Securing and Managing Mission-Critical Exam Infrastructure with 24x7 AWS Managed Services

Securing and Managing Mission-Critical Exam Infrastructure with 24×7 AWS Managed Services

ABOUT THE ORGANISATION

This globally recognised professional certification body has been a cornerstone of their industry since 2006. Known for accrediting over 400 member companies and certifying individuals through rigorous technical examinations, the organisation works to elevate professional standards. Its flagship certifications, combining theory and hands-on practical assessments, are trusted by governments, regulators, and industry bodies worldwide.

The organisation became an approved delivery partner for national cybersecurity frameworks and partnered with international standards bodies to strengthen assurance programs globally. Their mission is to ensure the highest levels of professional competence and promote confidence in professional services.

THE CHALLENGE

The organisation faced significant challenges with their legacy infrastructure and operations:

Infrastructure Limitations

Legacy private cloud infrastructure with manual processes and limited scalability
Geographic restrictions limiting exam delivery to only 3 countries despite global demand
High fixed costs associated with maintaining private data centres regardless of usage
Manual exam provisioning requiring significant time and effort from technical teams

Operational Inefficiencies

Manual candidate management processes requiring substantial administrative input
Data consolidation challenges across multiple systems including test centers and marking platforms
Limited automation in exam development and deployment, slowing innovation
Growing complexity as exam delivery expanded globally to 70+ countries and 1,000 centers

Security and Management Gaps

Need for enhanced security posture to protect sensitive exam data and candidate information
Lack of 24×7 oversight for mission-critical systems supporting global operations
No proactive monitoring to identify and resolve issues before impacting candidates
Limited in-house AWS expertise to manage increasingly complex cloud infrastructure

Without comprehensive transformation and ongoing managed services, the organisation risked operational disruptions, security vulnerabilities, and inability to scale to meet growing global demand.

THE SOLUTION

CirrusHQ partnered with the organisation to deliver a comprehensive transformation and ongoing 24×7 managed services engagement, consisting of two key phases:

Phase 1: Cloud Migration and Infrastructure Transformation

CirrusHQ migrated the examination platform from legacy private cloud infrastructure to AWS, building a robust, scalable, and cost-effective solution:

Foundational Architecture

AWS Landing Zone implementation providing secure, compliant foundation for all workloads
Multi-account AWS structure with isolated exam resources to enhance security and reduce risks
Centralised authentication through AWS IAM Identity Center with role-based access control (RBAC)
Security hardening across all environments with guardrails and compliance policies

Exam Platform Modernisation

Automated exam provisioning using AWS Step Functions, Lambda, and CodePipeline
Mock exam environments via AWS-hosted public Amazon Machine Images for candidate practice
Secure file-upload platform with Amazon S3 storage and DynamoDB indexing for efficient retrieval
Integration with global test centers expanding delivery from 3 to 70+ countries and 1,000 locations

Results Platform Development

Automated data integration synchronising candidate registration data across Dynamics 365, Pearson VUE, and identity providers
Real-time exam status updates through automated ETL processes
Streamlined results processing with automated submission to third-party marking platforms
Secure candidate portal for file submissions during examinations

Phase 2: 24×7 Managed Services Deployment

Following the successful transformation, CirrusHQ transitioned the organisation to a fully managed operational model:

Continuous Monitoring and Management

24×7 monitoring of all AWS infrastructure, applications, and services by AWS-certified engineers
Proactive alerting and escalation for security, performance, availability, and capacity issues
Real-time incident response ensuring rapid resolution of issues affecting exam delivery
Regular health checks across all systems to identify potential issues before they impact operations

Security Operations

Continuous security monitoring using AWS CloudTrail, CloudWatch, AWS Security Hub, and AWS Config
Automated threat detection and response protecting sensitive exam and candidate data
Vulnerability management with regular assessments and remediation
Compliance monitoring ensuring ongoing alignment with regulatory requirements and industry standards

