Modernisation of a collaboration tool suite for an automotive manufacturer
Modern Cloud Environment for LBS Süd
One of the first building societies in the cloud: LBS Süd reduces operational effort through a container-based architecture with Amazon EKS
Together with jambit, LBS Süd positioned itself as one of the first building societies in the cloud and fundamentally modernized its historically grown legacy IT with a container-based architecture based on Amazon EKS. The new environment integrates applications efficiently, meets regulatory requirements, and significantly reduces operational effort.
Client: LBS Süd
Project: Development of a cloud environment with high regulatory requirements
Industry: Banking & Insurance
Services: Development of a secure, scalable, future-proof, and low-maintenance cloud environment with high security standards
Technologies: Hybrid cloud architecture with AWS, Kubernetes (Amazon EKS), Docker, Terragrunt, Terraform, OpenTofu, HashiCorp stack, GitLab, OIDC, CI/CD, Golang
Challenge
LBS’s initial situation was characterized by a historically grown system landscape that was predominantly operated on-premises. This made integration into modern cloud architectures difficult. Manual processes further complicated reliable operations, repeatedly leading to high time expenditure and susceptibility to errors. These factors also hindered efficient scalability. The goal was to enable transparent and collaborative evolution of the system landscape.
At the same time, the need increased for modern operating environments that are low maintenance in the long term, secure, and allow automated as well as rapid provisioning of new services. Against this backdrop, LBS Bayern decided on a comprehensive modernization as early as 2018. The starting point was an assessment of the system infrastructure by jambit, with the goal of creating transparency and defining a future-proof target architecture.
Equally challenging were the high regulatory requirements, established processes, and specific framework conditions. jambit built deep industry expertise through many years of experience working with numerous financial service providers and insurance institutions.
Implementation
Architecture
Based on the existing system landscape, jambit developed a target architecture and has been continuously supporting the organization on its journey to the cloud ever since. Originally intended only as a proof of concept (PoC) for a bank-compliant cloud, the initiative evolved over several years into a fundamental modernization of the entire cloud and system landscape.
For modernization, jambit consistently relied on modern, open, and scalable open-source technologies and established technology standards. This foundation was complemented by selected AWS services such as Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (Amazon EKS), enabling efficient and scalable management of Kubernetes workloads. This combination merges the flexibility and transparency of open source with stability, security, and high level of self-management of the AWS cloud. In this way, a future-proof, elastic, and low-maintenance system landscape was created, gradually integrating into LBS’s existing IT and cloud architecture.
The focus was on building a system landscape with minimal maintenance effort, maximizing automation, and reducing long-term operational costs. New applications are supported from the outset, including architecture consulting, provisioning of new server environments, observability concepts, backup strategies, and GitOps deployments.
Technologies
Technologies used included AWS Cloud, Kubernetes (Amazon EKS), Docker, Terragrunt, Terraform, OpenTofu, the HashiCorp stack, GitLab, modern CI/CD pipelines, Golang, and modern authentication mechanisms such as OpenID Connect.
Working approach
Work was primarily organized using Kanban. Agile elements such as daily stand-ups complemented this method, along with regular retrospectives both within the team and jointly with LBS. This feedback culture enables transparent handling of both technical and organizational challenges.
Challenges arose less on the technical side and more in terms of organizational transformation. In addition to technological questions, the significant cultural shift toward the cloud required a shared understanding of new ways of working and roles. This required an intensive transformation process, particularly for LBS developers.
Cooperation & continuous development
What began as a proof of concept for a bank-compliant cloud evolved into a long-term collaboration. Since the initial target architecture in 2018, the system landscape has been continuously developed – from early prototypes and implementations to stable operation and lifecycle management, including in the data warehouse environment. The scope of services ultimately extended to building and operating scalable Kubernetes environments in AWS.
Today, a team of nine developers with clear responsibilities and deep system knowledge works on the system landscape. At least two experts are responsible for each subproject to distribute knowledge and ensure resilience. Collaboration with LBS is characterized by transparency, close communication, and a strong cooperation built on trust that has grown steadily over the years.
jambit supports LBS in continuously evolving existing infrastructure, securely and efficiently integrating new applications into the AWS cloud, and sustainably automating operations. This support covers the entire lifecycle – from idea and architectural decisions to ongoing operations and continuous improvements.
Result
Through joint modernization, LBS now benefits from a modern, scalable, and low-maintenance cloud environment that enables a high degree of automation and can be operated efficiently while remaining flexible for further development. This reduces manual effort, minimizes sources of error, and enables significantly faster deployments: provisioning time for new systems has been reduced from up to two weeks to approximately three hours, allowing much faster implementation of changes. At the same time, the system landscape meets all regulatory requirements for banks.
The new environment provides a reliable foundation for future digital initiatives while ensuring significantly greater transparency and closer collaboration in daily operations.
Standardized, clearly defined processes for new applications also shorten time-to-market, while proactive monitoring ensures that potential issues are detected and resolved before they lead to outages. The elastic infrastructure reliably scales with LBS’s requirements. At the same time, the extensive system knowledge built up by jambit over the years enables rapid classification of new requests and joint development of suitable solutions.
In addition, the AWS cloud creates tangible added value across LBS’s entire value chain – from internal business applications to customer-facing solutions. During the migration to the centrally provided application “OSPlus Bausparen,” existing systems were evaluated, modernized, and partially migrated to the cloud, allowing today’s system landscape to seamlessly build on these advancements.
Last but not least, the project strengthened the trusted collaboration between LBS and jambit, forming the foundation for the ongoing development of the shared cloud architecture.
Successes at a glance
- Provision of a stable, scalable, and modern cloud environment
- Modernized cloud and system landscape including Kubernetes operations
- Reliable compliance with regulatory requirements (e.g., BaFin, DORA)
- One of the first building societies in the cloud
- High degree of automation with reduced operational effort
- Development of a clear, reusable cloud process for new applications
- Early issue detection through monitoring systems
- Technically sophisticated proof of concepts and strong creative freedom for the team
- Established collaboration based on trust
About LBS Süd
LBS Süd represents the building society of the savings banks in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, and Rhineland-Palatinate. It was formed through the merger of LBS Südwest and LBS Bayern, creating the largest regional building society. Its core business includes home savings, construction financing, and other real estate-related services. With nearly 2.6 million customers, LBS Süd is the market leader. As one of the first building societies to adopt a cloud environment based on Amazon EKS, it is considered an innovative pioneer in the industry.
Get in touch!
Would you like to modernize your existing IT landscape and benefit from a container-based cloud architecture with Amazon EKS?
Get in touch with us to discuss your individual requirements!
If you have any questions, please contact Adrian Sternitzke, Sales Manager Banking & Insurance, by simply leaving him a message here.
* Mandatory field
- Previous page
- To overview
- Next page
