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Last updated: 18 April 2025

UZ Brussel takes a digital leap forward with scalable SaaS solution

UZ Brussel, a university hospital in the healthcare sector, faced limitations in managing over 150 websites on an on-premise Liferay 7.0 platform, including scalability and security challenges. In collaboration with ACA Group, the organization migrated to Liferay SaaS, a cloud-based digital experience platform. This solution enabled centralized management, improved security, and automated updates, resulting in a scalable, future-proof digital infrastructure with reduced maintenance effort and minimal disruption.

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01

Challenge

UZ Brussel needed to manually migrate 150+ websites from an outdated Liferay 7.0 on-premise environment to meet the latest standards and security requirements.

02

Solution

A seamless manual migration to the Liferay SaaS platform to ensure a smooth and disruption-free transition.

03

Result

We implemented a strategic, phased approach with a meticulously planned manual migration to the new SaaS platform. This ensured minimal disruption, enhanced security, and a future-proof digital environment for UZ Brussel.

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About UZ Brussel

UZ Brussel is a university hospital that was founded within the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, and is an integral part of it. It has almost 4,200 employees. With 721 hospital beds, UZ Brussels annually accounts for more than 30,000 admissions, almost as many day admissions, 360,000 consultations, for patients from home and abroad.

Challenge

Manual migration of 150+ websites

UZ Brussel's existing websites were hosted on Liferay 7.0 in an on-premise environment. As Liferay 7.0 was no longer supported, upgrading to the Liferay SaaS platform was essential to meet the latest standards and security requirements. ACA Group proposed moving directly to the Liferay SaaS platform, offering a cost-effective and future-proof solution.

The scale of the project presented the biggest challenge: over 150 websites needed migration to the new SaaS platform. A simple database export-import was not feasible, necessitating a fully manual migration approach.

It was quite a challenging task. We couldn’t just use scripts. We had to rely on the Liferay export/import tool and make numerous manual adjustments.

Roque Fernandez Peralta
Project Manager
Roque Fernandez Peralta
"It was quite a challenging task. We couldn’t just use scripts. We had to rely on the Liferay export/import tool and make numerous manual adjustments."
Roque Fernandez PeraltaProject Manager
Roque Fernandez Peralta
Solution

Partnership with Liferay for seamless migration

The project involved two key phases:

  1. Upgrade to Liferay SaaS: Delivered swiftly, enabling UZ Brussel to leverage the latest features of the platform.
  2. Migration to the new environment: ACA collaborated with Liferay Solution Engineers. Three major sites were migrated first as test cases to address potential challenges. The remaining websites were migrated manually using Liferay’s export and import functionalities.

The SaaS solution provides automatic updates, enhanced scalability, and improved security. The migration was completed without any downtime, keeping the old websites operational until the final DNS switch during the go-live on December 11, 2024.

 

Approach

A strategic and collaborative methodology

To achieve a seamless migration, ACA Group adopted a phased and meticulous approach. The initial phase involved upgrading to Liferay 7.4, giving UZ Brussel access to the latest features and improvements. This was followed by a carefully planned manual migration to the Liferay SaaS platform, supported by close collaboration with Liferay Solution Engineers.

The team tested the migration process on three major sites first, identifying challenges and refining the process before scaling up to the remaining 150+ websites. By leveraging Liferay’s export and import functionalities and maintaining a proactive problem-solving mindset, ACA ensured minimal disruption for end users.

This strategic approach not only ensured a seamless transition but also delivered key benefits such as enhanced security, high availability, and a future-proof digital environment. The project highlights ACA Group’s ability to manage complex migrations with precision and efficiency.

This approach has several advantages:

  • High availability and security: The SaaS solution makes UZ Brussel’s websites more secure and robust than ever.

  • Future-proof: Automatic updates and new features ensure the platform remains up to date.

  • Minimal impact on end users: The go-live was seamless, with no disruptions for active users.

The go-live went very smoothly. Any minor issues that arose were quickly resolved. This project was clearly not a one-man show, but a true team effort.

Roque Fernandez Peralta
Project Manager
Roque Fernandez Peralta
"The go-live went very smoothly. Any minor issues that arose were quickly resolved. This project was clearly not a one-man show, but a true team effort."
Roque Fernandez PeraltaProject Manager
Roque Fernandez Peralta
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Let's work together

Do you need help with your Digital Experience?

Feel free to contact us and we are happy to help!

Contact us
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ACA mug mok
Let's work together

Do you need help with your Digital Experience?

Feel free to contact us and we are happy to help!

Contact us
Contact us
ACA mug mok
Let's work together

Do you need help with your Digital Experience?

Feel free to contact us and we are happy to help!

Contact us
Contact us
ACA mug mok

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