Proven PHP expertise
Massive technical skills and firsthand strategies in modernizing legacy PHP systems, experience in improving operational efficiency and usability.
Technologies used
PHP
JavaScript
MS SQL
GitLab
Linux servers
About the client
The client is a well-established US-based insurance company strategically focused on affinity programs. They support a wide network of agents and carriers while partnering with small to mid-size MGAs and MGUs.
Business challenge
Challenge 01
Outdated PHP stack
The client’s post-payment insurance operations ran on a legacy PHP-based accounting app. Over time, security vulnerabilities snowballed. The client struggled with compatibility, given that replacing the whole system could wreck critical workflows. The only way forward was modernizing the app piece by piece, avoiding disruption.
#1
Challenge 02
No in-house IT team
Beyond the large technical debt, the company didn’t have its own IT experts to maintain or troubleshoot its Linux servers, which made regular support and upgrades even tougher.
#2
Challenge 03
Business continuity risk
The system is mission-critical. It manages accounts for 30 million members in over a hundred affinity groups. If it went down or got hacked, the business would face major consequences.
#3
The client's requirements
The company was seeking a seasoned technology partner able to:
- Quickly understand the specifics of the existing platform
- Maintain and upgrade legacy PHP systems
- Support complex Linux-based infrastructures
- Make improvements without interrupting daily work
- Fuel future business growth without rewriting the app from scratch
Why Azati?
Reverse engineering capabilities
Ability to scrutinize and document old codebases lacking original development resources, even when they are undocumented.
Trusted partnership history
The client was sure that Azati was right for the job, as our team had been previously engaged when the client faced similar IT support challenges.
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What Azati did
Instead of rewriting the whole app, Azati decided to modernize it step by step. Given all the years of business logic baked into the current system, a full rewrite would be risky and expensive.
This is why the team chose to keep the core system in place. Azati prioritized thoroughly analyzing the codebase, stabilizing the environment, and upgrading the underlying PHP stack incrementally.
Key capabilities:
- Invoice generation
- Policy and transaction search
- Cash applications and unallocated payments
- Refund and past due account management
- Lockbox/ePay reconciliation
- Detailed reporting
01
Reverse engineering and legacy system audit
First, Azati dug into the legacy PHP app’s code, documenting business logic, data flows, and dependencies. We’ve reviewed how the system worked, identified its strengths and pain points.
With a comprehensive system map, the team created a practical modernization plan that avoids breaking things within the existing app.
02
Legacy PHP modernization
Next, Azati successfully executed a PHP upgrade without a rewrite. The team refactored the code bit by bit, tested every change, and made sure all integrations worked as before.
03
Linux infrastructure support for legacy app
Azati also took care of the Linux servers that powered the client’s infrastructure. The team fixed bugs, boosted performance, and addressed security gaps by rolling out stronger data protection protocols and system monitoring.
In parallel, Azati signed a short-term DevOps services contract with the client’s subsidiary, extending the team's impact across the broader tech ecosystem. The agreement involved providing maintenance and support of public-facing websites in a related business segment.
Major achievements
| Metric / area | Before engagement with Azati | After engagement with Azati |
|---|---|---|
| System downtime | 12 days | 0 |
| PHP version | Legacy | Modernized |
| Security protocols | Outdated | OAuth 2.0, TLS/SSL |
| Documentation | None | Full system map |
| Daily payments processed | 25000 | 27000+ |
From modernization to automation
Azati also mapped out improvements for the system to evolve via AI-driven automation:
- Managed AI for invoice and doc processing
- AI-powered reconciliation
- Intelligent payment
- Claims and accounting workflow automation
- Reporting dashboards
Security
The system is now powered by OAuth 2.0 and TLS/SSL protocols, with tight access restrictions and a secure environment.
Engagement & delivery
Flexible contracting
The hybrid model combining the Fixed Price and Time and Materials engagements ensured clearly scoped modernization and support. The predictable cost for major milestones allowed the client to adjust requests as new business needs arose.
Agile delivery
Kanban methodology was best-suited for this engagement due to the need for:
- Continuous improvements, support, and repetitive upgrade tasks
- Rapid response to production infrastructure issues
- Transparent backlog management
Results & business impact
Business continuity
Thanks to Azati’s approach, the accounting app keeps running and serving over 30 million users, with zero disruption to insurance workflows or member trust.
No business disruption
The PHP stack upgrade went smoothly, without a single outage.
Stronger security
Sensitive payment data is now protected with modern OAuth 2.0 and TLS/SSL protocols.
More maintainable app
Now that we’ve documented the insurance app’s codebase, future improvements are faster and less risky.
Stable infrastructure
Thanks to Azati’s proactive support, system outages are avoided.
Strategic wins
The choice of incremental modernization over a complete rewrite ensured:
Faster time-to-value & lower project cost
Compared to greenfield development, the phased modernization of the accounting app enabled quick feature rollout and measurable budget savings for functional enhancements.
Extended life of a critical internal system
Gradual system upgrades helped keep the client’s unique knowledge base and business logic embedded in the legacy PHP system.
Scalable tech foundation
Stabilizing the platform and moving to a modern PHP version de-risked its maintenance. Now that the app is more sustainable and resilient, the client’s tech infrastructure can safely evolve.
Specialized talent pool at hand
The client gained long-term access to Azati’s expertise in legacy PHP systems, Linux infrastructure, and practical modernization that was not available internally.
Team composition
The lean team structure proved the ideal fit for the demanding project, as it took focused tech execution, seamless communication, and efficient navigation through the client’s legacy PHP environment.
- Project Manager/Business Analyst was the client’s main point of contact, who gathered and communicated the requirements and coordinated delivery.
- PHP Developer handled backend modernization, reverse engineering, and insurance system optimization.
- Frontend Developer implemented UI/UX improvements and JavaScript-powered enhancements.
