UZ Brussel takes a digital leap forward with scalable SaaS solution

UZ Brussel, a university hospital in the healthcare sector, faced limitations in managing over 150 websites on an on-premise Liferay 7.0 platform, including scalability and security challenges. In collaboration with ACA Group, the organization migrated to Liferay SaaS, a cloud-based digital experience platform. This solution enabled centralized management, improved security, and automated updates, resulting in a scalable, future-proof digital infrastructure with reduced maintenance effort and minimal disruption.

Challenge

UZ Brussel needed to manually migrate 150+ websites from an outdated Liferay 7.0 on-premise environment to meet the latest standards and security requirements.

Solution

A seamless manual migration to the Liferay SaaS platform to ensure a smooth and disruption-free transition.

Result

We implemented a strategic, phased approach with a meticulously planned manual migration to the new SaaS platform. This ensured minimal disruption, enhanced security, and a future-proof digital environment for UZ Brussel.

UZ Brussel's existing websites were hosted on Liferay 7.0 in an on-premise environment. As Liferay 7.0 was no longer supported, upgrading to the Liferay SaaS platform was essential to meet the latest standards and security requirements. ACA Group proposed moving directly to the Liferay SaaS platform, offering a cost-effective and future-proof solution.

The scale of the project presented the biggest challenge: over 150 websites needed migration to the new SaaS platform. A simple database export-import was not feasible, necessitating a fully manual migration approach.

The project involved two key phases:

Upgrade to Liferay SaaS: Delivered swiftly, enabling UZ Brussel to leverage the latest features of the platform.
Migration to the new environment: ACA collaborated with Liferay Solution Engineers. Three major sites were migrated first as test cases to address potential challenges. The remaining websites were migrated manually using Liferay’s export and import functionalities.

The SaaS solution provides automatic updates, enhanced scalability, and improved security. The migration was completed without any downtime, keeping the old websites operational until the final DNS switch during the go-live on December 11, 2024.

To achieve a seamless migration, ACA Group adopted a phased and meticulous approach. The initial phase involved upgrading to Liferay 7.4, giving UZ Brussel access to the latest features and improvements. This was followed by a carefully planned manual migration to the Liferay SaaS platform, supported by close collaboration with Liferay Solution Engineers.

The team tested the migration process on three major sites first, identifying challenges and refining the process before scaling up to the remaining 150+ websites. By leveraging Liferay’s export and import functionalities and maintaining a proactive problem-solving mindset, ACA ensured minimal disruption for end users.

This strategic approach not only ensured a seamless transition but also delivered key benefits such as enhanced security, high availability, and a future-proof digital environment. The project highlights ACA Group’s ability to manage complex migrations with precision and efficiency.

This approach has several advantages:

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Do you need help with your Digital Experience?

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Let's work together

Do you need help with your Digital Experience?

Feel free to contact us and we are happy to help!

Let's work together

Do you need help with your Digital Experience?

Feel free to contact us and we are happy to help!

Let's work together

Do you need help with your Digital Experience?

Feel free to contact us and we are happy to help!

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