Zaporizhzhia National University Modernizes Its IT Infrastructure with Microsoft Azure and Span’s Expertise

The successful cooperation between Zaporizhzhia National University (ZNU) and its technology partners, as well as participation in the Microsoft for Ukraine Relief program, continues. One of the key outcomes of this collaboration is the creation of a modern cloud infrastructure that ensures uninterrupted educational processes — a critical factor for a frontline university that requires stable and reliable digital services.

ZNU is one of Ukraine’s leading higher education institutions, uniting 12 faculties, the Engineering Educational and Research Institute, four colleges, and a large scientific library. Over 17,000 students study at ZNU across 110 bachelor’s and 85 master’s programs.

Under an agreement between the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and Microsoft Corporation, the university decided to migrate its IT infrastructure to Azure cloud services. Microsoft’s certified partner, Span Ukraine, was chosen to implement the project.

ZNU’s technical specialists, together with Span’s expert team, developed a detailed migration plan and successfully completed the project before the start of the academic year. The work involved an analysis of the existing infrastructure, creation of an architectural diagram, and migration planning with minimal downtime. The solution was designed according to the Zero Trust model and current cybersecurity recommendations. The final phase included the step-by-step migration of services from AWS and local servers, testing, and final configuration of security systems.

Technical Overview

The new cloud infrastructure ensures comprehensive protection through centralized user management, multi-layered cybersecurity, and defense against distributed attacks. The architecture enables secure remote access, load balancing, and automated data backup for all critical services. Built-in monitoring tools and AI-powered automation simplify infrastructure management and performance control.

Results and Benefits

Security and Reliability. The new Azure-based environment has strengthened ZNU’s digital resilience through layered protection and automatic data backup, ensuring stability even in critical situations.

Scalability and Performance. The cloud platform allows ZNU to adapt quickly to changing needs, maintain performance during peak periods, and scale capacity without large capital investments.

AI in Infrastructure Management. Using Azure Copilot has simplified routine administrative tasks, enabling the IT department to focus on strategic initiatives.

“ZNU’s IT specialists are proactive in adopting artificial intelligence and modern tools. Alongside Azure Copilot, they are also exploring other Microsoft AI technologies, including Azure AI Foundry,” says Oleksii Myronov, Project Lead at Span Ukraine.

Future Development

The next phase of cooperation with Microsoft will include implementing Microsoft 365 for Education, supported by Span. This will expand learning opportunities for students and faculty by providing advanced collaboration, content creation, and organizational tools. With Span’s guidance, ZNU also plans to integrate Copilot Chat to support daily work and learning.

“We deeply care about the future of Ukrainian youth and their education quality. Zaporizhzhia National University deserves the best digital solutions, and we are proud to provide Microsoft’s technologies and expert support,” notes Oleg Avilov, CEO of Span Ukraine.

The modernization of ZNU’s IT infrastructure demonstrates how the combined efforts of Microsoft, Span Ukraine, and proactive university leadership are helping Ukrainian education remain strong and innovative — even under wartime conditions.

The Microsoft for Ukraine Relief program provides free licensing of Azure cloud services and Microsoft 365 for Ukrainian educational institutions. To take advantage of this opportunity, contact Span Ukraine at: [email protected]

Learn more at www.span.eu/ua.