Keeping the Lights On: How Mission Took FrontStream's AWS Infrastructure to 99.99% Uptime

FrontStream, a leading nonprofit software and payments provider, partnered with Mission to overhaul their AWS infrastructure management and monitoring. Through Mission's comprehensive managed services, FrontStream dramatically improved system reliability from 99% to 99.99% uptime, or “four nines” as it’s known in the world of cloud operations. Additionally, Mission reduced costs for FrontStream and achieved PCI Level 1 compliance requirements with robust 24/7 monitoring and security practices.

FrontStream provides nonprofit organizations with comprehensive fundraising software solutions, including hosting charity auctions on BiddingForGood.com, peer-to-peer event management, donor management, and donation processing. They also process payments for corporations and franchisors, with Embedded Payment options and APIs supporting credit card, ACH, Apple Pay, and Google Pay transactions.

FrontStream had been using AWS as their cloud platform, and the company was struggling to find a managed service provider (MSP) who could effectively maintain their cloud operations and allow FrontStream to focus on their customers. They needed a reliable MSP who could deliver adequate monitoring, patching schedules, and provide quick solutions to ongoing infrastructure problems. FrontStream’s business is heavily event-focused, making failures and downtime during charity events and fundraisers extremely costly and disruptive.

FrontStream selected Mission through a comprehensive RFP process after discovering them online. Mission stood out, among other things, for their experience in implementing robust monitoring, alert tuning, and infrastructure management. Their 24/7 support model was crucial for handling patching, monitoring, and day-to-day operations. Mission's approach to working collaboratively on playbooks and ensuring proper monitoring protocols aligned perfectly with FrontStream's operational needs and compliance requirements.

FrontStream chose AWS years ago for the platform's comprehensive service portfolio that supported their complex infrastructure needs. AWS provided the scalability and reliability required for their event-driven business model, where sudden traffic spikes during fundraising events demand consistent performance and stability.

Mission began by focusing on establishing proper monitoring protocols and playbooks to ensure successful incident response. The team implemented systematic patching schedules that had been previously neglected, creating predictable maintenance cycles that supported PCI compliance requirements.

Mission integrated comprehensive monitoring tools to provide 24/7 visibility into system performance and security posture. The team established monthly security reviews and cost optimization assessments, helping identify right-sizing opportunities and cost savings measures. Other key AWS services like AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM), Amazon CloudWatch, and AWS Systems Manager (SSM) were leveraged for identity management, monitoring, and automated patching.

Regular monthly meetings were established to review security findings, discuss new AWS technologies, and ensure best practices like key rotation were consistently executed. Mission's approach emphasized getting the basics right first, ensuring stable monitoring, patching, and security protocols before exploring advanced solutions. The team also provided additional services including AI consultations and hourly DevOps support to help clean up existing infrastructure issues during the initial engagement.

The partnership with Mission delivered transformative improvements to FrontStream's operations and reliability. Most significantly, system uptime improved dramatically from two nines (99%) to four nines (99.99%), representing a substantial reduction in unplanned outages. Meanwhile, cost optimization efforts yielded direct savings through ongoing right-sizing recommendations, and the predictable monitoring and patching schedules eliminated the operational chaos that previously prevented the organization from focusing on growth and innovation.

For FrontStream's customers, the stability improvements were game-changing. Organizations running critical fundraising events, particularly galas with hundreds or thousands of participants bidding simultaneously, now experience reliable platform performance during their most crucial revenue-generating moments. The enhanced stability eliminated the stress and anxiety that event organizers previously faced, allowing them to focus on their missions rather than worrying about technical failures.
The comprehensive security posture improvements ensure continued PCI Level 1 compliance, with systematic monthly reviews and proactive security management. As Dan Allison put it, the peace of mind from knowing FrontStream’s infrastructure is properly monitored and maintained allows his team to "sleep really well at night" because they know their platform is going to perform when needed.