Microsoft Workloads for AWS

MICROSOFT WORKLOAD PRATICE: Optimize your Microsoft Workloads with AWS

In our permanent search for best in class solutions for our customers, we have developed a specific competency around Microsoft Workloads on AWS. Amazon allows SQL server and Microsoft Workloads license migration to benefit amongst others from the induced cost reduction.

With 20+ years of experience in Microsoft technologies, 10+ years of partnership with AWS, EdifiXio helps its customers to: migrate Microsoft workloads to AWS cloud, operate, manage and modernize their applications, optimize costs, create Cloud native applications by leveraging the AWS technologies.

 

Application modernization

Our development expertise in Microsoft technologies and our knowledge of AWS services are combined to help our customers to define a strategy to modernize its Microsoft portfolio application and to support them to implement it.

 

Database solutions

We have a dedicated database practice who is providing expertise in the migration of Microsoft database to AWS with optimization of performance as well as managed services to monitor and operate databases in the cloud 24x7

Application monitoring setup for a system hosted on AWS

"At Schneider, we believe access to energy and digital is a basic human right. We empower all to make the most of their energy and resources, ensuring Life Is On everywhere, for everyone, at every moment".

Schneider Electric provides energy and automation digital solutions for efficiency and sustainability. Schneider Electric combine world-leading energy technologies, real-time automation, software and services into integrated solutions for Homes, Buildings, Data Centers, Infrastructure and Industries.

logo Schneider Electric

Start date of the project: December 2020
End date of the project: September 2021

Facing the challenge of managing some applications with always increasing compute, memory and storage requirements and wanting to proactively monitor the status, the health, and the performance of these applications, Schneider Electric decided to use a home-made monitoring system.

The home-made monitoring system will be used to identify and troubleshoot production events and to implement a proactive monitoring approach to quickly diagnose and troubleshoot issues before they become Critical.

To create the solution desired by the customer, Edifixio developed scripts in Python, Windows PowerShell, and SQL, that connect to the different systems to be monitored (Redshift, Presto and Oracle).

The scripts check the health of the Databases services, and automatically alert via email, in case of failures or performance degradation.

The monitoring and reporting scripts were written in Python & Microsoft PowerShell to build on existing skills and well-known technologies.

We also leveraged an AWS EC2 instance to support our Windows server 2016 Datacenter used for this solution.

E-b-trans Group : SQL Server migration to AWS RDS, a fully mastered process

Expert of tank transport in sensitive and dangerous products since 1996, E-b-trans is joining the forces of hauliers in 14 European countries.
Serving customers of all sizes and from all industries, our group ensures each year the safe deliveries of more than 50 million cubic meters of goods.

E-b-trans logo

Start date of the project: May 15, 2019
End date of the project: May 21, 2019

E-b-trans Group uses Micrososft SQL server bases, 2008 R2 version. AWS announced an automatic migration of RDS instances from SQL Server 2008 to Micrososft SQL Server 2017 on June 1st, 2019.

It was essential to anticipate this end date of Micrososft SQL 2008 support, and upgrade to Micrososft SQL 2017 before the deadline to avoid an automatic update from June 1st with possible side-effects, whatever technical or functional.

E-b-trans asked Edifixio to migrate its instances RDS Micrososft SQL Server 2008 R2 before that date, ensuring services continuity, and with a strict intervention planning.

Early 2019, E-b-trans Group was using several Micrososft SQL Server 2008 R2 Express Edition on AWS RDS databases for Production applications.

It was therefore necessary to upgrade before June 1st, 2019 to avoid automated upgrade during work time on Production applications.

Databases version were upgraded directly on Production bases (no other database on which to test before hand), in a transparent manner, out of working hours, et with no impact for final users. 

The project required a deep involvement from the customer teams, in order to validate application behavior post migration to Micrososft SQL Server 2017.

Critical Migration Project, considering possible adverse business impacts, which required making sure the whole process was mastered from end to end.

 

The migration did not pose great technical challenges, but the timeframe to execute was a strong constraint to be managed.

Edifixio’s DBA scripted all control action to be undertaken, while taking all necessary precautions such as:

1.    RDS Instance save before upgrade
2.    Stop RDS instance monitoring
3.    Stop scoped applications
4.    Upgrade RDS Instance to Micrososft SQL Server 2017
5.    Restart of scoped applications
6.    Restart of RDS Instance monitoring
7.    Application E2E testing

This step by step approach is the guarantee to a successful migration, including for hybrid solutions.

Leverage the power of your Microsoft Access databases by hosting them on AWS

"At Schneider, we believe access to energy and digital is a basic human right. We empower all to make the most of their energy and resources, ensuring Life Is On everywhere, for everyone, at every moment".
Schneider Electric provide energy and automation digital solutions for efficiency and sustainability. Schneider Electric combine world-leading energy technologies, real-time automation, software and services into integrated solutions for Homes, Buildings, Data Centers, Infrastructure and Industries.

Microsoft Workloads AWS

Start date of the project: 2017

End date of the project: 2018

Facing the challenge of managing an application with always increasing compute, memory and storage requirements and wanting to generate additional services for Database management (data access, data consumption, data flow monitoring, usage reporting…), Schneider Electric decided to host some MS Access databases on AWS, and to create the services to help in the decision making process.

To maximize benefits derived from an AWS hosting, it was necessary to create additional web services to enhance hybrid Data Management (from Oracle to MS Access hosted on AWS) for the customer.

 

The addition of dedicated webservices shapes a made to measure solution, which blends existing processes, legacy solutions and hybrid hosting and services, for the benefit of the users.

To create the solution desired by the customer, we :

  • Developed a Webservice triggered off by an Oracle Database, that automatically generates MS Access databases reports, We also provided Support on MS Access DB extractions.
  • Developed a monitoring and reporting system, with the purpose of checking the health of the Database services, and automatically alerting via email, in case of failures. This system also includes daily html reports on the health of the application workflows, and the data availability.

We used Java & Microsoft PowerShell to write the webservices, and Microsoft PowerShell to write the monitoring and reporting system.

 

We also leveraged EC2 instances to support our Windows servers used for this solution. Our approach involved, MS Access and Java on a Windows Server 2012 R2.

MS Access Databases were originally generated and checked manually by a dedicated user daily. We have automated this process to save time and raise overall quality and reliability.

 

At the same time, we enhanced the monitoring of the Database services, which led to quick reactivity in the cases of failures or issues.

Daily reports are now sent out to hundreds of customers to share an overview of the application’s workflows status and health.