Expert Server to Cloud migration at a retail giant

Background

One of the largest retailers in Southern Africa and JSE listed company needed assistance with enhanced data visualisation capabilities that will drive better decision-making and improve overall business performance. The company had been utilising Tableau Server to manage and analyse its vast amounts of data.

Challenge

However, the client was faced with the common challenges associated with maintaining on-premise infrastructure that significantly impacted both operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Among the key challenges had been: 1. Infrastructure maintenance. The need to maintain an on-premise Tableau Server required substantial investment in hardware, software updates, and IT support. This ongoing requirement consumed considerable financial resources and time, detracting from the core business activities. 2. Technical skill requirements. Managing the Tableau Server infrastructure necessitated a skilled technical team. Finding and retaining such talent proved to be a constant challenge, further complicating the management of the server environment. 3. Mobile accessibility. Security constraints of the on-premise infrastructure hindered the seamless access to Tableau on mobile devices. This limitation restricted the client’s ability to leverage data insights on the go, impacting the agility and responsiveness of the business.

Approach

Our data architecture experts migrated client's data from Tableau Server to Tableau Cloud. This strategic move was aimed at alleviating the burdens of on-premise infrastructure while unlocking new capabilities offered by a SaaS solution. Tableau Cloud emerged as the ideal solution to address client’s needs. As a fully managed SaaS offering, Tableau Cloud eliminated the need for costly infrastructure maintenance and the associated technical overhead. The migration to Tableau Cloud provided the following benefits: 1. Cost Efficiency. By transitioning to Tableau Cloud, the retailer significantly reduced its operational costs related to server maintenance, hardware, and IT staffing. The SaaS model allowed for a predictable, subscription-based expense, improving budget planning and allocation. 2. Ease of Access. Tableau Cloud's robust security and mobile-friendly architecture enables secure access to data insights from any device, anywhere. This enhanced accessibility empowered client’s employees to make informed decisions in real time, whether in the office or on the sales floor. 3. Scalability and Flexibility. Tableau Cloud offers the scalability to grow alongside the retailer’s data needs without the limitations of physical infrastructure. This flexibility ensured that the company could adapt to changing business requirements swiftly and efficiently.

Key results

Benefits

The client now enjoys a more cost-effective, agile, and scalable data environment, empowering the company to harness the full potential of its data to further drive business success.

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