Cloud Infrastructure Analytics Solution for a SaaS Company

Partnering with multiple market-leading healthcare and financial organizations, software vendors, and startups, our client delivers a service that allows companies to define whether their cloud infrastructure complies with modern security standards, such as HIPAA, GDPR, etc. However, the company needed help with scaling their business because of the outdated Python library. Luckily, the Matoffo team came up with an efficient Cloud Custodian solution to solve this issue. Ultimately, our cooperation resulted in the development of a new service for analyzing cloud infrastructure.

Our client is a leading provider of innovative solutions for organizations seeking to establish and maintain robust compliance programs in the public cloud. With the rise of cloud computing and the increasing demand for secure and compliant data management, the company offers a comprehensive platform that simplifies policy development and technical control implementation while ensuring compliance with industry standards like HIPAA and SOC 2. Standing for the mission of unlocking healthcare and finance in the cloud, our client empowers organizations by developing custom policies and technical controls that align with their unique business needs and security objectives.

Unfortunately, the core of the platform’s functionality (the scanner that directly analyzes the cloud infrastructure) used a Python library that had not been maintained by the developer for a long time and was not adapted to the client’s scaling needs. Over time, these shortcomings became critical for the client since the ability to scale their business was severely limited by the previously chosen technical solution, which also did not allow for the use of new service delivery models such as SaaS.

Considering the above, our client was looking for skilled developers with deep knowledge of Python and excellent analytical capabilities to define whether it is possible to tailor the library to their company’s needs. The client consulted with their development team and other experts and came up with an idea to make changes to the outdated library but to focus on alternative libraries and tools, i.e., Cloud Custodian.

Cloud Custodian is an industry standard in the field of cloud governance that is actively used and updated by the community, minimizing the risks associated with using this tool and ensuring its further support. Hence, if you are looking for a powerful solution to manage your cloud resources, Cloud Custodian is the answer.

This exceptional technology provides a wide array of robust tools that enable you to filter, tag, and take action on your cloud resources, ensuring that your infrastructure is always well-managed, secure, and cost-optimized. With Cloud Custodian, you can also easily define rules using our YAML DSL to enforce policies and automate tasks across your cloud environment.

The client had previously approached Matoffo for DevOps expertise. Since our exceptional quality of work, commitment to customer satisfaction, and intense focus on innovation and creativity resulted in great cooperation, the client returned to our team again with a request to develop a Proof-of-Concept using Cloud Custodian for a SaaS model of a cloud resource scanner based on AWS services.

First and foremost, we started with analyzing the existing solution in order to come up with a new, more efficient idea. After the in-depth analysis and professional consultancy, the client accepted our proposal and requested a small Proof-of-Concept (PoC) of our vision.

The first version of the project was a simple AWS Lambda-based service that analyzed cloud resources using the Cloud Custodian tool and provided a report. Since the first PoC version was successfully introduced to the client, we proceeded to prepare a customization plan, which enabled the gradual expansion of this service and its adaptation to the client’s needs, such as providing an API for using the service, storing reports in a repository, adding monitoring services, and more. As a result, the PoC was scaled up to a full-fledged SaaS service that met all the client’s requirements.

To complete this solution, we used the following tech stack: APython 3.9, Cloud Custodian, AWS (AWS Lambda, AWS API Gateway, AWS S3, AWS Step Function). The development team included two DevOps engineers responsible for different processes, including Python & IaaS development and DevOps support. In general, it took us about 4 months to deliver a ready-to-use AWS solution.

Developing a new service for analyzing cloud infrastructure can provide multiple benefits to organizations that rely on cloud computing to support their operations. Here are some of the areas we managed to bring value in:

• Greater Scalability
A new service for analyzing cloud infrastructure unlocked further development and expansion of our architecture, allowing the business to scale with new opportunities.

• Improved Efficiency
Analyzing cloud infrastructure can help our client identify areas where they can optimize their resource usage and reduce waste.

• Enhanced Security
With the ability to identify severe security vulnerabilities, the company can prevent data breaches and avoid other hazardous security incidents, therefore, protecting their reputation and maintaining customer trust.

The cloud infrastructure analysis service provided by Matoffo is an excellent solution for businesses looking to optimize their cloud infrastructure, which is why the client was satisfied with the result. Moreover, we provided this global professional services company with valuable guidance on improving infrastructure and answered any questions that arose during the development process. Wrapping up, our client highly recommends Matoffo to anyone looking for an efficient on-budget solution to enhance their cloud infrastructure.