Eigenvector Research
An iterative modernization of a legacy PHP application into a Drupal-powered platform with Commerce for software licensing, course registration, and event management — connected to existing systems via custom JWT single sign-on.
The Challenge
Eigenvector Research operated a legacy custom PHP application for selling scientific software licenses, managing training course registrations, and handling event signups. The application had grown organically over many years, accumulating security vulnerabilities and technical debt that made every change risky and time-consuming.
The company needed to modernize without disrupting their existing customer base. A big-bang rewrite wasn't feasible — the legacy system needed to continue operating while individual pieces were migrated to a modern platform. Authentication had to work seamlessly across old and new systems during the transition period.
The Solution
We took an iterative approach, migrating one functional area at a time from the legacy PHP application to Drupal with Commerce. The first phase addressed the most urgent security concerns while establishing the new platform foundation.
Drupal Commerce was implemented for software license sales with custom license types, course registration with capacity management, and event ticketing. A custom JWT-based single sign-on integration allowed users to authenticate once and move seamlessly between the legacy system and the new Drupal site during the transition period.
The platform was hosted on Pantheon with a CI/CD pipeline for reliable deployments. Each phase was deployed independently, allowing Eigenvector to realize value from the new platform immediately while the migration continued.
The Results
Immediate security improvement with each phase of migration. The new Commerce platform automated license management processes that were previously handled through manual email exchanges. Course and event registration converted from a custom form system to a proper Commerce checkout with payment processing. The phased approach allowed Eigenvector to spread the investment over time while continuously improving their customer experience. The JWT SSO integration ensured zero disruption for existing users during the multi-year transition.
—The phased migration approach was exactly right for our business. We got immediate security improvements and started seeing benefits from the new platform within weeks, not months.