With DevOps best practices to Data protection, Scalability and Reliability with B.Braun.
B. Braun commissioned us to migrate their critical medical applications to the cloud. The goal was to meet data protection and compliance requirements while increasing reliability and security and creating a flexible, scalable infrastructure. A team of 30 experts was mobilized to introduce DevOps best practices, integrate automated testing and deployments, and meet stringent healthcare requirements.
The digital tightrope act
The migration of the applications had to meet the highest requirements in terms of data protection (GDPR, HIPAA). Detailed data classification and the use of complex encryption strategies were essential. Tight access control also had to be implemented to ensure full compliance.
Another obstacle was the automation of tests and deployments. The existing manual processes hindered the ability to react quickly to changes, which is inefficient and risky in a constantly evolving cloud environment. It was necessary to create an end-to-end continuous integration (CI) and continuous delivery (CD) pipeline that not only ensured the quality of the software, but also guaranteed security with each new deployment. Without full automation of testing and deployment, the reliability of the system would not have been maintained, especially considering the industry-specific security requirements.
Finally, the complexity of the migration was a significant problem. The existing monolithic systems, which were deeply rooted in the existing infrastructure, had to be redesigned for the cloud environment. This included the containerization of applications and the introduction of microservices to enable a modern, scalable architecture. The transition from a traditional monolithic architecture to a flexible and scalable cloud solution required extensive adjustments to the applications and the underlying infrastructure. Only by closely integrating DevOps practices and cloud strategies could we successfully manage this complexity and ensure a smooth migration.
The migration of the critical medical applications to the cloud was realized with a clearly structured plan and precise implementation, with each phase precisely tailored to the specific requirements and challenges.
First, we started with planning and structuring. We divided the 30-strong team into function-specific groups, each responsible for one of the critical areas of the migration: Migration, Compliance and the integration of DevOps best practices. This structure allowed for efficient and focused collaboration to ensure that all aspects of the migration could be implemented smoothly and on time.
Microsoft Azure was chosen as the platform for the secure cloud migration. We carried out detailed infrastructure planning, taking into account all security and compliance requirements. The migration of the applications was carried out in a strictly controlled environment to ensure integrity and data protection throughout the process. Particular attention was paid to the scalability and flexibility offered by Azure's cloud infrastructure.
We then implemented DevOps best practices to optimize the entire migration and subsequent management of the applications. We implemented automated CI/CD pipelines using Azure DevOps and Terraform, which not only increased efficiency, but also minimized sources of error and made the entire deploy process more secure. In addition, we implemented security policies through Azure Active Directory and Key Vault to control and protect access to sensitive data. The containerization of the applications using Docker and their management via AKS (Azure Kubernetes Service) ensured high scalability and flexibility in the infrastructure.
To ensure continuous monitoring and security, we used advanced monitoring solutions such as Prometheus and Grafana to monitor and continuously optimize the performance of the applications in real time. In addition, we carried out security scans with tools such as Aqua Security to identify and eliminate potential vulnerabilities at an early stage.
Finally, the success of the migration was checked. By using automated test frameworks and end-to-end deployments, it was possible to validate the migration and ensure that all applications functioned as intended in the new environment and met the high requirements for security, data protection and compliance.
In medicine, it is not only the symptoms that count, but above all the healing successes. So let's take a look at the effects of our therapy:
Increase the System reliability through Real-time monitoring.
Improvement the Application performance through Microservices-Architecture.
faster Market launches newer Features through DevOps.
lower Administrative expenses through automated IaC (Infrastructure as Code).
higher User satisfaction through improved Application availability.
Our migration project at B. Braun shows how DevOps and cloud migration can bring groundbreaking change even in highly regulated industries like healthcare and manufacturing. The best part? This approach opens up endless possibilities for innovation in many other industries too - from smart predictive maintenance to secure IoT monitoring for critical devices. Let us inspire you!
Here are more exciting inspirations from our ideas factory:
Predictive maintenance for medical devices
With a robust cloud infrastructure and advanced analytics tools such as machine learning, medical devices can be continuously monitored and proactive maintenance measures can be taken before system failures occur. The integration of IoT sensors and real-time data processing enables predictive maintenance that reduces downtime and extends the service life of devices.
Secure IoT integrations for real-time monitoring
In areas such as manufacturing or healthcare, real-time monitoring of machines and devices is critical to operations. Using DevOps methods to implement secure IoT networks and APIs not only enables real-time processing of sensor data, but also ensures the security and compliance of the entire system architecture. This creates a scalable, future-proof solution for critical infrastructures.
Development of scalable platforms for digital health solutions
Cloud-native approaches, combined with containerized applications and microservices, provide the basis for the development of flexible and scalable platforms that are geared towards digital healthcare solutions. This enables the integration of electronic patient records (EPR), telemedicine and AI-supported diagnostic tools that are both data protection-compliant and high-performance.
Wir set on one customized Selection the best Tools to highest Efficiency and seamless IT processes in one highly regulated Industry to ensure:
With Microsoft Azure, we have created a scalable and reliable cloud infrastructure that enables flexible adaptation to changing requirements.
Using Docker and Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), we have containerized and orchestrated applications to ensure fast and scalable deployment.
With Azure DevOps, Terraform and Chef, we automated infrastructure provisioning and optimized the CI/CD pipeline for faster and more secure releases.
Thanks to Prometheus, Grafana and Azure Monitor, we were able to ensure seamless real-time monitoring of services and continuous improvement in service quality.
With Azure Active Directory, Azure Key Vault and Aqua Security, we ensure secure management of identities and sensitive data in compliance with regulatory requirements.
Azure SQL Database and Azure Cosmos DB provide us with a highly available and scalable data architecture for the fast and secure processing of business data.
Using C++, we have developed customized, high-performance applications that are perfectly tailored to B. Braun's requirements.
With Confluence and Jira, we have established efficient documentation and agile project management that optimizes collaboration and traceability.
