Challenge
As Avila University’s technology demands evolved, the institution sought a strategic partner to help modernize its infrastructure—starting with a transition to the cloud. The goal: support academic operations with flexible solutions that could securely scale with the university’s needs while minimizing disruption to daily activities.
Solution
IP Pathways delivered a hybrid cloud strategy that gave Avila the flexibility to gradually migrate workloads and applications, beginning with a single cloud application. By combining AdaptiveCloud® Cloud Infrastructure with colocation options, the solution offered tailored migration paths and workload distribution—allowing the university to move at its own pace while ensuring critical systems remained stable and secure.
Beyond cloud services, IP Pathways also strengthened Avila’s network through their Managed Network Services, resulting in improved performance, increased visibility, and proactive support:
“Their Managed Network Services have provided us with improved performance, greater visibility, and proactive support—all of which contribute to higher uptime and a more secure, stable environment.” Jonathan Gambill, Chief Information Officer, Avila University
Migration Strategy
The migration followed a 12-week timeline and a three-phase execution strategy.
- Phase 1 focused on migrating core IT infrastructure, including Active Directory, DNS Security, and Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP).
- Phase 2 transitioned non-critical applications such as internal utility servers and monitoring tools.
- Phase 3 involved the migration of production workloads, including Jenzabar and network file servers.
Cutovers were scheduled primarily over weekends when campus activity was lower to reduce disruption. Despite careful planning, the project faced challenges stemming from shorter-than-expected maintenance windows and the temporary loss of institutional knowledge due to staffing turnover. These issues were addressed and after the project was underway, the team remained committed to the phased plan to ensure stability and minimize risk.
Results
Performance and Operational Improvements
- Enhanced performance and end-user experience by migrating workloads to cloud-based infrastructure that utilizes modern chipsets, high-performance memory, and solid-state drive (SSD) storage.
- Significantly reduced operational overhead by eliminating the need to patch, maintain and replace legacy on-premises components.
Infrastructure Optimization
- Cloud rightsizing enabled the optimal allocation of CPU, memory and storage resources—balancing performance with cost and avoiding overprovisioning.
Elimination of Legacy Solutions
- Decommissioned on-premises servers, NetApp storage arrays, and VMware hypervisors.
- This removal eliminated complex hardware dependencies and the need for costly professional services.
This cloud migration delivered substantial operational, financial and strategic value to the organization thanks to IP Pathways’ end-to-end guidance. The project successfully retired legacy infrastructure, rightsized workloads and enhanced security and scalability through a phased and collaborative approach. According to Avila:
“One of the standout strengths of IP Pathways is their ability to guide institutions through critical technology shifts—most notably, our transition to the cloud. Their team provided clarity, confidence, and expertise at every step.” Jonathan Gambill, Chief Information Officer, Avila University
Despite staffing changes and scheduling conflicts affecting timelines, close collaboration between the project team and the customer minimized disruption during the migration. This partnership highlights the importance of realistic scheduling, flexible planning and proactive communication regarding resource availability.
“Our experience with IP Pathways at Avila University has been nothing short of outstanding. As a strategic technology partner in the higher education space, they’ve consistently demonstrated a deep understanding of our evolving needs and delivered tailored solutions that align with our academic mission, operational goals, and security priorities. One of IP Pathways’ standout strengths is its ability to guide institutions through critical technology shifts—most notably, our transition to the cloud. Their team provided clarity, confidence, and expertise at every step.” Jonathan Gambill, Chief Information Officer, Avila University
View the full case study: Avila University Case Study
