Tech Journal Delivering intelligent technology solutions with Azure. Hauora Tairāwhiti’s digital transformation journey into the cloud and modern ways of working.

Facts at a glance

Client industry:

District Health Board

Situation:

Like every public office, Hauora Tairāwhiti must work within the recommendations of the New Zealand government, which requires agencies to accelerate their adoption of public cloud services — in a balanced way — so they can drive digital transformation.

Not only does a move into the cloud represent substantial and ongoing operational improvements, including flexibility, scalability and ease of access, it also represents an opportunity for every department to leave legacy technology in the past while benefiting from the latest advances and continual upgrades.

Solution:

• Engaged for the delivery of the Azure Proof of Concept
• A well-architected cloud solution
• Delivered three primary interventions in the delivery of the Azure Proof of Concept, beginning with ‘Envision’ – Envision, Azure Landing Zones & Migration Assessment and Pilot Migration

Results:

• Engagement is an Azure reference architecture and the Azure Landing Zones
• Proof of Concept served as a validation of the decision to move into Azure
• Lasting artefacts including documentation and workshop outcomes delivered is a capability uplift for the DHB’s technical staff.

Solution area:

Insight’s Cloud and Data Centre Transformation solutions support your goals and turn your IT environment into an innovation enabler. We guide in a technology landscape that’s increasingly complex.

Recognising the benefits of cloud computing for its infrastructure, Hauora Tairāwhiti has taken definitive steps towards the Microsoft Azure platform by engaging Insight for strategic guidance, best practice, and a proven reference architecture ahead of commencing a deployment. As a result of the successful delivery of a Proof of Concept by Insight Enterprises New Zealand, the organisation is prepared for a major shift in the way in which its essential technology services are hosted and delivered, representing a significant de-risking of a sensitive initiative.

Tairāwhiti District Health Board (DHB), branded as Hauora Tairāwhiti is located in Gisborne, New Zealand. The organisation provides health services to a population of nearly 50,000 who live in the area from the East Cape in the north to the Wharerata ranges in the south.

Situation

Like many local government entities, most of the technology services relied upon by Hauora Tairāwhiti are based on legacy onpremise platforms, confirms Project Manager Natacha Blattes. “While we recognised the need to look at migrating to the cloud - including services and applications – there are a lot of moving parts. As a DHB, we must be mindful of the necessity for security, the unacceptability of any disruption to business as usual, and the complexity of relying on legacy systems built up over the previous decades.”

Like every public office, Hauora Tairāwhiti must work within the recommendations of the New Zealand government, which requires agencies to accelerate their adoption of public cloud services — in a balanced way — so they can drive digital transformation.

Not only does a move into the cloud represent substantial and ongoing operational improvements, including flexibility, scalability and ease of access, it also represents an opportunity for every department to leave legacy technology in the past while benefiting from the latest advances and continual upgrades.

Solution

With Insight already engaged for delivery of its Microsoft 365 Foundations, it was further engaged for the delivery of the Azure Proof of Concept. This included conducting an environment discovery for recommendations supporting Hauora Tairāwhiti’s transformation strategy, fundamental adoption framework and best approach for a productised Azure environment using best practices.

A well-architected cloud solution allows for greater control of information, system costs and ease of delivery. Through the standardisation of governance and controls surrounding these services, Hauora Tairāwhiti can be certain of achieving the desired benefits, while mitigating attendant risks.

Throughout the delivery, says Blattes, the Insight team distinguished itself by a willingness to transfer knowledge and create appreciation for the advantages available in an appropriately delivered Azure platform. “The team is forthcoming with information and very clear on the benefits. They are also highly approachable, responding with accuracy and enthusiasm to any issues raised, while demonstrating deep knowledge of, and enthusiasm for, Azure technology.”

“These benefits apply to Azure for our infrastructure services. We can easily meet the challenge of making applications available for an increasingly mobile workforce, and Azure is a preferred platform owing to pre-existing Government arrangements with Microsoft,”- Natacha Blattes.

Results

The primary outcome of the engagement is an Azure reference architecture and the Azure Landing Zones, Microsoft’s reference architecture and approach for optimising Azure capabilities while respecting existing security and governance policies.

Blattes explains: “Ahead of an actual migration, the work delivered by Insight serves as a solid foundation on which we will build, as various streams are identified and prioritised for a shift into the cloud.”She adds that the Proof of Concept served as a validation of the decision to move into Azure, which now leaves Hauora Tairāwhiti ready to execute when the time comes. “With the scope of the engagement taking in the end-to-end Azure adoption experience, we are now in a position where the platform is ready for building and migrating workloads as we expand on our cloud journey.”

In addition to lasting artefacts including documentation and workshop outcomes, Blattes says the value delivered is best described as a capability uplift for the DHB’s technical staff.

“We now have skills we didn’t previously possess. That means we are ready to go from on premise into the cloud with a high degree of confidence.”

But that move won’t be made without support; such is the success of the engagement that Hauora Tairāwhiti has renewed its partnership with Insight.

“It’s apparent that the Insight team is valued by our people. Beyond the enormous knowledge they bring and readily share, there is an alignment of values which is best reflected by their willingness to engage, support and assist. With Azure, we know we’ve made the right technology choice. And with Insight, we know we have the right partner for our digital journey. It’s been a very successful experience”- Natacha Blattes.