Google Cloud Platform

Judopay worked with CTS to migrate its IT infrastructure to Google Cloud Platform (GCP). CTO and board advisor Robert Howes explains the process and why cloud migration is the right move for his organisation.

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Why did you take on this project?

Judopay is going through a significant period of growth and we wanted to update our infrastructure to support this business expansion and create a flexible, agile platform for the future.

Judopay are a payments processor, focussed on shaping the future of mobile payment and digital commerce. We’re striving to change the way people pay using the power of digital technology. We work with consumer focused businesses that are looking to enhance the consumer shopping experience. Businesses, new or longstanding, that are disrupting their market, or breaking new ground. For this reason, Judopay need to be able to innovate quickly to support the needs of its customers.

Moving to the cloud will allow our business to react faster than our peers and continually innovate by providing additional resource capability to deliver on innovation opportunities as they present themselves.

Our technology has been recognised as some of the best in the industry. We plan our infrastructure 12 months in advance to add value to the customers and businesses we bring onboard every day. The migration to Google Cloud Platform helps our IT systems be agile enough to build quickly to meet the needs of our ever-developing customers.

Alongside innovation, as a fintech organisation, security was a top priority for us. GCP offers a host of security benefits that are significantly harder to manage at scale using physical infrastructure.

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What were the main challenges to overcome with migration?

As with any tech development, the project was not without its challenges. The main challenge for us was the timeframes we had to work within. The team was concerned that moving to the cloud would be time-consuming and potentially redirect a lot of manpower from other projects.

The expertise gap was also a factor, having not been through this process as a business before. To fill that gap, we decided to work with a partner rather than building all the expertise in-house. We needed to find a partner to provide us with the knowledge and experience to migrate and adapt our IT systems.

CTS addressed both of these challenges for us. By working with an expert partner, we have managed to minimise any disruption to our business and streamline the process to make it the most efficient.

CTS came highly recommended by Google. The CTS team has in-depth knowledge of GCP, they have helped us to design a whole new infrastructure and achieve the future-proofing our business was looking for from an IT perspective.

What advice do you have for other companies thinking about migrating?

Judopay is midway through the migration process right now. We have had a very positive experience so far and would recommend other fast-growth businesses consider the benefits that migration to GCP offers.

Thorough preparation is the best advice we would give to a company considering a migration. In the planning stage, CTS worked with Judopay to create a comprehensive statement of works, researching our current infrastructure and understanding our goals, allowing them to create a solution tailored to our needs.

It’s also important to prepare for any unforeseen issues that might arise, although obviously these can’t be planned for! Be clear on the expertise you have in-house and how this blends with your chosen partner. Open communication with a knowledgeable partner is critical for success.

Ask probing questions about the company’s experience before agreeing on a partner. CTS have such an extensive and impressive track record, and comes highly recommended by Google, so we were confident we would be in safe hands.

It is also important to choose a team of people that are easy to work with and will act as a true extension of your business. CTS has a clear partnership ethos, which allowed them to properly integrate with our company. This should be essential when looking for the right partner, as you will be working with them for some time.

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Any final comments?

The benefits that GCP offers makes it the ideal solution for our growing company. GCP’s security, scalability and competitive pricing, coupled with CTS’ expertise made it a winning combination. Judopay is delighted with the results so far, and excited to use this change in infrastructure to continue innovating ahead of the market in the future.