AWS Cloud Services in Film Accounting Software

About Client

Our client is a prominent provider of accounting solutions catering to film production companies, including industry giants like Disney, Marvel and Universal Studios. With a diverse portfolio of projects, our client aims to go paperless by streamlining operations and offering efficient financial management solutions including digital paper flow, digital and online forms to production houses and studios within the film industry.

Client's Need & Challenges

Our client, a leading provider of accounting solutions tailored for film production companies, faced significant hurdles with their outdated systems. Their legacy infrastructure, built on an antiquated programming language called Clarion, struggled to keep up with the evolving demands of their business, leading to scalability and performance limitations. These challenges resulted in bottlenecks and high maintenance costs, hindering our client's ability to adapt and thrive in a rapidly changing landscape.

In addition to these infrastructure constraints, our client identified security vulnerabilities as a top priority. Their existing authentication mechanisms were inadequate, leaving sensitive financial data vulnerable to potential breaches. Internally, inefficient processes compounded the problem, causing project management difficulties, scope changes, and resource allocation issues. The absence of structured project management practices further exacerbated the situation, impacting overall productivity and project outcomes.

Furthermore, as our client's customer base and operational requirements continued to grow, scalability became a critical concern. Their existing systems struggled to handle increased workloads and user traffic, resulting in performance degradation and instability during peak periods. Compounding these challenges were budget constraints, prompting our client to seek cost-effective solutions to optimise resource utilisation without compromising system performance or security.

Enter Swivel Tech, positioned as a strategic partner to help our client overcome these complex challenges. Through a collaborative and tailored approach, we provided solutions to modernise their systems, enhance security measures, streamline processes, and pave the way for sustainable business growth. By leveraging our expertise and commitment to excellence, we enabled our client to navigate these obstacles with confidence and achieve their long-term objectives.

Collaborative Process

The collaboration between the client and Swivel Tech was marked by close coordination and effective communication channels. Regular meetings and discussions facilitated a deep understanding of the project's intricacies, allowing both teams to align their efforts towards common goals. The client’s dev/dev-ops team and Swivel Tech's expert team worked closely together, leveraging their respective expertise to address the challenges posed by legacy systems.

Throughout the collaborative process, the teams encountered various technical complexities and hurdles. However, by maintaining open communication lines and fostering a collaborative environment, they overcame these obstacles efficiently. Transparency and mutual respect were key pillars of the collaboration, enabling constructive dialogue and innovative problem-solving approaches.

Solutions and Implementations

Revamped Authentication Platform: Swivel Tech developed a modern authentication platform using AWS services, incorporating robust authentication protocols and encryption methods. The platform implemented multi-factor authentication (MFA) and role-based access control (RBAC) to ensure secure user authentication and authorisation. Additionally, token-based authentication mechanisms were employed to enhance session management and prevent unauthorised access to sensitive data.

Introduction of Data Access Layer: The team upgraded the existing system by adding a new data access layer. This layer helps the system interact with the database more efficiently, making it quicker to retrieve data. To make this happen, our team used better SQL queries and improved database indexing techniques, which speed up how quickly the system can find the information it needs. Additionally, we set up data caching and pooling to handle high traffic periods without slowing down. The team also added measures to validate and clean the data, which helps protect against security threats like SQL injection attacks and keeps the data accurate and reliable across the platform.

Adoption of Serverless Architecture: Swivel Tech recommended using serverless architecture to save costs and improve scalability. By leveraging services like AWS Lambda and Amazon API Gateway, we eliminated the need for managing servers, resulting in cost savings. This approach also allowed automatic scaling based on demand, ensuring optimal performance without unnecessary expenses. Additionally, we implemented event-driven architecture patterns to enhance reliability and fault tolerance.

Outcomes and Achievements

The collaborative efforts between Swivel Tech and the client yielded significant outcomes, driving positive impacts across various facets of the project:

Improved System Performance: The team made the system faster by adding a data access layer, which reduced the time it takes to get information to an impressive 0.2 milliseconds. This means users can access data quicker and have smoother interactions with the system.

Enhanced Security Measures: The tech team at Swivel upgraded the security of the authentication system by adding extra layers like multi-factor authentication and role-based access control. This made it harder for unauthorised users to access sensitive information, keeping our client's data safe from potential threats.

Cost Optimisation: We helped the client save operational costs by switching to serverless architecture for the backend infrastructure. By using cloud-based services and letting the system automatically adjust its resources, the client saved a lot of money while still having enough capacity to handle everything. This new setup is more cost-effective and helps the client achieve their goal of getting the most value for their money.

Reflections and Insights

Teamwork, Innovation, and Adaptability: The collaboration underscored the essential role of effective teamwork, innovative problem-solving, and adaptability in overcoming the technical complexities inherent in modernisation projects. By fostering a collaborative environment and encouraging open communication, both teams were able to leverage their collective expertise to address challenges and achieve project success.

Value of Modernisation: The project highlighted the significance of modernisation in maintaining competitiveness and meeting the evolving needs of customers in the dynamic industry landscape. By investing in technology upgrades and process enhancements, our client was able to enhance efficiency, improve their software user experience, and deliver greater value to its clients.

Continued Collaboration and Improvement: Looking ahead, both parties recognised the importance of ongoing collaboration and continuous improvement. By staying agile and responsive to changing market trends and technological advancements, our client and the Swivel Tech team can proactively address future challenges and drive innovation in software development and accounting solutions.