Pace helps major UK government department unlock £5 million in IT savings through large-scale cloud data migration

In one of the UK government’s most complex data infrastructure overhauls, Pace helped a major department save £5 million a year by migrating 360TB of data to a secure cloud environment, without service disruption and with future innovation in mind.

Challenge

A major UK government department was managing a vast data estate across four data centres and 31 servers, supported by multiple IT providers. Over time, the environment became harder to maintain, with fragmented systems impacting data quality and agility.

The team saw the need for a modern, scalable infrastructure to support real-time decisions and future innovation. But internal policies, external constraints, and scale meant the migration needed careful planning and deep collaboration.

Objectives 

The goal was to modernise DEFRA’s infrastructure to support real-time decisions and long-term transformation, reducing reliance on legacy systems, improving data access, and moving to a scalable, secure environment. 

Approach 

Pace worked with teams to break down silos, build trust, and drive cultural and technical change. Rather than pushing a one-size-fits-all solution, we listened and collaborated, including with those unsure about the scale and pace of change. 

This collaborative, inside-out approach focused on restoring momentum, rigorously validating solutions, and unblocking external constraints that had previously stalled progress. 

Implementation 

Pace led the successful migration of 350TB of data from four physical data centres and 31 servers to a secure cloud environment. We consolidated providers, improved security by closing legacy access, and increased testing engagement from three to 24 teams. We maintained service continuity, resolved critical data issues (including in live mapping), and laid the groundwork for a more agile, resilient future. 

Results 

The migration delivered approximately £5 million in annual IT savings through platform consolidation and streamlined supplier management. Data quality and accessibility were significantly improved, and the move to a secure, scalable environment enhanced DEFRA’s overall resilience.