Seamless Multi-Cloud Modernization With Google Cloud and SoftServe

This modernization success story was made possible by SoftServe’s Application Modernization Platform (SAMP). The situation may sound familiar: an outdated application tied to a single cloud provider, in need of modernization to support a multi-cloud strategy and reach new markets.

While we can’t name the client or the exact product, their story is worth sharing. With the right strategy and the right platform, they achieved true multi-cloud flexibility, and you can too.

In today’s landscape, the ability to migrate applications seamlessly across cloud platforms isn’t just a technical goal, it’s essential for business growth, speed, and resilience. Here’s how we made it happen.

Our client is a global leader in networking equipment and IT infrastructure solutions. From networking and cybersecurity to AI solutions, this company pushes the envelope of innovation while supporting a multi-cloud strategy that integrates seamlessly with platforms like Azure, AWS, Google Cloud, and Oracle, alongside hybrid solutions.

The challenge: They needed to extend a critical digital security application to Google Cloud. This was a strategic step in advancing their multi-cloud strategy and their key priorities were clear:

• Automate deployment to Google Cloud to reduce manual effort and operational complexity
• Enable seamless integration without major re-architecture
• Tap into new customer segments within the Google Cloud ecosystem

SAMP played a key role here. We helped the client re-architect their application to support secure, portable, and scalable deployments across multiple clouds, including Google Cloud.

Imagine your product. Your company. This could be your success story too. Here’s a step-by-step look at how it’s done.

Application modernization – a step-by-step roadmap to success

The client had already taken the first step in their multi-cloud strategy by modernizing and deploying the application to Microsoft Azure, a project also supported by SoftServe.

The next phase focused on expanding to Google Cloud. We built on the existing foundation and used SAMP to support a smooth transition to Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE), replicating and scaling their digital security solution to deliver a secure, high-performance experience on Google Cloud.

Compliance was non-negotiable; we made sure they met stringent SOC 2 standards, safeguarding the integrity and security of their data.

Additionally, we streamlined their development processes with continuous integration and deployment automation tools. This made it easier for them to roll out updates quickly and consistently, helping them stay ahead of industry demands and deliver new features faster.

To achieve multi-cloud modernization, we used SAMP as an accelerator to build a secure and scalable solution. Here’s a more detailed overview of how we tackled the challenge step by step:

1. Container Maturity Review: We began by assessing the current state and readiness of the applications for migration and modernization through a Container Maturity Review.
2. Application Landing Zone Deployment: We designed and deployed a Google Cloud Application Landing Zone following industry best practices to ensure a robust, secure, and scalable foundation for hosting applications.
3. SAMP Enablement: SAMP is based on Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE), enabling efficient onboarding of workloads. We modernized the application using cloud-native tools and SDKs, created an abstraction layer for cross-cloud compatibility, and leveraged Helm charts for consistent deployment across environments.
4. Cloud-Agnostic Infrastructure: SAMP’s modular architecture allowed us to externalize and create cloud-agnostic infrastructure components. This included:
   • Certificate and DNS management with CertManager and ExternalDNS
   • Monitoring with Prometheus and Grafana
   • Secret management using Secrets Store CSI Driver
   • Federated authentication aligned with Google Cloud Identity and Access Management
5. Reduced Management Overhead and Enhanced Scalability: Instead of managing complex deployments of tools like Kafka and Elasticsearch ourselves within Google Cloud, we've leveraged their fully managed, cloud-native versions – Confluent Cloud and Elastic Cloud. This significantly reduces the operational burden on our teams, as tasks like patching, scaling, and maintenance are handled by the service providers. Additionally, it ensures we always have access to the latest features, security updates, and the inherent scalability of these cloud-optimized services.
6. Cloud Service Integration and Security: We ensured secure integration with Google Cloud services, including private networking, encryption of data in transit and at rest, and alignment with compliance standards such as SOC 2 and CIS Benchmarks for Google Cloud. Our deployment process included comprehensive performance testing to validate stability and optimize workloads.
7. CI/CD Integration and Automation: SAMP’s design enabled seamless integration into the existing CI/CD pipeline using Enterprise GitHub. We deployed self-hosted runners within a virtual network, automating multi-cloud infrastructure provisioning with Terraform and deploying workloads with Helm Charts. By leveraging infrastructure as code (IaC) with Terraform, we:
   • Ensured consistent and reliable cloud resource management
   • Enhanced scalability and repeatability
   • Improved operational efficiency across multiple cloud platforms

In the end, modernizing to Google Cloud with SoftServe’s SAMP proved to be a game changer. The client achieved measurable improvements that now support their long-term multi-cloud strategy.

• Deployment tasks that once took months now take days, accelerating time-to-market for new services and features.
• IaC with Terraform ensured consistent, fully automated deployments across environments.
• Key components like Kafka and Elasticsearch were externalized and optimized for portability, enabling greater flexibility as the client expands across clouds.
• Security and compliance were built in from the start, with strong governance controls and end-to-end encryption.

The impact

• Accelerated time-to-market, enabling quick adoption of Google Cloud with minimal disruption
• Expanded market reach, unlocking new opportunities in the Google Cloud ecosystem
• Improved operational efficiency and security, delivering a high-performing, compliant cloud environment

With their modernized application now running on Google Cloud, the client is equipped to scale faster, reach new markets, and operate with the flexibility that only a multi-cloud approach can deliver.

Ready to accelerate your cloud journey? See how we’re teaming up with Google Cloud and contact us to get started.