Challenge
Prakticum, a Swedish-language secondary vocational institution with campuses in Helsinki and Porvoo, faced significant operational challenges due to its aging data center.
With a team of only five IT staff members and a growing need for modern, scalable, and secure infrastructure, Prakticum had to decide between modernizing its on-premises data center or moving its operations to the cloud.
As a smaller organization, Prakticum struggled with limited resources and the need to deliver high-quality services comparable to larger institutions.
"Our data center was getting old, and we needed to find a solution – either modernize it or move everything to the cloud," says Olli Zha, Prakticum's IT Manager. "We wanted to level the playing field with other institutions and needed a cost-effective, scalable, and secure environment."
Solution
Prakticum partnered with Cloud2, following a recommendation from Microsoft. Cloud2 provided a comprehensive solution that included a cloud governance model, a secure landing zone, a detailed migration plan, and Azure migration, migrating servers from an existing data center to Azure. The migration plan outlined which services would be moved to the cloud and which would be retired. Cloud2's expertise ensured that Prakticum's transition was smooth and efficient.
"Cloud2 came highly recommended by Microsoft, and our collaboration with them has been fantastic," said Zha. "They helped us every step of the way, from planning the migration to setting up Azure Virtual Desktop for our students."
Key components of the solution included:
Cloud Governance Model: Ensuring that all cloud activities were aligned with organizational goals and industry standards.
Landing Zone: Establishing a secure and compliant cloud foundation.
Azure Migration: Migrating servers from an existing data center to Azure.
Azure Virtual Desktop: Providing students with powerful virtual desktops capable of running demanding applications.
Continuous Consultation: Ongoing support and optimization to keep costs in check and services running smoothly.
Benefits
The migration to Azure has brought numerous benefits to Prakticum, significantly enhancing its IT operations and overall efficiency.
Enhanced Security and Simplified Management
"One of the biggest advantages is the improved security," says Olli Zha. "Our attack surface has in a sense been halved, as we only need to secure the cloud environment now, instead of a hybrid environment consisting of both on-premises and cloud. This spring, there were many vulnerability threats in various software and firewalls, and it's reassuring to know our risks are lower."
Cost Efficiency and Scalability
Prakticum has seen a significant reduction in costs due to the optimized cloud services. "We save a lot during summer and Christmas breaks when there's minimal use," Zha explains. "With the traditional model, we had to pay for high-performance devices year-round. Now, we only pay for what we use."
Operational and Strategic Advantages
The migration has also streamlined Prakticum's IT operations. "Many maintenance tasks are gone, and our team can focus on system development," Zha says. "This shift allows us to address organizational challenges directly and use our technical expertise to enhance our operations."
Improved Educational Tools
Each student at Prakticum receives a device that, while not highly powerful on its own, becomes extremely capable through Azure Virtual Desktop. "Students can perform tasks like CAD design that require significant computing power," Zha notes.
Data-Driven Leadership
Prakticum has also built a modern data warehouse on Azure, transforming its approach to organizational management. "This new data warehouse will significantly change how we lead our organization, making us a leader in using data effectively."
Positive Experience and Continued Support
The migration project was completed within a few months, stayed on budget, and left a positive impression on Prakticum's team. "Working with Cloud2 has been a great experience," Olli Zha says. "Even after the migration, we continue to have quarterly meetings with them to discuss new developments and optimizations. They’ve been a strategic partner, always there to help."
Overall, Prakticum's journey to the cloud with Cloud2 and Azure has positioned it as a forward-thinking institution, ready to meet the demands of modern education with agility and confidence. "Moving to Azure has made us an innovative leader in our field," Olli Zha concludes.
Company Info
Prakticum Vocational Institute is the only Swedish-language vocational school in the Helsinki metropolitan area, offering training in various sectors for both young people and adults. With campuses in Helsinki and Porvoo, Prakticum serves about 1,250 students. The institute provides basic vocational qualifications, vocational degrees, and specialized vocational degrees across the Helsinki metropolitan area and Eastern Uusimaa.
Questions? Contact:
Juha-Pekka Pitkälä, Cloud Advisor
+358 500 707 622
juha-pekka.pitkala@cloud2.fi