Regional Government Authority
Case Study
Overview
Industry: Public Sector
Services: Managed Services
One of New Zealand’s largest and fastest-growing cities relies on a comprehensive network of infrastructure and systems to deliver essential services to residents.
To support this, the city council must maintain a high-performing and secure IT environment. But as demands grew, it became clear that the council’s legacy support model and outdated SQL Server environment were no longer fit for purpose.
Here’s a snapshot of the customer’s journey
The Challenge
The council was working with a vendor that operated on a reactive support model, with alerts often missed or addressed too late.
As a result, system availability and response times suffered. Compounding these issues were outdated SQL Server instances and a licensing structure that didn’t align with actual system use.
The internal team recognised the need for a strategic partner who could modernise the environment, improve performance, reduce costs, and deliver a proactive support model aligned with the council’s long-term digital goals.
The Solution
DataSentinel was engaged to transform the council’s database estate. The engagement began with a detailed review of the infrastructure and a tailored transformation roadmap.
Over a six-month period, DataSentinel consolidated database servers, standardised configurations, and ensured all systems were upgraded to supported versions.
The team also identified areas where licensing could be optimised – for example, replacing full production licenses with Developer editions where appropriate. This helped reduce costs and eliminate inefficiencies, while increasing resilience and performance across core systems.
Key Benefits
Significantly reduced SQL Server licensing and infrastructure costs
Upgraded, consolidated environment aligned with best practices
Improved availability and responsiveness across core systems
Increased operational efficiency and simplified maintenance
Trusted partnership delivering ongoing proactive support
The Results
Following the transformation, the council now runs a right-sized SQL Server environment that balances cost, performance, and risk.
Downtime and delays have been significantly reduced, and internal teams now work with a partner that understands their operating environment and provides proactive, strategic support.
With greater platform stability and transparency, the council is better equipped to meet the needs of a growing population.
“We are extremely impressed with the DataSentinel team and the value they have delivered, who are night and day better than our previous provider.”