Retail Group Saves $3M Annually by Streamlining IT Post-merger and Migrating Workloads to AWS

Together we are:

Reducing infrastructure costs by $3 million annually
Supporting business consolidation across six data centers and multiple retail brands
Accelerating modernization through containerization and cloud migration strategies
Meeting internal efficiency targets
Delivering a 77% ROI

The Client

Amid a major M&A-driven transformation, this US-based, nationwide retail group faced the challenge of integrating systems and operations while maintaining service continuity and meeting aggressive internal efficiency targets.

The Challenge

The merger introduced immediate pressure to unify IT systems, reduce costs, and ensure uninterrupted service across brands. The client’s infrastructure spanned six data centers with disparate platforms, escalating licensing fees, and limited internal bandwidth. Internal teams were stretched thin, managing both legacy environments and complex integration efforts. Without intervention, the client risked delays in consolidation, overspending on infrastructure, and disruption to business-critical applications.

Recognizing these risks, the client engaged Ensono to develop a business case for exiting their existing hypervisor platform and to identify a modernization path that would support both immediate and long-term business goals.

The Journey

Ensono proposed a two-part strategy: Migrate suitable workloads to public cloud with AWS investment funding and convert the remaining environment to Red Hat. This approach would reduce long-term licensing exposure, increase flexibility, and align infrastructure with modernization goals. Ensono managed the AWS funding request, coordinated with multiple vendors (including AWS, IBM, and Red Hat), and developed a data center consolidation and shutdown strategy.

By managing the complexity and vendor relationships, Ensono reduced the burden on the client’s internal teams and accelerated progress toward a more cost-effective, modern infrastructure. Containerization was introduced as a path to modernize applications and accelerate data center shutdowns, providing a scalable foundation for future innovation.

The Outcomes

With Ensono’s support, the client is achieving:

A projected $3 million in annual savings and a 77% return on investment within the first year
Reduced operational risk and licensing costs through targeted modernization
Data center consolidation and application modernization via containerization
Maintenance of business continuity and operational stability during a complex merger
The freedom to focus on strategic priorities and future growth, while ensuring current operations remain stable and efficient.