Open Credo

Verica

Unlocking Faster Delivery with Kafka and Kubernetes Expertise

With a wealth of deep expertise in continuous verification and chaos engineering, Verica were looking to make their product richer and bring it to market quicker.   The challenge was to devise, design and implement new verifications for inclusion in Verica’s core product.

They were looking for a trusted partner to work within their existing fledgling product development team to use their K8S and Kafka knowledge and skills to create new features for their core product.

Parts of the core platform were re-architected in Golang (from Python), increasing the pace at which individual verifications could be produced.

Through this partnership:

  • The code base was simplified enabling new verifications to be delivered faster 
  • The number of K8S verifications was increased by 66% (12 => 20)
  • 15 new Kafka verifications were released
  • Verica was able to move their customers to the re-architected CVP platform

Motability Operations

Improving Security, Reliability & Time-To-Market Through Platform Engineering

Motability Operations (MO) provides support to thousands of people with disabilities through the Motability Scheme. They had been making good progress moving business logic and services to the cloud as part of a broader cloud migration and transformation initiative. The key challenge they were looking to resolve was improving the speed, reliability and delivery of the end-to-end release process.

MO initially engaged OpenCredo to conduct a guided exploration of the problem space and to provide recommendations on how to move foward. As a result of the insights discovered, OpenCredo was further invited by MO to become a hands-on partner.

Through our collaboration, Motability Operations were able to go on to achieve their vision of gaining fully automated GitOps Continuous Deployment pipelines, for almost all of their cloud-based microservices and micro frontends.

As a result of this partnership Motability Operations gained:

  • A clear view of where to invest and the areas that would reap the most benefits
  • A sensible and realistic roadmap to help move them further along the maturity scale and towards their ultimate vision
  • The ability to deploy software multiple times a day
  • The ability to shift security left and have very low change failure rates (CFR)
  • Happier & more productive development teams!
  • Knowledge sharing and upskilling to empower independent internal software engineering teams

Livy AI

Accelerated Generative-AI Product Development

Livy AI faced a particular challenge of needing to find new ways to support content creators through companion tooling – ultimately to help customers create full-length, high quality film scripts using the latest in AI tooling. OpenCredo was brought in to partner with the product engineering team to help advance their script-writing tooling and develop the product further through our software engineering and ML expertise.

Through the partnership, Livy AI were able to:

  • Assess and validate existing approaches
  • Accelerate R&D efforts and converge on a fuller and more complete screenwriting solution
  • Improve the quality, length and overall story structure of generated scripts
  • Engineer and integrate LLM prompts effectively in an application setting
  • Develop methods that address LLM limitations, including token limits which helped to reduce continuity errors

Livy AI are now able to offer a more refined experience, specific to scriptwriting, which aids in setting them apart from generic tools like ChatGPT.

National Journal

Consolidating datasets, creating a single source of truth, to drive future Data Analytics capabilities

National Journal needed to consolidate numerous and disparate datasets, to enable their analysts to better access and explore connections across multiple clients, projects and dimensions.

With a unified dataset and single source of truth, they gained the ability to generate meaningful data visualisations, and the option to incorporate more sophisticated machine learning and algorithmic methods as their data needs evolved.

Through our partnership we delivered:

  • A flexible process to de-duplicate data and detect data similarities
  • Consolidation of data sets within graph database technology Neo4j
  • A fully managed, elastic data ingestion platform within Google Cloud Platform

UpCloud

Verified Terraform Provider Development

With many of their clients embracing infrastructure-as-code, with a specific move to standardise on Terraform for infrastructure deployment management, UpCloud recognised a fully supported and updated Terraform Provider (with verified status, sanctioned by HashiCorp) was essential to compete with other cloud providers.

Through our partnership we delivered:

  • A Trusted & Supported Provider – Terraform Verified status achieved
  • Improved Developer Experience – Ability to use latest Terraform and UpCloud features, as well as clear documentation with examples for getting up and running quickly.

London Fintech Startup

Transforming the way banking is done through cloud-native technology.

With ambitious growth plans, this London Fintech Startups mission is to transform banking through their cloud-native technology platform. The challenge: Scale their microservices-based platform beyond the initial MVP into a reliable, robust offering supporting multiple high throughput clients. 

