Supporting Secure and Scalable MongoDB Operations for a Major Banking Company
Strengthening Enterprise Database Operations
For a major South African bank with more than 600 branches and 30,000 employees, database operations are a critical part of maintaining stability, security, and service continuity across the organization.
To support its MongoDB environment more effectively, the bank engaged Delbridge for Database Administrator as a Service. The objective was not a one-time fix, but an ongoing operational partnership focused on secure upgrades, issue resolution, environment stability, and internal capability building.
“The Delbridge / MongoDB team has made a noticeable difference in our support experience. Their proactive, responsive approach has reduced issue resolution time. By working closely with our teams, we’ve simplified processes and enabled us to focus on strategic priorities. Their partnership mindset and technical expertise continue to make our lives easier.”
IT Manager
The Delbridge Approach
Delbridge supported the bank through a DBAaaS model designed to improve the reliability, observability, and scalability of its MongoDB operations. The engagement combined hands-on database administration with practical guidance, operational documentation, and ongoing knowledge transfer.
Rather than acting only as an escalation point, Delbridge worked closely with the bank’s internal teams to resolve issues, improve day-to-day processes, and strengthen the overall MongoDB operating model. This approach balanced direct technical execution with enablement, ensuring that immediate operational needs were addressed while internal teams built greater confidence in managing the environment over time.
To address the complexity of the estate, Delbridge applied a multi-step approach:
The Challenge: Operational Complexity at Enterprise Scale
Managing MongoDB in a banking environment of this scale required a careful balance between technical execution and operational risk control. The customer was not dealing with a single isolated issue, but with a combination of upgrade complexity, infrastructure inconsistency, and performance concerns across critical environments.
A complex multi-step upgrade path
System advisories affecting core platform behavior
Inconsistent infrastructure across environments
A complex multi-environment setup
Elevated operational risk during upgrade activity
Performance issues impacting day-to-day operations
Delivery and Execution
A key part of the work involved moving MongoDB clusters across environments to version 8 through a carefully managed upgrade path, using intermediate versions to reduce risk and support smoother execution. In parallel, Delbridge addressed multiple MongoDB system alerts through targeted patching and validation, helping the customer maintain a stable and well-governed platform throughout the transition.
Delbridge also supported the bank’s infrastructure modernization efforts by helping replace legacy estate components with environments aligned to RHEL 8 requirements. This was paired with cluster cutovers and migration validation activities to ensure that changes were introduced in a controlled manner and supported by repeatable operational processes.
Beyond core upgrade and infrastructure work, Delbridge contributed to forward-looking platform initiatives, including a proof of concept for deploying MongoDB on LinuxONE using the QA-NBMoney cluster. This gave the customer a practical way to assess an additional deployment model within its broader architecture.
Taken together, these activities helped the bank move forward with greater confidence. By confirming that critical MongoDB advisories, including those related to the SQL Interface and mTLS, did not affect the environment, and by enhancing Ops Manager to improve monitoring, visibility, and day-to-day stability, Delbridge helped reinforce a more resilient and better-observed MongoDB operating model.
Results
The engagement helped the bank strengthen its MongoDB operating model through a combination of responsive support, proactive guidance, and practical enablement.
By addressing upgrade requirements, resolving critical issues, restoring development functionality, and improving visibility through auditing, Delbridge helped create a more stable and manageable MongoDB environment. Just as importantly, documentation and training helped transfer knowledge to internal teams, supporting a more confident and effective day-to-day operation.
For a large banking organization, this kind of support extends beyond technical administration. It helps reduce friction, improve responsiveness, and allow internal teams to stay focused on broader strategic priorities.
- Smooth Ops Manager upgrades in non-production and production
- Resolution of a critical MongoDB issue following OS upgrade
- Restoration of DevOps agent functionality in development
- Auditing enabled in lower environments
- Documentation created for secure upgrade execution
- Hands-on MongoDB training delivered to internal teams
- Guidance provided for replica set setup and node rebuild activities
Delbridge owns the largest number of hands-on DBA professionals outside of MongoDB, and a growing capability outside of MongoDB as well.
We have assembled a global team to provide follow-the-sun coverage and a regular reporting process that helps document current state operation, areas of weakness, and metrics over time.
What do we deliver ?
“Always-on” Monitoring
1Timely Incident Response
2Cluster Provisioning
3Backup and Recovery Management
4Upgrades and Change Management
5Risk Mitigation
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Project Details
Our MongoDB Expertise
Service-Level Based Support
24/7/365 support enabling
reliable operational coverage with a 30-minute SLA for high-priority issues. Protecting uptime and business continuity.
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