Case Study
How Clearscale Moved Thousands of Florist Websites for Flower Shop Network to a Secure, AWS Platform with Zero Downtime
Achieving 100% Data Center Exit and Automated Security Compliance: A Blueprint for Industrial Digital Transformation
Client Profile
Overview
Facing mounting risks from legacy on-premise infrastructure, FSN initiated a full-scale digital transformation mandate. The core objectives were not just a simple cloud migration, but the establishment of a secure, scalable, and compliant modern cloud platform to ensure business continuity and unlock future SaaS innovation for their member network. This project serves as a clear model for Industrial Equipment & Manufacturing leaders seeking to retire physical data centers and standardize on a governed cloud environment.
Meet Our Hero
Flower Shop Network (FSN) is a foundational B2B platform providing mission-critical e-commerce and operational technology services, including website hosting and design, to a large, geographically distributed network of independent retail partners (florists) across North America. FSN’s core challenge was the inability of its legacy IT to support the scale and security required of a modern supply-chain coordinator in a time-sensitive industry.
The Goal
To execute a 100% data center exit and fully transition all operations to an AWS cloud-native environment, achieving a robust, scalable, and compliant foundation necessary for serving a high-volume B2B platform.
The Challenge
The legacy on-premise environment presented significant risk and hindered organizational agility:
Challenge 01
Aging, risk-prone on-premise Linux infrastructure, including CentOS 6/7 application servers, legacy databases, file shares, and a self-managed RabbitMQ messaging cluster.
Challenge 02
Rising risks of unexpected downtime, severe performance limitations, and escalating infrastructure maintenance costs.
Challenge 03
Mandatory requirement to achieve full PCI DSS compliance within the new cloud environment to protect B2B transactions.
Challenge 04
Need to design and implement a governed, multi-account cloud foundation from scratch to ensure future IT governance and security standards.
The Solution
Clearscale architected and executed a comprehensive cloud modernization program, focusing on automation and replatforming for long-term operational efficiency:
Step 01: Implemented a Secure Cloud Foundation
Architected an AWS multi-account Landing Zone using AWS Control Tower and AWS Organizations with dedicated OUs for Security, Infrastructure, Workloads, and Databases to ensure strict IT governance and cost control.
Step 02: Automated Security Compliance
Achieved automated and continuous PCI DSS compliance monitoring through the deployment of AWS Config conformance packs, significantly reducing manual audit burden and ensuring continuous adherence.
Step 03: Enhanced Network and Perimeter Security
Utilized AWS Transit Gateway for simplified VPC connectivity and implemented WatchGuard Firebox Cloud for layered web traffic filtering.
Step 04: Deployed Tailored Migration Strategies (4 Total)
Executed a phased approach using specific tools for each workload type:
- Rehost: Used AWS MGN for lift-and-shift of legacy servers to modern Ubuntu instances on Amazon EC2.
- Replatform: Migrated the self-managed RabbitMQ messaging cluster to the managed Amazon MQ service, eliminating infrastructure management overhead while preserving message broker functionality.
- Data Services Modernization: Established a secure Amazon RDS foundation for databases, collaborating with Percona for specialized data migration execution.
- Shared File Storage: Transitioned shared file shares to the resilient and scalable Amazon EFS.
The Impact
The successful migration delivered immediate and long-term strategic benefits to FSN, establishing a foundation for digital growth:
100% Data Center Exit Achieved: Full migration to a cloud-native AWS platform was completed, eliminating the high costs, complexity, and risks associated with aging physical infrastructure.
Automated Compliance Posture: Automated PCI DSS compliance via AWS Config conformance packs ensures continuous security monitoring and governance, reducing operational risk.
Reduced Operational Overhead: Replatforming critical legacy components to managed AWS services (Amazon MQ, Amazon RDS) eliminated infrastructure management responsibilities for the IT team, allowing them to focus on innovation.
Platform for Growth: FSN gained the agility needed for future innovation and growth in serving its florist network.
Optimized Future Roadmap: A post-migration AWS Well-Architected Review identified future optimization opportunities, including Amazon EC2 Auto Scaling and a formal disaster recovery plan, ensuring long-term efficiency.
Ready to Exit Your Data Center?
Clearscale provides the blueprint for 100% data center exits and automated AWS governance. Stop letting legacy infrastructure hold you back.