The REIQ Partners with Idea 11 to Transform Into a Next-Generation, Cloud-Based Organisation
About REIQ:
The Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ) is the state’s peak professional association for real estate practitioners.
With more than 100 years’ experience, few associations hold the reputation or brand recognition of the REIQ, which today, represents more than 4,000 individual members, 1,600 agency offices and 15,000 property professionals.
Overview
The Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ) is the state’s peak professional association for real estate practitioners. With more than 100 years’ experience, few associations hold the reputation or brand recognition of the REIQ, which today, represents more than 4,000 individual members, 1,600 agency offices and 15,000 property professionals.
With a plan to move to a new office space, the REIQ began to explore moving from a traditional on-premises environment to one that would enable modern and innovative ways to use technology, and technology that would better empower the REIQ’s staff.
As the REIQ’s strategic technology partner, the REIQ and Idea 11 began discussions on how to better deliver technology to the business through a cloud-hosted, modern technology stack, that would solve the challenges of today while readying the REIQ for digital transformation in the future.
Challenges
Aging IT Infrastructure
Aging IT infrastructure was unable to keep up with changing needs, with many solutions reaching end-of-life and requiring significant capital expenditure to replace. Aging infrastructure was not only resulting in rising costs, but was also increasing vulnerabilities and resulting in poor performance.
Legacy Tools
The REIQ’s staff productivity was limited by legacy tools and products, including networking, security and business productivity software.
High Technical Debt
Technical debt was compounding, resulting in increased administrative overhead, performance limitations, and limited feature sets, and becoming a liability for the business.
The REIQ has been engaging the professional services of Idea 11 since its inception. Idea 11 provides a service where I feel they truly have our business needs in mind. This still remains true today. Idea 11 is a team of dedicated, professional IT experts, that go above and beyond. Idea 11 is always my first point of contact. "
- Stephen Collins,
ICT Operations Manager, The Real Estate Institute of Queensland
The Solution
The REIQ engaged Idea 11 to help plan and execute an all-in transformation to a next generation, cloud-based environment through a “lift and shift” migration of their IT infrastructure to AWS, and a migration to Office 365 for business productivity.
As part of the project, the REIQ’s aging virtual desktop platform was replaced with a next-generation cloud-based solution based on Amazon WorkSpaces.
As a managed, secure Desktop-as-a-Service solution, Amazon WorkSpaces offered a fast, responsive desktop that staff can access anywhere, anytime and from any supported device. This would provide the REIQ’s staff with a simplified, secure and high-performance desktop, while enabling them with increased flexibility and the ability to work anywhere, anytime.
In addition to redesigning the REIQ’s core infrastructure platform, Idea 11 also implemented a range of high-performance network technologies, including Palo Alto Networks next-generation firewall and Cisco Meraki wired and wireless networks, to modernise the REIQ’s network and improve the business’s overall security posture.
With the core IT platform uplifted and modernised, the REIQ has since been able to set sights on a wider digital transformation journey involving the adoption of DevOps methodologies, cloud-native solutions and modern software technologies, with an ambitious goal of digitally transforming the way the business operates every day.
Idea 11 continues to support the REIQ through our TechOps managed services team, who provide full-lifecycle services and support of the REIQ’s AWS environment, and guidance through the REIQ’s digital transformation initiatives.
COVID-19 Response
One of the remarkable benefits that the REIQ experienced with their modern environment was the ability to rapidly respond to COVID-19 while ensuring business continuity. The combination of Amazon WorkSpaces and Office 365 enabled REIQ to proactively place the health and well-being of their staff as the topmost priority, with staff enabled to work from home throughout COVID-19.
With AWS WorkSpaces and Office 365 a key part of their technology environment, the REIQ could rapidly enable a remote workforce throughout the crisis. The transition to remote work could be completed seamlessly, with zero impact on user experience, while ensuring data security was maintained throughout.
Outcomes and benefits
Amazon WorkSpaces and Office 365 has empowered the REIQ with new flexibility and productivity tools and enabled the REIQ to proactively respond to COVID-19 with full remote working capability.
A shift from CapEx to OpEx has resulted in flexibility in the IT environment and significant cost reductions.
A reduction in maintenance costs for Operating Systems, databases, and reduced hardware costs.
Improved velocity and agility for technology change and speed to market.
Digital transformation is unlocked through the power of cloud services.
About Idea 11:
Idea 11 is an award-winning, full-stack AWS IT company that specialises in digital transformations, cloud infrastructure, software development and managed services.
We're recognised for our fresh approach to being a technology partner. We help our customers solve the challenges of today, envision their future and make it real. Our strong values, personal client relationships and long-term thinking makes us unique.
