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Oracle Azure Interconnect
Industry: Automotive

License Cost Reduction and Enhanced Performance: Zenith's Oracle Azure Interconnect Journey

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Explore how DSP moved Zenith's applications, underpinned by Oracle database, from their existing data centres to a scalable cloud platform utilising Oracle Azure Interconnect.

OCI Migration and Upgrade
Oracle and Azure Interconnect

Contents

Overview

DSP's customer Zenith Intelligent Vehicle Solutions is the UK’s leading independent leasing, fleet management and vehicle outsourcing business. They are committed to decarbonisation by eliminating tailpipe emissions through innovative, sustainable solutions. 

As a business, Zenith has an Azure-first policy, with an estate mainly comprising SQL Server databases. As a result the ageing Oracle Database SE2 12c environment in their hosted data centre, along with its hardware was being decommissioned. DSP already managed and maintained Zenith’s SQL Server environment and so were approached to provide recommendations on their Oracle platform in Azure. 

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"At Zenith, we've been impressed with DSP's commitment to providing exceptional service. They seamlessly manage our entire Oracle estate, from our Oracle database to the OCI platform along with the Azure connection that allows us to connect to our application servers and our wider data platform in Azure. DSP has been a true partner in our success from inception of the solution, implementation and then on-going management. Their dedication to our needs and their innovative solutions have allowed us to focus on business outcomes knowing that our Oracle platforms are in safe hands."

Head of Infrastructure Engineering
Zenith

The Challenge

Zenith, heavily reliant on Oracle databases for their fleet management applications, faced a critical challenge. Their on-premises data centre was scheduled for decommissioning, and their initial plan to migrate everything to Azure (their existing Cloud platform for SQL Server) raised concerns. Running Oracle in Azure meant potentially higher costs and lower performance compared to their on-premises setup. They needed a solution that delivered exceptional performance, optimised costs, and ensured a smooth transition.
  • Traditional On-Prem Oracle Database environment
  • Data centre decommissioning strategy
  • An interest to connect applications and systems within Azure

Due to their wider database estate being on SQL Server, connecting Azure and Oracle Cloud would benefit their system.

The Solution

DSP stepped in with a strategic Cloud migration plan built on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI). Our deep understanding of both OCI and Azure allowed us to craft a solution that addressed all of Zenith's requirements:

Effortless Migration: DSP performed a seamless migration of Zenith's Oracle databases from their on-premises data centre to OCI, minimising downtime and disruption.


Performance Boost: By leveraging OCI's architecture, DSP delivered significant performance improvements compared to their previous on-premises environment. Reporting times saw a dramatic reduction, empowering Zenith with faster, data-driven decision-making.


Cost Optimisation: DSP identified a licensing strategy that maximised value. Transitioning from perpetual Standard Edition licenses to Enterprise Edition PaaS within OCI resulted in substantial cost savings for Zenith compared to the Cap-ex model that would have been needed for the same solution in Azure. Furthermore, by including database licenses within our service, DSP eliminated the need for Zenith to purchase one-year licenses for short-term projects, further enhancing cost efficiency.


Azure-to-OCI Interconnectivity: With Zenith having a Cloud-first strategy and wanting application tiers to be close to their other data sources, DSP ensured seamless connectivity between the two Cloud platforms through a robust Azure-to-OCI interconnect. This eliminated data silos and ensured smooth operations across platforms, reducing any network latency issues connecting Cloud to Cloud.


Enhanced Security and Uptime: Automated backups within OCI guaranteed data security, while the platform's architecture provided exceptional uptime. Reduced maintenance windows minimised downtime, ensuring consistent access to crucial data for uninterrupted business continuity. Zenith could now operate with confidence, knowing their data was secure and readily available.


Scalability and Efficiency: DSP implemented a multi-tenant architecture within OCI, allowing Zenith to scale their resources efficiently as their needs evolve. This approach optimises resource allocation and ensured cost-effectiveness.


Ongoing Support: Going beyond migration, DSP assumed responsibility for managing Zenith's OCI infrastructure, operating system, and database administration. This freed up Zenith's IT team to focus on core business initiatives.

The Result

Zenith's experience with DSP has been resulted in tangible benefits:

  • When moving away from co-lo hosting, the selection of OCI enabled Zenith to leverage a cost neural step up to Oracle Enterprise whilst avoiding at least 10x the cost when compared to the alternative of hosting in Azure.
  • 50% reduction in database refresh times: Our streamlined processes significantly reduced critical database refresh times, allowing Zenith to access updated data faster and make informed decisions with greater agility.
  • Burstable infrastructure for cost-effective upgrades: OCI's burstable capabilities minimised infrastructure expenses during upgrades, ensuring Zenith only paid for the resources they utilised.
  • Ongoing optimisation and cost management: Our commitment to continuous improvement goes beyond migration. We actively monitor and optimise Zenith's Cloud environment, including automating non-production database shutdowns to further reduce costs.
  • The successful implementation of this solution in OCI forms part of the delivery of the first of Zenith's digital transformation initiatives. 

Added Value

Modernisation

DSP was able to upgrade Zenith's database and also leveraged our Oracle and Microsoft expertise to unite Oracle Cloud and Azure systems - modernising the whole database with tailored Cloud infrastructure.

Interconnect

Zenith can now leverage the best of Oracle Cloud Infrastructure and Microsoft Azure with seamless interoperability. This has increased their database performance and reduced licensing and maintenance costs.

Reduced Costs

Reduced costs in infrastructure due to capabilities for upgrades and licenses included as part of their subscription, Zenith no longer needs to contemplate purchasing 1-year term licences for a short-term project.

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Why DSP?

DSP's success with Zenith hinges on our comprehensive approach to cloud migration and our unwavering commitment to their ongoing success. Our expertise in OCI and Azure allowed us to deliver a complete solution, managing the data flow between on-premises and cloud environments. This resulted in cost savings and a performance boost for Zenith's Oracle databases. Furthermore, we ensured a rapid non-technical migration with zero downtime from Zenith's original Oracle Pay As You Go subscription to DSPs Oracle CSP, exceeding Zenith's experience with other cloud providers when migrating tenancies whilst also offering additional cost savings against the OCI standard rate card.

Even after implementation, DSP remains a dedicated partner. We actively collaborate with Oracle to ensure smooth operation and eliminate downtime. Our dedication to cloud expertise, cost optimisation, seamless migration, and ongoing management has secured DSP's position as a trusted partner in Zenith's successful cloud journey.

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