructure and applications on Amazon Web Services, we focused on re-writing their main application, CBCentral, a 20-year-old .NET application, to be cloud-native, utilizing modern application development and security practices to ensure a robust and future-proof application.
Re-writing this application through multiple iterative phases creates space for ongoing collaboration between Mindex and Corporate Billing. This approach keeps everyone aligned and engaged throughout the process, making it easier to adapt to feedback and priorities. In the end, it helps deliver a modern, user-focused experience for both employees and customers.
Current Status and Future Potential
The successful migration and implementation of AWS AppStream set the stage for a more efficient, scalable, and stable IT infrastructure. Mindex and Corporate Billing continue to partner on the modernization and re-writing of their applications. With the support of Mindex and AWS, Corporate Billing is poised to embrace the full potential of cloud technology and enhance their financial services offerings.
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