Security and efficiency through regular upgrades
The challenge
The Dutch State Treasury Agency (DSTA), a long-standing SkySparc client, wanted to move away from infrequent, large-scale system upgrades that were costly, time-consuming, and disruptive.
“Rather than exposing our operations to the pain and uncertainty of a major upgrade every few years, we wanted to adopt a continuous cycle that enables smooth upgrades with minimal user impact,” explains Johan Kreszner, DSTA.
Like many large organizations, DSTA’s previous upgrade experiences were challenging. Testing was highly manual, deployment was complex, and much effort was lost on one-time-only tasks.
At the same time, cybersecurity and audit requirements were increasing rapidly, driving the need to maintain the latest, most secure software versions.
“We live in a world where cyber-crime is increasing. Security concerns and audit requirements led us to a strategy of upgrading every year,” - Dennis Hooft, DSTA.
The solution
DSTA’s vision required a highly automated, standardized, and repeatable upgrade process.
Having recently entered a four-year support partnership, DSTA turned to SkySparc to deliver on this vision using its Upgrade-as-a-Service (UaaS) model.
SkySparc’s approach draws on over a decade of upgrade experience and the advanced automation capabilities of OmniFi, allowing testing and deployment to be executed quickly and consistently — with minimal manual effort.
Key improvements included:
· Automated testing: Using OmniFi to execute and validate thousands of test cases, including unit, integration, and user acceptance testing.
· Scripted deployment: Standardized installation scripts replaced manual configuration steps, reducing operational risk and human error.
· Independent quality assurance: SkySparc provided third-party oversight and control to ensure complete transparency and auditability.
· Collaborative delivery: SkySparc worked closely with DSTA’s IT and treasury teams throughout all phases — from pre-testing to go-live — ensuring shared ownership and skill transfer.
“SkySparc’s consultants really shone a light on the details of the upgrade process through their testing expertise and methodology. Each stage was far simpler than before; at go-live, our internal team had very little left to do,” says Johan Kreszner, DSTA.
The result
The outcome was transformative:
DSTA replaced the traditional “mountain climb” of a major upgrade every four to five years with a steady, predictable annual upgrade rhythm — combining enhanced security with improved efficiency and oversight.
The first transition to this new cycle took just five months, and future upgrades are expected to take as little as six weeks.
“By viewing upgrades as a continuous process, you align testing and deployment with system evolution. It creates awareness to stay fully up-to-date rather than focusing on isolated fixes,” says Kreszner.
Thanks to SkySparc’s Upgrade-as-a-Service methodology and OmniFi’s automation, DSTA now benefits from:
· Faster, fully repeatable upgrade cycles
· Stronger information security and audit compliance
· Reusable test scripts and standardized workflows
· Low impact on end users and continuous system reliability
“The success came from combining strong individual skills with teamwork and commitment,” - Kreszner and Hooft.
Quick Facts
· Transitioned from multi-year major upgrades to a continuous annual cycle
· Automated testing and scripted deployment via OmniFi drastically reduced manual work
· Improved security, quality assurance, and auditability
· Next upgrades now expected to take as little as six weeks
DSTA is part of the Dutch Ministry of Finance in The Hague. The minister of finance is responsible for providing solid and efficient funding of the State’s debt. The agency fulfils this task for the minister by preparing and defining the funding policy. It represents the State in the execution of transactions on financial markets. As well as issuing and trading government bonds in the primary and secondary capital markets, DSTA finances part of the debt in the money markets. DSTA uses Wallstreet Suite (WSS) to manage its trading and investment operations, deploying the system across the transaction lifecycle from deal capture to settlement, including activities such as collateral management, risk management and accounting. In the course of these tasks, the agency’s WSS connects with multiple bond and repo trading platforms via a third-party execution management system, while also interfacing with other external parties for market data, margin management and payment and settlement purposes.
