How a Life Sciences Startup Achieved Up to 75% Cost Savings* with Infrastructure as Code on AWS
In the high-stakes domain of biotechnology, research validation and securing funding are pivotal milestones for startups. With growing scrutiny and a need for transparency, building an efficient and reliable infrastructure is essential. A life sciences startup approached PTP to build an informatics environment on AWS that would expedite research processes while ensuring data authenticity. This required a solution that was automated, repeatable, and fully documented to support robust research validation.
- *Achieved an estimated 50-75% cost reduction by automating resource deployment and teardown, ensuring resources were utilized only when necessary.
The Challenge
The client needed to streamline and automate data processing pipelines to validate their research and accelerate discovery. Their challenges included:
Scaling Homegrown Pipelines
Supporting custom pipelines alongside industry-leading tools like Nextflow, which ensures scalable and reproducible workflows using containers.
Integration of Open-Source Tools
Incorporating solutions such as Cell Ranger, Seurat, Picard, and Star Aligner, proven in genomics and computational biology.
Automation and Documentation
Creating a cloud pipeline solution that was automated, easily adjustable, and fully documented to ensure research validation.
Cost Efficiency and Security
Leveraging AWS offerings like Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2), ELB, Auto Scaling, Lambda, and Fargate to create a scalable and cost-effective environment.
The Solution
PTP designed and implemented a robust infrastructure-as-code (IaC) solution on AWS to meet the client’s needs:
Image Building with EC2 Image Builder
• Automated the creation of standardized images for different functions.
• Defined recipes in Image Builder to document installed software components and ownership, ensuring reproducibility and research validation.
• Centralized the building of images in a dedicated account, sharing them across the organization using Amazon Parameter Store.
Service Catalog for Self-Service Pipelines
• Enabled scientists and informaticians to launch pipelines independently via Service Catalog with limited permissions.
• Controlled access through least-privilege security configurations and code-based governance.
Terraform for Infrastructure Management
• Maintained image files and component lists in Terraform, version-controlled using AWS Code Commit.
• Automated deployment of updated components, creating new recipes in Image Builder when software versions changed.
Cost Optimization through Automation
• Integrated CloudWatch events, SQS queues, and Lambda functions to terminate idle resources, reducing unnecessary costs.
• Ensured persistent storage reconnection when services were recreated, maintaining data continuity.
Enhanced Security and Scalability
• Applied least-privilege access principles and AWS Managed AD for better isolation and control.
• Planned future integration of Amazon WorkSpaces to further enhance data security and usability.
The Outcome
PTP’s IaC implementation delivered transformative results:
Research Validation
Reduced variables and changes, ensuring robust research validation.
Significant Cost Savings
Achieved an estimated 50-75% reduction in costs by automating resource deployment and teardown, using resources only when needed.
Enhanced Security
Applied least-privilege access controls to protect sensitive data and maintain compliance.
Operational Efficiency
Created a scalable, repeatable, and fully documented data management platform aligned with AWS Well-Architected principles.
Ready to Accelerate Your Research with Infrastructure as Code?
PTP specializes in creating scalable, cost-efficient, and secure AWS solutions tailored to life sciences. Contact us today to learn how we can help your organization achieve research validation and operational excellence.
Let us help you unlock your potential.
Contact PTP today to learn how we can deliver cost-efficient, scalable, and compliant cloud solutions for your business.