Case Study: SpiraLinks Migrates to AWS to Modernize and Secure Mission-Critical Applications

How Effectual and Group9 helped SpiraLinks exit legacy infrastructure and deploy a secure, cloud-native architecture in under 30 days

The Challenge

SpiraLinks, a leader in compensation and performance management software, was rapidly approaching a deadline: their existing MSP was shutting down its data center. With a product suite trusted by Fortune 500 HR and finance teams, SpiraLinks couldn’t afford downtime or disruption.

Their goals were clear:

• Avoid service interruption

• Improve application performance

• Enhance security and compliance

• Position themselves for long-term modernization

But they needed expert guidance to move fast—and smart.

The Group9 + Effectual Solution

SpiraLinks engaged Effectual, delivered in partnership with Group9, to complete a full-scale cloud migration to Amazon Web Services (AWS)—with zero compromise on security, uptime, or user experience.

Highlights of the Engagement:

• 🚀 Migrated 3 application servers and a legacy Oracle database in under 1 month

• ☁️ Built modern, secure Linux and Windows servers in isolated VPCs

• 🗄️ Upgraded legacy Oracle DB into Amazon RDS with real-time monitoring via Performance Insights

• 🔒 Hardened security with IAM roles, private subnets, MFA, and access control policies

• 📡 Enabled CloudWatch, CloudTrail, and automated snapshots with AWS Lifecycle Manager

• 📬 Improved email reliability with replicated mail relay setup

• 👥 Empowered developers through AWS Systems Manager and session-based access

The Results

• ✅ On-Time Migration before MSP decommissioning

• 🔐 Stronger Security & Compliance posture (ISO-aligned, granular access control, MFA)

• 💡 Improved Developer Experience with easier, more user-friendly cloud tooling

• ⚙️ Infrastructure Modernization built on AWS-native services for reliability and scalability

• 📈 Strategic Roadmap Created for continued modernization and automation

Conclusion

Through its partnership with Group9 and Effectual, SpiraLinks not only avoided disruption—they accelerated their transformation. By leveraging AWS-native services and modern cloud architecture, they now operate with greater confidence, agility, and resilience.