CAD workplaces in the cloud. Project Neptun takes off.

Moving the IT infrastructure to the Microsoft Azure Cloud enables innovative projects.

Hunziker Betatech plans complex infrastructure projects and regularly requires high, flexible computing power for demanding calculations and planning tasks. With the previous on-premises IT infrastructure in the data centre, this was no longer feasible and always meant investments in additional hardware resources. Together with the Baggenstos team, individually tailored workplaces were created, powered by the agility of the cloud platform.

The joint project “Neptun” took almost a year: migrating Hunziker Betatech’s agile IT infrastructure – including high-performance CAD workplaces – to Microsoft Azure Cloud. The result speaks for itself. Founded in 1963, the company is now fit for the future.

Hunziker Betatech AG

Founded in 1963 and headquartered in Winterthur, Hunziker Betatech AG operates ten offices across Switzerland and is also active in Germany. Approximately 230 highly qualified professionals from diverse disciplines deliver complex infrastructure projects in the water, construction and environmental engineering sectors. Research and development is a key priority, and the company collaborates closely with universities.

{{Referenz (/hunziker-betatech) | Benjamin Lüthi}}

{{Referenz (/hunziker-betatech) | Dominik Börrnert}}

Future-Proof IT Infrastructure through Azure Cloud Migration

Hunziker Betatech is a multidisciplinary engineering company specialising in complex infrastructure projects in water, construction and environment. To avoid hardware reinvestments and increase flexibility, the company – which has worked with Baggenstos for over ten years – closed down its “earthbound” data centre and migrated its IT infrastructure to the cloud within one year. These efforts were part of a long-term strategy developed jointly with Baggenstos years earlier.

After a comprehensive assessment, conducted together with Baggenstos, the decision was made to pursue a phased migration.

Prepared for the Future

Thanks to thorough preparation, the migration was completed on time and within budget. Further initiatives are already in planning, which will benefit significantly from the move to Microsoft Azure Cloud – for example, the use of machine learning services and the integration of AI into Hunziker Betatech’s processes.

Today, the company already benefits from location- and device-independent work on virtual CAD workplaces, along with flexibly scalable computing power – for complex simulations or high-performance computing in special projects.

Facts & Figures

Key Figures

• 230 users and clients
• 20 virtual servers
• 46 Azure Virtual Desktops (AVD), with the option to allocate several depending on performance needs
• 5 Azure Platform-as-a-Service solutions (maintenance-free), replacing virtual servers

Initial Situation and Objectives

The existing IT infrastructure in the data centre was to be migrated to Microsoft Azure Cloud. The goals were:

• To avoid hardware reinvestments
• To enhance flexibility and IT security

A particular challenge was the performance of CAD workplaces. During use, these workstations were fully saturated and unavailable for any other task. In addition, latency often limited productivity.

Solution and Implementation

For Project “Neptun”, Hunziker Betatech adopted a phased migration approach:

• Core applications and databases were migrated first
• Remaining components followed step by step

The team leveraged the benefits of Microsoft Azure Cloud, including:

• Scalable, highly available resources with on-demand adjustment
• Integrated security and backup solutions for data protection and recovery
• A modular, open platform for integrating new services
• Data residency guaranteed in Switzerland

Results

Project Neptun was a major success. The cloud migration was completed on schedule and within budget, delivering numerous advantages:

• Location- and device-independent work through virtual CAD workplaces
• Flexible computing power without hardware investments (e.g. for simulations or high-performance computing via AVD)
• Pay-as-you-go usage of Microsoft Azure Cloud
• Individually equipped workplaces: each employee now works with IT services tailored to their role (local workstation or AVD)
• Significant cost savings thanks to lower maintenance requirements and the elimination of capital investments and associated risks

Why Baggenstos?

Baggenstos stands out for its strong expertise in the Microsoft ecosystem. Existing technologies were seamlessly adopted or modernised, while older legacy systems were either adapted to the new solution or replaced with expert guidance.