The client is a leading biotechnology company that invents and commercializes medicines.
The Challenge
One of the hallmarks of 21st-century technology is the reliance on digital engineering across all the sciences, and not just the IT industry. Our client – a leading biotechnology firm that invents and commercializes life-saving medicines – had come to rely on a legacy application, but struggled to maintain the app. The problem was an outdated codebase — the app was developed in Ruby on Rails, and the intricacies and obstacles inherent in this platform made it hard to find talent to maintain or update the program. In addition, the lack of test cases and documentation posed a significant challenge in comprehending the legacy codebase, and the app’s monolithic architecture restricted its ability to scale. The firm’s Chief Product Officer realized that a scalable app with a modern tech stack was what the firm needed to drive business growth.
The Solution
The focal point of our modernization initiative was the migration from a monolithic RoR application to a microservices architecture, implemented using Python and Node.js. This shift wasn’t just a technical upgrade; it represented a paradigm shift in how the application operated. The adoption of microservices architecture offered scalability, resilience, and performance improvements that set the stage for future advancements. By incorporating Persistent WingMate Generative AI-powered accelerators, we observed a significant reduction in time and cost, making our modernization initiative not just a technical achievement but a testament to the strategic use of cutting-edge technology in overcoming industry challenges.
Recognizing the significance of efficient deployment and scalability, we implemented Dockerization for the streamlined launch of the modernized application. To ensure the reliability and functionality of the system, our team rigorously crafted comprehensive test cases.
In tandem with these technical efforts, we prioritized the creation of detailed documentation where everything needed to maintain the app including valuable insights into the architecture and maintenance procedures was fully documented in a new User Manual. This holistic approach not only guarantees a smooth knowledge transfer process but also contributes to the sustained success and adaptability of the modernized technology in the long run.
The Outcome
The Persistent solution successfully transformed a legacy application into a next-gen technology platform, optimizing resources and maximizing results for a global biotechnology leader. Benefits of the updated application include greater scalability, cross-platform performance, easier maintenance, faster go-to-market times, and an estimated 30% FTE time and cost savings.
Technology used:
- Persistent WingMate Accelerators
- Azure Open AI GPT4 Model
- Python
- Node.js
- React
