Case Study

Optimizing Costs and Restoring Website for the Harvard Computer Society

Background

The Harvard Computer Society (HCS) is the largest computer science organization at Harvard University, promoting interest in computing and information technology among its members.

The society relies heavily on its online presence to engage with its community and provide valuable resources. However, it faced challenges with managing its AWS infrastructure, leading to higher costs and issues with its primary website.

The Challenge

HCS needed immediate help optimizing its AWS costs, including removing unused EC2 instances and fixing its website, which had SSL issues that disrupted its main online presence.

Additionally, it sought to simplify its Route 53 configuration by removing unneeded zones and restructuring its website’s hosting to be more efficient and cost-effective.

Our Solution

We provided a comprehensive solution to HCS’s challenges:

  • AWS Cost Optimization: We conducted an in-depth review of HCS’s AWS resources, removing all unused EC2 instances and enabling Cost Explorer for ongoing cost management.

  • Website Rehosting: We rehosted HCS’s React website on S3, in combination with Cloudfront and ACM, to ensure SSL functionality and improve performance.

  • Route 53 Configuration: We edited the Route 53 zones, removing unneeded entries, simplifying the domain’s management, and ensuring the SSL certificates auto-rotate.

  • Website Content Editing: We also assisted with editing the website’s content, ensuring its information was accurate and up to date.

The Result

The new system restored HCS’s website, ensuring secure access and improved performance.

Here are the key results:

  • Secure Website: The SSL certificate is now enabled and auto-rotates, ensuring secure access to HCS’s website, resolving the previous issues.

  • Improved Performance: The combination of Cloudfront caching and efficient S3 hosting reduces website latency and saves costs by minimizing constant querying from S3.

  • Reduced Costs: The comprehensive review and removal of unnecessary AWS resources resulted in an up to 80% reduction in HCS’s AWS spending, ensuring continued cost management through Cost Explorer.

  • Technology Upgrade: Their outdated on-prem infrastructure was replaced with modern cloud technology, eliminating the need for costly hardware replacements.

With its website restored and AWS costs optimized, the Harvard Computer Society can continue promoting interest in computing and information technologies among its members, providing valuable resources through its improved online presence.