Looking for a partner able to bring experience and expertise in cloud native and platform engineering space, we were able to guide and accelerate the building of their banking-as-a-service offering which included delivering:

A modular and configurable multi region banking platform

  • Offering key banking services to clients
  • Enabling customised data analytics and ML insight learnings

A low friction, self service Internal Development Platform (IDP) 

  • Underpinning 40+ concurrent development feature teams
  • Allowing for hands free deployment via CI/CD pipelines 
  • An Improved Developer Experience through the development of custom tooling including configurable K8S Operators

Venafi

Humanising Security Data for Venafi Clients

Via the Machine Identity Protection Fund, Venafi invited OpenCredo to contribute solutions to the cyber security ecosystem specifically focused on managing the security of machine-to-machine communications for Venafi clients.

OpenCredo developed two distinct, yet related solutions which made it easier for clients to acquire and use their machine identity data more intelligently. This resulted in the development and delivery of the open source Kafka Connector for Venafi Platform, and the data-driven Machine Identity Network Explorer Tool (MINEr).

Through our contribution we delivered:

  • An open source, Confluent gold verified Venafi Kafka connector 
  • A crypto data-analytics platform capable of:
    • Exploration and visualisation of the machine identity network space
    • Detecting and highlighting SSH based pivot paths and scenarios
    • Uncovering hidden patterns within the data including identification of anomalies

Not On The High Street

Evolution through Microservices to achieve extraordinary growth in the retail industry

Given exponential growth since launch, NOTHS’ platform needed to handle increased transactions; respond to an ever-changing retail market; and allow them to capitalise on business opportunities.

NOTHS gained knowledge of Microservices (Docker, Mesos, Chronos, HashiCorp Consul…) and contemporary development approaches (BDD, automation, infrastructure-as-code…); plus the skills to be technically self-reliant.

Through our partnership we delivered:

  • A responsive technology platform to support their business’ continuous growth.
  • A highly skilled in-house Java development team that enables NOTHS to be self-reliant.
  • Knowledge of technology options to enable NOTHS to optimise their platform as needed.

 

SFR

Using Neo4j graph database to minimise network downtime, improve customers’ experience and reduce costs

Complex national telecommunications company, with legacy third-party technology, needed to predict its network’s potential points of failure; whilst reducing technology costs, network downtime and financial penalties, in order to improve its customers’ experience.

SFR is now self-reliant, and no longer dependent on legacy third-party systems. By working in partnership with us, SFR now possess the technology, knowledge and expertise to proactively manage their network, and offer their customers the best possible service.

Through our partnership we delivered:

  • A flexible and scalable solution that allows for future growth or network changes.
  • In-house capability to manage its systems and minimise network downtime.
  • Reduced technology costs and fewer compensation claims.

 

Sedex

Honouring CSR with fast access to ethical supply chain data via Google Compute Engine

Global membership organisation facing an exponential load on its Business Intelligence applications and data exchange, needed its legacy platform overhauled, to meet growing customer demands, enable scrutiny of multiple sources of data, and analysis of trends

Sedex now has a flexible, industry-leading data processing platform. They can now manage their own multitude of datasets, design reports and deliver on-demand. These improvements have given them a clear competitive advantage in the marketplace.

Through our partnership we delivered:

  • The ability to fulfil clients’ complex and bespoke data requests at very short notice
  • A 40% reduction in costs via the introduction of Google Compute Engine
  • Faster turnaround – from hours to milliseconds – of complex, digestible reports

 

Central Government

Moving from a single service provider lock-in towards cost-saving multi-cloud.

Central government department needed to reduce costs and move towards cloud-based services, in order to empower their internal technology teams with a self-service tool.

The department gained contemporary and budget-friendly cloud-based services, moved beyond traditional hosting and locked-in supplier contracts, and reduced their external dependencies, all of which liberated their internal technical teams.

Through our partnership we delivered:

  • The ability to manage environments within any preferred cloud provider.
  • A secure, repeatable and traceable self-service provisioning experience.
  • A faster environment creation lifecycle, reduced from several weeks to under 1 hour.

WG Intetech

Smarter software delivery and improved safety monitoring in the oil and gas sector

WG Intetech were keen to get product updates and software releases to the market faster. In order to achieve this, they needed to make their technology and business processes more efficient. WG Intetech recognised they did not have the necessary skills in-house to do this.