Optimisation and Support

Monthly cost optimisation reviews identifying opportunities to reduce waste and improve efficiency
Performance tuning ensuring optimal application response times during peak exam periods
Capacity planning to support growing global exam volumes
Architecture advisory providing guidance for new features and enhancements
Regular reporting on security posture, availability, performance, costs, and key operational metrics

Operational Excellence

Patch management ensuring all systems remain current and secure
Backup and disaster recovery oversight with regular testing
Change management supporting safe deployment of updates
On-demand support from dedicated AWS experts for troubleshooting and guidance

AWS SERVICES UTILISED

Infrastructure & Governance

AWS Control Tower
AWS Landing Zone Accelerator (LZA)
AWS Organizations
AWS IAM Identity Center

Compute & Automation

AWS Lambda
AWS Step Functions
AWS CodePipeline
Amazon EC2 (AMIs)

Storage & Databases

Amazon S3
Amazon DynamoDB

Security & Monitoring

AWS CloudTrail
Amazon CloudWatch
AWS Security Hub
AWS Config
AWS Systems Manager

Integration

AWS ETL Services
Third-party integrations (Dynamics 365, Pearson VUE)

THE BENEFITS

Dramatic Operational Efficiency Gains

Automation reduced exam creation and deployment times by 80%, enabling technical teams to focus on innovation and new features rather than manual provisioning processes. Administrative workload was greatly reduced through elimination of manual data handling and errors.

Significant Cost Reduction

Transitioning from fixed-cost legacy private cloud to AWS pay-as-you-go infrastructure achieved a 33% reduction in costs, with the organisation paying only for resources used during exam sessions. Legacy data centres were successfully decommissioned, eliminating ongoing maintenance expenses.

Massive Scalability and Global Reach

Exam delivery capabilities expanded from 3 countries to over 70 countries and 1,000 test centres globally, dramatically increasing accessibility for candidates worldwide. The platform now supports thousands of concurrent exam sessions with consistent performance.

Enhanced Security Posture

Implementation of AWS security best practices, continuous monitoring, and automated threat detection significantly improved security posture. Sensitive exam content and candidate data are protected by multiple layers of security controls, with 24×7 oversight ensuring rapid response to any security events.

24×7 Peace of Mind

With CirrusHQ’s fully managed service, the organisation gained round-the-clock protection and support from AWS experts. Mission-critical exam infrastructure is continuously monitored, with proactive incident management ensuring issues are identified and resolved before impacting candidates or operations.

Improved Candidate Experience

Mock exam environments enable candidates to practice under realistic conditions, improving performance and confidence. Automated processes ensure timely exam scheduling, result processing, and secure file submissions, providing candidates with a seamless experience.

Rapid Innovation and Agility

The modern, well-architected AWS platform enables rapid updates to exam content and delivery mechanisms. The organisation can quickly respond to changing requirements, deploy new features, and adapt to market opportunities without infrastructure constraints.

Focus on Core Mission

By outsourcing complex AWS operations to CirrusHQ, internal teams can focus entirely on advancing professional standards and serving their global membership, rather than managing infrastructure and operations.

KEY OUTCOMES

80% reduction in exam provisioning time and effort
33% cost savings compared to legacy infrastructure
Expansion from 3 to 70+ countries with 1,000+ test center locations
Zero unplanned downtime since implementing 24×7 managed services
Enhanced security posture with continuous monitoring and threat detection
Improved candidate satisfaction through seamless exam experiences
Accelerated innovation with faster deployment of new features
Scalable foundation supporting future growth and global expansion

CUSTOMER TESTIMONIAL

“Working with Cirrus has been a highly positive experience. They quickly grasped our unique needs and demonstrated a deep understanding of our objectives. Throughout the project, Cirrus consistently went above and beyond to ensure successful delivery.

Their proactive approach and ability to propose creative, effective solutions to challenges made them a reliable and invaluable partner.”

Operations Director
Professional Certification Body