1. Migrate to Modern OS in the Cloud before EoS
44 Websites using Open Source software migrated to Microsoft Azure
Objectives
Migrate from Windows Server 2003 before withdrawal of extended support
Avoid heavy expense of new hardware while improving website services.
Tactics
Migrate all 44 websites including back-end database workloads and PHP front-ends to Azure
Azure toolset to solve back-end database access problem
Results
Powerful high availability capabilities, based on web host CPU usage or schedule
Less maintenance overhead for the OS itself and other components like PHP updates
Automatic scalability based on CPU demand
Fewer security concerns based on superior underlying OS security configuration practices
Impressive cost-saving vs. previous hosted solution
CASE STUDY: Company migrates open source websites while upgrading to new operating platform
Link to Case Study:
Customer: SEK Educational Group
Website:
Customer Size: 1,300 employees
Country : Spain
Industry: Education
Partner: Plain Concepts
Partner Website:
Customer profile: The SEK Educational Group, founded in 1892 in the historical center of Madrid, educates students in and for liberty, with the corresponding responsibility that liberty involves. It has 9 centers and 1 university attended by more than 16,000 scholars per year.
Summary: With Microsoft’s withdrawal of extended support for Windows Server 2003 looming in the near future, SEK saw more of an opportunity than a threat. Migrating to a new platform meant moving 44 websites: many coded in open source PHP. Add to that multiple open source databases and applications running on a variety of operating systems. Microsoft Azure provided the ideal environment for hosting everything without investment in new hardware. The transition of all workloads from the old platform to the new one was surprisingly painless!
Software and Services
Microsoft Azure
Azure App Service
Azure Virtual Machines
Azure Virtual Network
Microsoft SQL Server
Microsoft Windows Server
Web Deploy (msdeploy)
Active Directory Domain Services
Open Source Software
GNU/Linux
Java
MySQL
PHP
“The migration process was very smooth, giving us clear proof of Microsoft‘s commitment to comply with standards and interoperability. Azure turned out to be a more open platform than we had originally expected.”
— Jesús Alberto Torres Ahijado, CIO, SEK Educational Group

2. Migrating to Azure - painlessly moving 44 websites, multiple databases, and applications running on both Open Source and Microsoft operating systems
CASE STUDY: Company migrates open source websites while upgrading to new operating platform
Link to Case Study:
Customer: SEK Educational Group
Website:
Customer Size: 1,300 employees
Country : Spain
Industry: Education
Partner: Plain Concepts
Partner Website:
Customer profile: The SEK Educational Group, founded in 1892 in the historical center of Madrid, educates students in and for liberty, with the corresponding responsibility that liberty involves. It has 9 centers and 1 university attended by more than 16,000 scholars per year.
Summary: With Microsoft’s withdrawal of extended support for Windows Server 2003 looming in the near future, SEK saw more of an opportunity than a threat. Migrating to a new platform meant moving 44 websites: many coded in open source PHP. Add to that multiple open source databases and applications running on a variety of operating systems. Microsoft Azure provided the ideal environment for hosting everything without investment in new hardware. The transition of all workloads from the old platform to the new one was surprisingly painless!
Software and Services
Microsoft Azure
Azure App Service
Azure Virtual Machines
Azure Virtual Network
Microsoft SQL Server
Microsoft Windows Server
Web Deploy (msdeploy)
Active Directory Domain Services
Open Source Software
GNU/Linux
Java
MySQL
PHP
“When migrating to new operating systems, we can take advantage of the new features and improvements in stability and security. This was something we really were looking for. We also wanted to get better availability, while being as cost-effective as possible.”
— Jesús Alberto Torres Ahijado, CIO, SEK Educational Group