Going super modern

Terraforming cloud infrastructure

To achieve his vision, Goh formed a cloud platform team that worked to align cloud modernization with cost-saving activities. The team began executing a plan culminating in the development and deployment of a self-service portal for UniSuper internal customers.

Team members would train on Terraform through real-world projects. The goal of training would be to “encourage developers to become champions in automation,” said Goh. The platform team will also establish guardrails and transition to an operations team, after learning Terraform. It will leverage those skills to build CI/CD pipelines with standardized modules. The platform team will also work to scale Terraform and look for new avenues for innovation. “The goal is to have engineers learn and help everyone work effectively in a continuous manner to improve that environment.”

A gateway for ongoing success

UniSuper is a place where future-minded Australians can come together. It’s a community as much as it is a pension fund. Goh and his team have maintained that ethos in collaborating with HashiCorp. “Now, the team can answer the question, ‘How can I make what I’m doing repeatable?’ because HashiCorp is easy to learn and implement.”

Tight collaboration has been a hallmark of the ongoing partnership. “Our relationship with HashiCorp is not just a business transaction. The team has always been attentive to our needs and helps us determine how we can deliver our projects.”

Terraform Cloud also offers another valuable benefit to UniSuper. The engineering team will need additional skills as it scales its operations and prospective candidates are intrigued by the cutting-edge solution. “We see a spark or excitement when candidates learn we’re using Terraform,” Goh says. “HashiCorp helps reduce turnover because employees feel as though they are progressing alongside UniSuper’s cloud journey as they tackle exciting problems.”