Cost savings in the cloud
SGDBF's transition from a self-managed deployment to Elastic Cloud reduced costs by 40% and enhanced operational efficiency.
Enhanced observability
SGDBF optimized monitoring with Elastic Observability features like APM, synthetics, and machine learning and AIOps, broadening the scope of data analysis.
Streamlined management and enhanced scalability
Elastic Cloud simplifies administrative overhead and allows for the flexible organization of environments with agility and scalability for future needs.
Saint-Gobain efficiently scales operations with Elastic Observability in response to the growing volume of data, contributing to their competitive edge
Saint-Gobain Group stands as the global leader in light and sustainable construction. Operating across 76 countries with a workforce exceeding 160,000 employees, Saint-Gobain specializes in the design, manufacturing, and distribution of materials and services tailored for the construction and industrial markets.
In the fast-paced world of construction material distribution, Saint-Gobain Distribution Bâtiment France (SGDBF), a key business unit under the Saint-Gobain Group, is leveraging technology to redefine its log management system. Heading this transformative journey is CTO Nicolas Saint-Remy, alongside Fabien Davaut, the Technical Architecture Manager of SGDBF. Together, their team is responsible for the strategic approach to log management, optimized monitoring, and navigating the integration of the cloud, helping them to innovate in the industry and within the Saint-Gobain Group.
"Our journey with Elastic Cloud has not only simplified log management but has also positioned us at the forefront of technological advancement within the construction materials industry."
Agility and cost-savings realized through Elastic Cloud
SGDBF conducted a comprehensive assessment of their log sinks. Managing a colossal 6 TB of logs across 31 virtual machines in 12 clusters had proved challenging: the infrastructure costs were significant, and the growing volume of data signaled a need for change. As such, the team recognized the opportunity to embrace a more SaaS-oriented offering.
Saint Gobain designs, manufactures and distributes materials and services for the construction industry, and is aiming to become the worldwide leader in light and sustainable construction.
Elastic Cloud was a game-changer for SGDBF. Approaching Elastic with their challenges, they found a solution that not only promised to simplify environment management and offer agility, but also delivered a remarkable 40% reduction in costs. The move to Elastic Cloud, saw the entire process completed within three months. Operational and development teams collaborated seamlessly, ensuring a smooth transition that included major applications like the ERP and e-commerce sites.
Project evolution with Elastic Observability
Under the guidance of the Elastic consulting team, SGDBF not only migrated quickly but also optimized their applications. The success plan established a partnership with Elastic to align objectives, and the journey did not stop there. SGDBF embraced the full suite of Elastic Observability features, alongside search, with a focus on APM, synthetics, machine learning-based anomaly detection, business search, hybrid search, and functional testing.
"The strategic adoption of Elastic Cloud and Observability has not just optimized our monitoring solutions, it has broadened the scope of data analysis, enhancing our operational efficiency and competitiveness."
Setting the stage for the future with generative AI
With their Elastic Cloud subscriptions unlocking additional features, SGDBF is now setting up APM on critical applications. A training plan has been initiated, ensuring skill development across teams, particularly focused on observability use cases. The company is also pushing the boundaries by introducing a playground for generative AI, demonstrating their commitment to innovation. With Elastic’s chat-based AI Assistant, the SGDBF team will be able to take a more interactive approach to data exploration and problem solving in the future.
Saint-Remy reflects on SGDBF's year-long journey, and is very satisfied with the outcomes citing the pivotal partnership with Elastic. The Elastic success plan was strategically aligned with SGDBF's objectives and timelines, and has shaped a positive collaboration trajectory. SGDBF anticipates adopting more Elastic capabilities in the future with an eye towards addressing challenges in covering critical applications, achieving end-to-end business process monitoring, and exploring the generative AI search potential. The Elastic Cloud transition streamlined log management, fostering innovation and efficiency. As a result, SGDBF believes they now stand at the forefront of tech in construction materials.
