Migrating Teradata to the Azure Cloud

Migrating Teradata to the Azure Cloud. Check. TeamValue helped LMN, Loyalty Management Netherlands migrate its data warehouse to the Azure Cloud. The result? No more dependency, a significant cost reduction, 360-degree insight, being able to make faster data-driven decisions, and above all, more speed and ease in setting up and managing large campaigns. We discussed the migration to the Cloud and the way forward with Xander Kuiper, Cloud Data Architect at TeamValue.

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Results migration to the Cloud

Migrating to the Azure Cloud. A transformation with tremendous business value for LMN and its affiliated partners. For example, LMN can now more easily offer better campaigns to their partners. In addition, the business impact consists of:

1. A new architecture based on Azure Datalake
2. A 66% cost reduction
3. No more dependence on Teradata specialists
4. Productivity of Data Analytics & Science team increased by factor of 10
5. 360 degree insight into customers
6. Governance invested throughout the process

In early 2020, our colleague Xander Kuiper was flown in as A.I.Tech Lead at LMN. It started with restructuring the data warehouse. Soon a new vision on the use of data and its setup emerged. The conclusion was that LMN's current systems did not sufficiently match the ambitions of the organization. Xander: ''If, as an organization, you want to know your customers better and set up more effective campaigns, it is important to organize processes logically, shorten them where possible and set them up in a scalable way.''

Based on the current systems, this was not the case. The databases had too many dependencies, the architecture would not be able to set up processes efficiently, and new ETL processes - processes for collecting and merging data - were constantly being set up. Above all, LMN had enormously high costs due to the hiring of highly specialized and scarce Teradata experts.

Xander Kuiper: ''Processes had to be different, smarter. That's why I advised LMN to develop a new data warehouse in the Cloud. For more structure, agility and flexibility.''

Be able to drive data driven.

We started the migration to the Azure Cloud. An exciting moment for the team, requiring a new mindset. A challenge, but not impossible. Xander: ''It is precisely in these kinds of projects that we coach and guide the team to reach that dot on the horizon together. Even if some steps are sometimes difficult or challenging. Our consultants help you with that. We create the right mindset, increase ownership and implement the DevOps way of working. This was also the case at LMN. From a clear vision: 'the saver must be at the helm of his own data', we had a clear starting point as a team.

Every choice in this journey was challeled. Is this the right choice, does it contribute to the higher goal, and does it make the end goal successful? We taught the team to look further ahead and let go of short-term solutions. Everything revolved around the end product. A well-functioning data warehouse in the Azure Cloud that every department can count on.''

Xander Kuiper: ''Every choice we make, we challenge to the higher purpose.''

Migrating to Azure Cloud step by step

Instead of taking the entire data warehouse and migrating it to the Azure Cloud, we rolled out the data warehouse step by step. Xander: ''Why? Because we think it's important to deliver value to our customers. We don't believe in a migration where we put the application in the Cloud all at once - 'Lift and Shift'. We also compare it to 'old wine in new bottles'. Many companies choose this method after which they start optimizing the application in the Cloud. Anything that does not fit at that point is parked in a figurative "dinosaur park. What we see happening is that migrations in this way put pressure on resilience, scalability and costs, and cheap and scalable services from the Cloud are not applied due to a lack of knowledge. Migrations cost tons of money this way and the final result does not outweigh the costs.

Xander Kuiper: ''You have to build what is needed. Not rebuild what's already been made.''

That's why we migrated LMN's data warehouse 'Go-Native' - step by step - to the Cloud. Combined with our own way-of-work 'The Golden Path', we made every choice cross the value axis, creating software that really adds value. ''One of the principles from our way-of-work is starting with migrating the most valuable component to the Azure Cloud, so that in this way we deliver value directly to the organization and stakeholders gain confidence in the project. In addition, it provides clear guidance for the team because you have to build what is needed. Not rebuild what has already been created.''

Xander: ''Technically, the implementation could have been faster, but by consciously putting time into the team's work processes, the project became truly successful.

Business impact

The migration has brought many benefits for LMN, including lower costs on license management. By migrating step by step to the Azure Cloud, LMN needed far fewer licenses, which allowed them to save on license management. They were then able to use the savings to further develop the savings program.

Lydia de Haan, director data & analytics Airmiles: ''The quality of the consultants is incredibly high. Because of TeamValue Group B.V.'s approach, we were able to take the right steps much faster to make data-driven decisions. The level is so incredibly high that this is sometimes even a little scary. How do we ensure internally later - when TeamValue is gone - that this level is maintained. I am glad that TeamValue sees and understands this and wants to help us with this. This way we ensure that the value is maintained.''

A sparring session?

Do you have a challenge lying ahead in the area of Business Intelligence, migration to the Cloud or on the cutting edge of that? And, do you need help with that? Let's have a no-obligation sparring session. From benefits, risks to determining the dot on the horizon. We'd be happy to help.

‍ContactHans Borkent
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+31 (0)646 00 31 71