Mature businesses continuing to run legacy IT systems see their future in the cloud. But when hundreds of applications are in play, scoping critical migration work can be a stumbling block. Which applications are ready to go? Which ones require development work? And how many others should be retired in favour of look-a-like cloud native applications? MTF Finance found the answers with CCL’s Cloud Readiness Assessment.
MTF Finance is a name familiar to many Kiwis who have borrowed money to buy a car. The 50-year-old lender built its reputation in the motor trade, providing car dealerships with a ready-to-go finance offering. More recently the company has established a national network of 47 franchised operators and introduced unsecured personal finance.
But past success does not guarantee future prosperity. So, MTF Finance has launched a programme of work to develop new finance products and buying experiences for the next generation of digital-savvy customers.
This unfolding chapter put cloud front and centre.
Sizing up Microsoft Azure
Setting its sights on Microsoft Azure, MTF Finance engaged Leaven (now CCL) to establish a landing zone for a quick start on migration. Operating a security-hardened, policy-enforced Azure platform from the start ensured MTF Finance would avoid the pitfalls resulting from poor foundations.
Work established platform ‘guardrails’ to keep landing zone administrators and developers on track and compliant, covering operating standards, governance controls, shared platform network infrastructure, security and monitoring services, and automation to support the lender’s cloud journey.
“It’s easy to pitch applications to the cloud, but there are different ways to do the same things. There’s a right way and a way that can lead to some very big bills,” says Ashley Ross, MTF Finance CIO.