WG Intetech are now benefitting from a reduction in the time taken to get their products to market. Furthermore, by empowering the development teams, managers have been freed up to focus their energies and attention on other parts of the business.

Through our partnership we delivered:

  • Improved team morale allowing managers to concentrate on core business areas
  • Faster and more cost-effective development of high quality,feature-rich products
  • Accelerated releases of new products and upgrades

Woorank

Using Mesos to streamline infrastructure, accelerate deployment and reduce server costs

Growing customer demands had seen WooRank’s infrastructure sprawl to over 100 servers. With a team of just eight managing its infrastructure, WooRank needed to optimise its technology, whilst also allowing its developers to deploy new website features quickly.

OpenCredo helped WooRank port its existing servers to the new infrastructure within two weeks. By transferring knowledge to the WooRank team, we also enabled WooRank to manage their new infrastructure without the need for additional assistance.

Through our partnership we delivered:

  • Significantly faster deployment of new features (down from hours to minutes)
  • Vastly reduced infrastructure complexity (down from 100+ to 15 servers)
  • Server cost savings of up to 45%

Mobile Network Operator

From Batch to Streaming – unlocking the power of data with Event Sourcing

Our client was passionate about deepening engagement with their customers and reducing churn. They sought to improve their Business Intelligence (BI), make data more accessible internally, and gain greater insights in order to create a more powerful member experience.

Through our partnership we delivered:

  • A technically-sound data strategy and greater real-time access to critical information.
  • In-house technical skills, cutting edge technologies and modern development.
  • A production-quality PoC that in-house developers could build a final solution upon.

 

Having previously worked together (on a microservices project), we were delighted when they asked us to help them with this challenge.

Kaidee

Growing online marketplace tackles expanding Data needs with Apache Cassandra

Kaidee needed a solution that would scale seamlessly, support continued the expansion of their data requirements, and automate repetitive tasks. They had an ever-growing volume of data, they needed to access and analyse.

Kaidee gained practical Cassandra skills, the confidence to expand their use of Cassandra, and the ability to operate and manage a data solution that supported their business growth.

Through our partnership we delivered:

  • An assessment of the most appropriate usage of Cassandra for Kaidee’s data needs
  • A scalable technical solution to support Kaidee’s exponential data growth
  • Hands-on, in-house Cassandra training to Kaidee’s own people

 

Kidsloop

Transforming Education Through Platform Engineering

Kidsloop is an Ed-Tech unicorn startup providing adaptive educational experiences to children.

They were on the lookout for a tech partner to help them expand their platform into multiple global locations. Kidsloop needed a team with all the necessary platform, data and cloud-native engineering expertise to support rapid deployment and future development of their platform which spanned a variety of traditional, as well as more exotic  cloud environments.

Through this partnership Kidsloop was able to successfully migrate on to, and build their new AWS based fully-featured cloud-native platform. As a result of this work they saw:

  • Increased productivity as the new platform freed up engineering teams to focus on growth
  • Rapid expansion into new markets
  • Reduction in deployment times, down from weeks and days to just a few hours
  • Capacity and ability to handle huge amounts of data through machine learning and analytics workflows that OpenCredo helped them build
  • Knowledge Transfer and upskilling the local teams to enable them to take ownership of the platform

Sage Publishing

Knowledge Graphs as a catalyst for change

Sage Publishing was looking to become more data driven by gaining insights into their creators, customers and – ultimately – their business.

Acknowledging their need to become more data-driven and to continue to preserve their reputation for high quality, dependable publications.  The challenge was to devise a data solution that modelled their unique domain in order to identify fraudulent authors quickly and efficiently

OpenCredo worked with the Sage data science team to use their expertise in data modelling and analytics.The team developed a production ready POC,  to construct a knowledge graph that allowed them to identify and visualise fraudulent actors within their ecosystem of authors.

The solution was built in Neo4j on GCP and ingested over 1TB of data, creating over 300 million nodes to analyse over 2 billion author-publication relationships.

  • Several previously-unknown fraudulent authors were uncovered
  • Other departments saw the value in the solution and are looking to incorporate the data model into their processes
  • It has created a catalyst for other departments becoming more data driven in addition to upskilling their data science team