A Global Trading Tech Company Migrates to Atlassian Cloud Instance Post-Acquisition

Following an acquisition, a financial services tech company needed to modernize its outdated Atlassian infrastructure and migrate to the parent company’s corporate cloud instance. Operating as a specialized unit with strict client confidentiality requirements, the global trading technology provider had been on Jira and Confluence Server since 2008, which housed decades of critical data and business operations. However, these products had become obsolete, and Atlassian no longer provides security updates or support for Server products.

To address this challenge, the financial services tech company partnered with Praecipio to execute the migration to the parent company’s centralized cloud instance. The project aimed to modernize their infrastructure, optimize processes, align their cloud strategy with business objectives, and build a thriving cloud environment. This complex initiative involved migrating legacy data, thousands of custom scripts, and implementing advanced cloud security standards, all while maintaining uninterrupted business operations.

As with any merger, the scope of this migration was anything but straightforward. The client's environment presented a unique blend of technical, operational, and organizational challenges.

Complex Legacy Systems

The project involved migrating years of accumulated data, some of which dated back to 2008. While the Confluence instance wasn’t complicated, Jira presented a bigger challenge due to the extensive use of over 1,200 compliance-related scripts powered by ScriptRunner. These scripts, designed for now outdated on-prem systems, were critical to maintaining regulatory compliance and automating workflows, but they needed a complete overhaul to function in the cloud.

Security and Access Limitations

Operating in the highly regulated financial services sector demanded stringent security measures. The client had to follow strict protocols and could not grant access to their database or systems. While essential for compliance, these restrictions led to delays during the project's initial phases and required innovative workarounds to keep progress on track. Additionally, the client’s infrastructure had to comply with the stringent governance policies of the parent company’s Atlassian environment.  

Tight Timelines & Misalignment

The global trading platform provider needed the migration executed with minimal disruption, as any downtime could jeopardize business continuity. Their goal was to transition systems over a single weekend, an ambitious timeline that left little room for error.

There was also misalignment among the client’s internal teams around migration goals, timelines, and expectations, which caused delays. While the client prioritized upgrading systems to meet immediate operational needs, the acquiring company adhered to stricter cloud governance policies, requiring our client’s workflows to align with corporate standards.

Praecipio's specialized team developed a comprehensive migration strategy tailored specifically to State Street Global Link's unique requirements and constraints. The solution addressed both the technical complexities and operational challenges inherent in migrating a highly regulated financial services environment.

Comprehensive Script Analysis and Migration Framework: The Praecipio team implemented a systematic approach to analyze and migrate the 1,200+ compliance-related scripts. Working closely with State Street's team in India, the consultants developed a detailed categorization system to identify which scripts required migration, which could be consolidated, and which needed complete rebuilding for the cloud environment. This methodical approach ensured that critical compliance functions remained intact throughout the transition.

Phased Migration Approach with Risk Mitigation: Understanding the critical nature of Global Link's operations, Praecipio designed a phased migration strategy that minimized operational risk. The approach included extensive testing protocols, rollback procedures, and parallel system operations during critical transition periods to ensure business continuity throughout the migration process.

Specialized Security and Access Management: Given the stringent security requirements of the Global Link division, Praecipio's team worked within the existing security framework while implementing cloud-native security controls. The solution included secure access protocols, encrypted data transmission, and compliance monitoring to meet financial services regulatory requirements.

Collaborative Remote Delivery Model: To overcome access limitations and resource constraints, Praecipio developed an innovative remote collaboration model that enabled effective knowledge transfer and technical implementation despite the security restrictions. This included detailed documentation processes, virtual workshops, and structured communication protocols that ensured project momentum while respecting security boundaries.

Change Management and Training: Recognizing that the limited Global Link team needed to manage the new cloud environment post-migration, Praecipio provided comprehensive training and documentation. This included operational runbooks, troubleshooting guides, and best practices documentation to ensure the internal team could effectively manage the new cloud infrastructure.

Timeline Management and Resource Optimization: When project timelines became compressed, Praecipio's team worked closely with Brian Gibson and the State Street leadership to identify critical path items and optimize resource allocation. This included bringing additional specialized resources when needed and adjusting project scope to ensure successful delivery within business constraints.

Despite the challenges, Praecipio successfully migrated the financial services tech company to the parent company’s corporate cloud instance thanks to careful planning and fostering alignment across disconnected teams. The migration was completed over a single weekend, with all systems up and running by Monday morning and fully compliant.

Improved Security

The transition to the cloud not only addressed critical security concerns but also bolstered our client's security posture. Automated compliance monitoring, audit logging, and advanced security controls provided operational peace of mind in meeting both internal and regulatory standards. Our client’s infrastructure now forms part of their parent company’s centralized cloud environment and complies with its strict project configuration and security standards.

Operational Efficiency

The cloud migration has reduced operational overhead by replacing maintenance-heavy legacy systems with scalable and reliable cloud infrastructure. Automated backups and real-time performance monitoring have minimized disruptions while improving system visibility.

In addition to streamlining operations, the migration has helped reduce hardware costs, energy usage, and overall IT expenses. The pay-as-you-go model also allows for more predictable and manageable operating costs.

Enhanced Agility and Scalability

The new platform offers the flexibility to roll out updates, features, and system improvements much faster than before. This puts the financial services tech company in a position to respond to market demands swiftly, paving the way for sustainable growth and innovation in the financial services industry. The cloud setup also enables our client to handle fluctuating workloads, onboard new clients, and adopt AI technologies.