Opportunity Fund uses Google Cloud Platform and Barracuda CloudGen Firewall to Expand Microfinancing Services
Customer Company Size
SME
Region
- America
Country
- United States
Product
- Google Cloud Platform
- Barracuda CloudGen Firewall
- Google Compute Engine
- Google Cloud Storage
- CloudEndure
Tech Stack
- Google Cloud Platform
- Barracuda CloudGen Firewall
- Google Compute Engine
- Google Cloud Storage
Implementation Scale
- Enterprise-wide Deployment
Impact Metrics
- Cost Savings
- Productivity Improvements
- Customer Satisfaction
Technology Category
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Cloud Computing
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Cloud Storage Services
- Cybersecurity & Privacy - Network Security
Applicable Industries
- Finance & Insurance
Applicable Functions
- Business Operation
- Quality Assurance
Services
- Cloud Planning, Design & Implementation Services
- Cybersecurity Services
- System Integration
About The Customer
Opportunity Fund is a non-profit organization based in San Jose, California, founded in 1994. It provides microloans for small business owners and microsavings accounts to help students pay for college and families save for a rainy day. The organization aims to combat poverty by providing financial stability to economically distressed communities. Opportunity Fund has provided $230 million in loans to more than 6,800 entrepreneurs to help small businesses grow and started microsavings accounts for more than 6,200 families who have saved more than $20 million in deposits and earnings. The organization is dedicated to tackling economic inequality and helping people make permanent and lasting changes in their lives.
The Challenge
Opportunity Fund wanted to expand its services beyond California to the rest of the United States. However, its on-premises data center with aging servers and limited storage could not scale to support the expansion. The organization was also looking to cut infrastructure costs and reduce downtime. Rather than building a new data center, Opportunity Fund decided to move its infrastructure to the cloud. To help choose a provider, it performed a proof of concept and compared moving its infrastructure to the cloud using Google Cloud Platform (GCP) and multiple other cloud service providers. GCP outperformed its competitors by a wide margin, while also costing 20 percent to 30 percent less, making it an easy choice.
The Solution
Opportunity Fund chose to move its infrastructure to Google Cloud Platform (GCP) and implemented Barracuda CloudGen Firewall for added data protection. Using GCP, CloudEndure, and Barracuda CloudGen Firewall, Opportunity Fund migrated its servers, storage, and firewall to a test bed in the cloud within two weeks, followed by an additional week for the final 'lift-and-shift' operation. The organization runs its business using 20+ Google Compute Engine virtual machines, which power all its applications, including MS SQL database servers, accounting software, CRM software, and loan management software. Sensitive financial information is encrypted and stored in Google Cloud Storage. Barracuda CloudGen Firewall secures the data and ensures that sensitive financial communications with partners are kept private. Multiple site-to-site VPNs were set up to allow secure access to data stored in GCP from company offices and home offices.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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