The Journey of a Logistic Customer Migrating their On-prem Datacenter to Cloud

Problem

Our client, a logistics company, was facing the challenge of migrating their existing BizTalk infrastructure from the on-premises data center to the cloud. With the impending shutdown of their on-premises data center, they aimed to leverage cloud technology to reduce costs, improve scalability, and streamline their integration processes.

Solution

To address the client’s needs, we devised a comprehensive migration plan to transition their BizTalk infrastructure to Azure cloud services.

Initial Migration to Azure Virtual Machines: We began by migrating the existing BizTalk environment to Azure virtual machines (VMs). We set up Virtual Networks (VNets), Azure Load Balancers, and firewalls to replicate the on-premises network infrastructure in the cloud. This initial step ensured a seamless transition, allowing us to maintain the same level of functionality for the client’s operations.

Azure BizTalk Servers and VNets Deployment: Once the migration to Azure VMs was completed successfully, we deployed Azure BizTalk Servers within the Virtual Networks. This setup ensured that the client’s operations remained uninterrupted while redirecting all traffic to the Azure-based BizTalk Servers.

BizTalk Migration Tool Utilization: To facilitate the migration of BizTalk applications, we employed the BizTalk Migration Tool. By analyzing the output of the tool, we identified the relevant artifacts to migrate to Azure. The tool not only assisted in creating the Azure Integration Services model but also generated ARM templates and Azure CLI scripts for application deployment.

Application Testing and Validation: After deploying the applications in Azure, we conducted thorough testing to ensure that the migrated applications provided the same level of functionality as their on-premises counterparts. Due to the complexity of the generated output, testing took time. However, our efforts allowed us to recreate the applications using Azure Integration Services successfully.

Iterative Migration Approach: Considering the complexity of the migration process, we adopted an iterative approach. Rather than attempting a “big bang” migration, we tackled one application at a time. This approach minimized risks, allowed us to address any issues, and provided the ability to switch back to BizTalk if necessary.

Transition to Azure Integration Services: While migrating BizTalk applications, we shifted our focus from new BizTalk development to implementing integration solutions using Azure Integration Services. This shift provided our client with more value by leveraging modern integration capabilities, including easier development through low-code/no-code experiences.

Benefits of Our Solution

The migration from BizTalk to Azure yielded several benefits for our logistics client:

• Modern Integration Platform: The adoption of Azure Integration Services provided a modern integration platform as a service (iPaaS) with enhanced authentication schemes, scalability, and seamless integration with other cloud-native services.
• Cost Efficiency: The consumption-based pricing model of Azure allowed the client to avoid overprovisioning and inefficiencies, resulting in cost savings.
• Simplified Development: With Azure Logic Apps’ low-code/no-code approach, new developers could quickly build integrations, reducing the learning curve associated with BizTalk.
• Data Center Shutdown: The successful migration enabled the client to shut down their on-premises data center, achieving their goal of moving entirely to the cloud.

Through a systematic migration approach and the utilization of Azure services, our logistics client successfully transitioned from on-premises BizTalk to a cloud-based integration solution. The iterative migration approach, combined with the benefits of Azure Integration Services, allowed the client to reduce costs, enhance scalability, and streamline their integration processes while ensuring operational continuity throughout the transition.