Apollo Pharmacy adopts hybrid cloud for supply chain transformation and retail front office
Apollo Pharmacy has undertaken a major digital transformation by adopting a hybrid cloud strategy. With over 6,300 stores spread across 27 states and an extensive e-commerce presence, Apollo Pharmacy required more flexibility, control, and performance for its critical systems. To meet these needs, the company moved its Microsoft Dynamics enterprise resource planning (ERP) system and several core backend applications to Nutanix’s on-prem cloud platform. This shift has not only optimised Apollo Pharmacy’s supply chain operations but has also freed up resources for next-generation technologies while reducing operational costs by up to 50%.
Addressing scalability and flexibility needs
The scale of Apollo Pharmacy’s operations is immense. It manages over 300 million prescriptions annually and handles 230,000 stock-keeping units (SKUs) across its vast network of stores. In recent years, ApolloPharmacy had relied heavily on public cloud solutions to support its IT infrastructure. However, as its business grew, Apollo Pharmacy realised the need for greater control over workloads and the flexibility to move them between clouds as needed. The company also wanted to enhance the performance of its machine learning algorithms and sought a secure, high-capacity computing environment. According to CG Balaji, CIO of Apollo Pharmacies Limited, “We manage heavy workloads, and our goal was to have the flexibility to move workloads between clouds as needed.”
To achieve these objectives, Apollo Pharmacy partnered with Nutanix to implement its hybrid cloud strategy. The company migrated its Microsoft Dynamics ERP system, along with its SQL Server databases, to the Nutanix Cloud Platform (NCP). The IT team also transitioned its front-end web applications and inventory management systems to Nutanix. By doing so, Apollo Pharmacy saw ERP processing speeds increase by 1.7 times, empowering employees to make faster, more informed decisions and gain a competitive edge. Balaji explained, “Employees can now access performance data in real-time, helping us deliver maximum value to our customers.”
Enhanced performance and future innovation
In addition to improved operational efficiency, Apollo Pharmacy’s hybrid cloud infrastructure supports its omnichannel platform, Apollo 247. This platform integrates the company’s healthcare ecosystem—hospitals, clinics, diagnostic services, insurers, and pharmacies—into a single digital solution. More than 10 million mobile app users rely on Apollo 247 to access healthcare services, and the platform provides real-time visibility into inventory and seamless order processing. “With Nutanix, we can meet the high expectations of Gen Z customers by providing a timely, convenient experience,” said Balaji.
Apollo Pharmacy’s commitment to data security and compliance is equally strong. As regulations and cybersecurity threats evolve, Nutanix’s built-in data protection features ensure Apollo Pharmacy’s critical systems remain secure and compliant with global and local regulations. Nutanix provides the resiliency and secure access Apollo Pharmacy needs while protecting sensitive data. Furthermore, by moving to a hybrid cloud strategy, Apollo Pharmacy has optimised its infrastructure costs, reducing its total cost of ownership by up to 40-50%. The savings have allowed Apollo Pharmacy to reinvest in innovation and future-proof its IT strategy.
Another benefit of Apollo Pharmacy’s hybrid cloud approach is flexibility. The company’s disaster recovery proof of concept with Nutanix Cloud Clusters (NC2) has demonstrated how workloads can be quickly restored across on-prem and cloud environments. This flexibility allows Apollo Pharmacy to shift workloads between environments as business needs change. Balaji expressed excitement about the potential for more benefits in the future, stating, “We’ve seen how NC2 can recover critical workloads quickly, and we are excited about the future possibilities.”
Looking ahead, Apollo Pharmacy plans to explore Nutanix Flow Network Security to enhance its micro-segmentation strategy. By gaining more granular control over network traffic, Apollo Pharmacy aims to further bolster its cybersecurity defences and protect its critical assets. This next step highlights Apollo Pharmacy’s ongoing commitment to leveraging technology for continuous innovation while maintaining a secure and compliant environment. With Nutanix, Apollo Pharmacy is not just transforming its infrastructure but also setting the stage for a more agile and responsive future in the retail and healthcare sectors.
