From Monoliths to Multi-Sites: Two Stories of Enterprise Drupal Website Migrations Done Right

Let’s face it, enterprise website migrations are rarely simple. Between legacy complexity, tight timelines, and the risk of disruption, it’s no surprise that they can become a source of stress, but with the right strategy and partner, migrations don’t have to be painful. In fact, they can be an opportunity to build something better.

At amazee.io, we like to see large-scale platform migrations as a chance to improve architecture, boost performance, and lay a more resilient foundation for the future.

In the two examples below, which we also shared in our webinar “Migrations Beyond the Handoff”, we helped two global organisations navigate two very different Drupal migration challenges – one focused on stability and performance for a mission-critical site, the other on scale, automation, and developer enablement. Together, they highlight what’s possible when migrations are approached with care, structure, and the right balance of expertise and collaboration.

Migration 1: How We Delivered a Zero-Downtime Migration for Renesas - a Global Tech Leader

Renesas, a global leader in automotive, industrial, and IoT innovation, approached us to migrate their mission-critical Drupal 10 website. With its complex setup, multiple integrations, and a history of occasional downtime, the platform needed more than just a basic lift-and-shift. The experienced in-house development team was looking for a partner who could offer more substantial support, greater flexibility, and improved security.

We know this challenge all too well and solve it regularly through our enterprise hosting migration services, which are explicitly designed for large-scale, complex platforms like this.

Over the course of six months, we worked closely with the client’s development team to deliver a structured, low-risk migration. From the outset, the focus was on clarity and alignment, beginning with a detailed technical discovery to assess the existing infrastructure, highlight potential risks, and define what success would look like. By setting up the new hosting environment early in the process, we gave their team the space to explore, test, and build confidence in the new platform well ahead of go-live

Training was a key part of the process. Although the client’s developers already knew the platform well, we helped them adapt to a more cloud-native environment – refining workflows, introducing tooling best practices, and ensuring they had everything needed to operate independently post-migration.

We also worked to improve performance and security across the board. The platform now benefits from targeted backend optimizations, such as database tuning, PHP enhancements, and a shift to Redis caching, which collectively boosted site speed under load. On the security front, we introduced a web application firewall, locked down the cluster by tightening access controls and restricting unnecessary services, and enforced least privilege access across the environment to meet enterprise-grade standards.

The result? A seamless migration with no downtime – and, just as notably, a platform the client could feel confident in.

How We Automated the Migration of 180+ Drupal Sites with Minimal Client Involvement

This second project came with a different kind of complexity. Our client, a global pharmaceutical company, needed to migrate over 180 decoupled Drupal multi-sites while navigating an internal IT migration. With limited internal resources and stretched team availability, they required a partner who could lead the process end-to-end, with as little friction as possible.

So we shaped our approach around those realities. This meant taking full ownership of the project delivery and building in automation, security, and efficiency from day one.

We built a custom migration platform using Ansible and AWX to manage the scale and reduce manual effort. This let us automate large parts of the process and ensure consistency across deployments, which made a real difference. We also implemented a base image strategy to support consistent, efficient updates across the board, which played a key role in helping us reduce deployment times to under a minute. This approach was especially valuable given the size and number of migrated sites.

When it came to transferring data, we needed a secure and streamlined approach. We set up a transfer process using S3 buckets, allowing content to move reliably between environments without needing direct access to the client’s legacy infrastructure. This helped maintain control, reduce complexity, and keep the migration process moving smoothly.

Given the limited client involvement, we prioritized developing clear documentation. We created a comprehensive resource hub to support the client’s team post-migration, covering platform usage, ongoing management, and internal processes. Beyond documentation, the developer experience was a key focus. Built on Lagoon, the new platform enables faster, more confident delivery through features like canary deployments and simplified project creation, making it easier for teams to move quickly without sacrificing control.

Despite the constraints, the migration was a success. We delivered a flexible, standardised platform backed by an automated deployment process, reducing complexity and setting the foundation for future growth. The new infrastructure improved site performance and security, while streamlined workflows now support faster, safer releases.

We’ll be sharing the full case study soon, which will provide a deeper look at how automation, developer experience, and scale came together in this project. In the meantime, if you’d like to dig deeper into this topic, the webinar recording, Unlocking the Art of Enterprise Platform Migrations, is still available. It features additional insights into how we approach enterprise platform migrations.

Key Takeaways

These migrations may have been different in scope, but the same foundations made them successful.

• Strategic alignment and collaboration lead to better outcomes – The strongest migrations are built on open and honest communication, clear roles, and an approach tailored to the organisation’s structure, complexity, and capacity.
  
• Early environment setup builds confidence – Creating space for testing and familiarisation ahead of go-live helps ensure a smoother transition.
  
• Automation is essential for scale and consistency – Tools like Ansible, AWX, and base image workflows reduce manual effort and speed up deployment.
  
• Performance and security go hand-in-hand – Combining backend optimisation with infrastructure hardening leads to faster, more resilient platforms.
  
• Clear documentation supports sustainable success – A well-documented platform reduces dependency, accelerates onboarding, and simplifies day-to-day operations.

These real-world examples show how even the most complex migrations can become strategic opportunities, with the right approach and partner. Whether you're focused on stability, scale, or a more substantial developer experience, the migration process doesn’t have to be a disruption. It can be the beginning of something better.

Are you thinking about migrating your platform? We can help you create a tailored, efficient, and future-ready plan. Get in touch to start the conversation!