How Hollard Insurance achieved a complex data centre migration under a strict deadline

Since launching in Australia in 1999, Hollard Insurance has become one of the country’s largest general insurers. Through partnerships with iconic Australian brands, Hollard underwrites a broad range of insurance products including motor, home, contents, business, and pet insurance.  

Hollard Insurance’s incumbent managed services provider (MSP) informed the insurer it planned to close its private cloud, leaving Hollard facing a strict timeline to execute a large-scale data migration.  

However, the initial engagement quickly expanded in complexity. The migration involved moving hundreds of virtual servers to a new data centre in one weekend, with a mix of generations of IT systems and platforms.  

Larry Neimann, Head of Technology Operations at Hollard, said Interactive’s cloud team initially partnered with Hollard to identify opportunities for consolidation, migration and remediation across its platforms.  

“Interactive performed some IT discovery work for us which provided clarity around the challenges and requirements of our environment. Once our MSP announced it was discontinuing its cloud services, it was clear we needed the support of experienced engineers, architects and technicians. Interactive worked diligently alongside us at every turn, offering support throughout the project.” 

Strategic Planning

Ideally the migration would have been completed over several weekends, however given the complexities, limited technology options and tight timelines proved by the incumbent, there was no room for error. Together, Interactive and Hollard developed a comprehensive risk management strategy and applied a framework of rigorous testing and scenario planning to expedite the migration efficiently and safely. Hollard remained responsible for making decisions around timing, from when to begin the migration through to ensuring it stayed on track.

Technical Maintenance and Support

The migration required a team effort. Hollard’s leaders made decisions that empowered both teams to move quickly, while Interactive provided around the clock access to strategic and technical experts to ensure seamless and reliable system migration.

Experts in Microsoft Azure VMware Services

Interactive offered specialised experts in Microsoft Azure VMware Services (AVS), a new environment for Hollard Insurance. Through ongoing communication with Microsoft, Interactive successfully resolved technical challenges and guided Hollard’s team through the framework. 

Interactive delivered the complete IT migration, with minimal business disruption. All core operations were functioning on the Monday following the weekend migration, which resulted in positive recognition from Hollard’s Leadership Team for the smooth execution.   

“Up until Friday morning, there was still a fair amount of anxiety on both sides, however, given the preparation and testing already completed, we made the call to go ahead. By Saturday afternoon, we knew it was going well,” said Neimann.  

Interactive’s value extended beyond technical delivery by helping to manage the stress and exhaustion of teams working long hours, coordinating between multiple vendors. This project helped build a strong relationship between Hollard and Interactive, leading to ongoing collaboration on further projects.  

“Ultimately, Interactive didn’t just deliver a technical solution; it provided the strategic partnership and expertise to navigate a complex migration under tight deadlines,” said Neimann. “When no one notices that anything has changed, we know it means the migration was a success.” 

Brad Wells, Director of Enterprise Sales at Interactive, said the planning and open communication between Hollard and Interactive was key to success. 

“In today’s digital environment, strong partnerships and resilient networks are critical to success. With Hollard Insurance, we shifted from a staggered pace to a fast-moving approach, thanks to Hollard’s decisiveness to move forward. The successful data centre migration speaks volumes to the collaborative relationship between Hollard and Interactive.” 

• Acted as a strategic advisor and provided real-time troubleshooting.  
• Expertise in Microsoft Azure VMware Solution.  
• 24/7 support, with the project completed in a single weekend.  
• Secure and scalable Private Cloud Solution, ensuring optimal performance and seamless integration with existing infrastructure.