Case Study
Optimizing Cloud ATO Processes and Implementing Zero Trust Architecture for a DoD Agency
Challenge
Our federal customer needed to modernize and enhance the efficiency of their highly visible, public-facing web application using AWS. The application, which is mission-critical, required continuous availability 24x7x365 while also improving release times and enhancing the security posture. Additionally, the application required several critical enhancements to meet an impending mission milestone without any downtime, given its high visibility and usage.
Solution
ANTEAN’s subject matter experts (SMEs) conducted a thorough assessment of the customer’s hosting environment and related technologies. Leveraging their expertise in SecDevOps and deep federal experience, the ANTEAN team developed a scalable solution that not only enhanced the user experience but also significantly improved the application’s functionality. By adhering to AWS best practices and industry standards, ANTEAN ensured the success of the upgrades and enhancements.
The solution centered around AWS Managed Services, where ANTEAN implemented a robust infrastructure solution comprising multiple Virtual Private Clouds (VPCs) and security groups to manage production, staging, and other services. AWS Relational Database Service (RDS) instances were deployed to automate key tasks such as database backups, performance monitoring, alerting, updates, and fault tolerance.
In addition, ANTEAN automated nightly backups and continuously monitored AWS activity to ensure the system’s resilience and reliability. To further bolster security, availability, and performance, a Content Delivery Network (CDN) solution was implemented. This solution included advanced features such as caching rules, smart card authentication configuration, and redirect rules, ensuring 100% uptime. Moreover, ANTEAN utilized AWS APIs to automate infrastructure administration, enabling real-time status alerts on systems and backups. This approach also supported a full-feature API-driven data feed, which was crucial for disseminating critical information to the public.
Results
Following the implementation of ANTEAN’s AWS-managed service solution, the federal customer experienced immediate benefits. The application now seamlessly supports cyclical changes to meet both business and technical demands. Continuous, targeted releases are now possible without disrupting ongoing development efforts.
The system’s enhanced performance and capabilities have significantly improved the end-user experience, ensuring that daily operational commands are executed efficiently. The accelerated performance and reliability of the system have allowed the customer to meet critical mission milestones without any service interruptions, thus fulfilling the stringent requirements of their highly visible and mission-critical application.
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