SEAMK moves to Microsoft Fabric: “A good decision that enables growth and the use of artificial intelligence in the future”

Towards more scalable and intelligent reporting

SEAMK has been using a Power BI-based reporting solution since 2017. It was supported by a traditional Microsoft SQL Server-based data warehouse. Over the years, data and reporting requirements have grown significantly, and the old solution began to reach its technical limits. In particular, data extensibility and the cost-effectiveness of the solution became key development needs.

– We needed to include more data in our reporting, and the old solution did not scale well. At the same time, we wanted to enable the use of artificial intelligence. Fabric provided an excellent opportunity to do this, summarized Panu Savolainen, Systems Analyst at SEAMK.

The decision to move to Microsoft Fabric was made with courage

The strongest platform options were Azure SQL and Microsoft Fabric, the latter being relatively new to the market. According to Savolainen, the decision was not made lightly, but rather involved a healthy sense of uncertainty in the face of something new and cutting-edge.

In the end, SEAMK chose Fabric because of its development, scalability, and future potential. Collaboration with Pinja’s experts provided expert support that helped make the choice with confidence. Experience soon showed that the choice was right and timely.

Of course, Fabric was new to us. For a long time, we wondered if it was ready enough. However, Pinja supported us and ensured that the solution was good. Now I dare say that we were lucky to choose it.

With Fabric, SEAMK not only migrated its old reporting solution to the cloud, but also set out to build a modern and flexible architecture. Although it was a major technical change, it was seen as a strategic investment in the future.

The implementation brought new opportunities – and insights

According to Savolainen, Fabric has already proved its effectiveness in the real world: data can now be accessed much faster, and enriching it with new sources is effortless. Fabric uses technologies that SEAMK’s integration experts have experience with, so in terms of system integration, experts from both Pinja and SEAMK participated in the creation of the notebooks. With Fabric, SEAMK will be able to gradually expand its reporting from academic performance to financial and project activity reports, among others.

With Fabric, SEAMK has built a new, extensible, and modern data platform. During the implementation, the focus was on clarity of structure and ensuring that the solution would be durable and easy to maintain.

– One of the biggest benefits is the agility with which data can now be accessed and extended. The work has been well thought out – everything has been considered throughout the data chain.

The focus is now also on the future. With Fabric, SEAMK can move to more predictive analytics, using artificial intelligence to predict student learning paths and manage the project portfolio, among other things.

– Artificial intelligence is clearly the next step for us. Predictability is an important issue, and we believe that Fabric provides an excellent foundation for it.

Pinja’s role was crucial for success

The cooperation with Pinja’s experts was a key factor in the successful transition. Savolainen highlights clear communication and expert guidance as crucial to the success of the project.

– Pinja’s experts were really knowledgeable and able to address all our stakeholders. That was a great strength. We feel that we’re understood and that our operations and actions are being developed together.

Savolainen believes that SEAMK is now at the forefront of higher education and encourages other organizations to reap the benefits of a modern data platform.

– Fabric was definitely the right choice for us. We can already see how agile and evolving the solution is – and who knows what it will enable in the future.