Optimizing Cloud Infrastructure for an Event Industry Leader

Business Situation

This global leader in event management drives brand loyalty and audience engagement through impactful exhibitions, exhibits, and events. Operating out of Dallas, the company leverages nearly a century of experience alongside cutting-edge technology to fulfill its mission of bringing people together.

The COVID-19 pandemic, however, presented unprecedented challenges, leading to significant staffing reductions, including in IT. This reduction affected the deployment and stability of the company’s Azure infrastructure—a vital cloud platform for app modernization and AI solutions.

As business resumed, the organization identified a need to optimize its Azure environment for better IT management, cost efficiency, and security. Recognizing the need for expert guidance, the company sought a technology partner with deep Azure expertise to perform a comprehensive audit.

Solutions

As a certified Microsoft Solutions Partner with a specialization in Azure, we were engaged in early 2024 to conduct an in-depth assessment of the company’s Azure infrastructure. Our goal was to identify opportunities for modernization and cost optimization.

Our analysis uncovered a complex setup combining on-premises and in-cloud elements, leading to inefficiencies. We recommended a streamlined data infrastructure and an enhanced governance model for Azure, which would not only bolster stability and security but also optimize costs. These improvements included consolidating duplicate data sources, right-sizing infrastructure, and removing unused applications.

At the conclusion of the audit, we presented leadership with a report outlining three tiers of Azure optimization options, each designed to achieve varying levels of cost savings and operational efficiency.

Results

Our recommendations revealed that moving 80 percent of on-premises infrastructure to the cloud could reduce costs by up to 40 percent—potentially saving hundreds of thousands annually based on current IT expenditures.

In addition to financial benefits, we identified specific Azure tools, such as tagging, that could further enhance data security and system reliability.

The organization is now in the process of implementing our recommendations to align its Azure infrastructure with its evolving needs and improve efficiency.

Our partnership continues as we provide ongoing guidance for the company’s broader technology initiatives, supporting its leadership in the fast-paced event management industry.