2024

Calfrac Cost Estimation Platform

Modernization and cloud migration of a business-critical project cost estimation system, transforming legacy infrastructure into a modern, secure, and scalable cloud-based solution.

Project Image

Overview

Calfrac Well Services, a leading provider of specialized oilfield services, faced a critical challenge with their aging on-premises project cost estimating infrastructure. Built in 2015, this system had become the backbone of their daily operations but was becoming increasingly costly to maintain and difficult to secure properly.

I was brought in as Technical Lead to oversee the modernization and cloud migration of this business-critical system, working with a team of 5 developers to ensure zero service disruption during the transition.

Project Goals

As Technical Lead, I managed the team focused on these key requirements:

  • Upgrade from ASP.NET 2.0 to .NET 8
  • Implement a modern React frontend
  • Migrate to cloud infrastructure
  • Maintain all existing integrations
  • Complete production migration within 12-hour maintenance window
  • Ensure zero data loss during transition

My Role

I served as Technical Lead from day one, working directly with Calfrac stakeholders to:

  • Design the migration strategy
  • Establish project timeline and pricing
  • Coordinate between development team and Calfrac's security/network teams
  • Oversee the production launch

Technologies Used

  • .NET 8
  • React
  • Azure Cloud Services
  • SQL Server
  • Entity Framework Core

Challenges and Solutions

Legacy System Migration

"How do we modernize a business-critical application while maintaining all existing functionality?"

Our approach focused on incremental modernization:

  1. System Analysis

    • Documented all existing features
    • Mapped data flows and integrations
    • Identified critical business logic

  2. Modernization Strategy

    • Created parallel development tracks
    • Implemented automated testing
    • Established feature parity validation

  3. Data Migration Planning

    • Developed robust migration scripts
    • Created rollback procedures
    • Implemented verification checks

Integration Preservation

"How do we maintain multiple system integrations during the migration?"

We developed a comprehensive integration strategy:

  1. Integration Mapping

    • Documented all incoming/outgoing data flows
    • Created integration test suites
    • Established monitoring systems

  2. Migration Approach

    • Implemented temporary data synchronization
    • Created fallback mechanisms
    • Developed real-time validation tools

Production Launch Strategy

The 12-hour maintenance window required precise execution:

  1. Launch Preparation

    • Detailed runbook creation
    • Multiple dry runs in staging
    • Automated deployment scripts
    • Rollback procedures

  2. Execution Plan

    • Coordinated team assignments
    • Monitoring checkpoints
    • Communication protocols
    • Verification steps

Outcomes

The modernization project was successfully completed with significant benefits:

  • Migration Success

    • Zero data loss
    • No service interruptions
    • Completed within maintenance window
    • All integrations preserved

  • Performance Improvements

    • 40% reduction in response times
    • 60% decrease in infrastructure costs
    • Enhanced security compliance
    • Improved scalability