Driving Security, ROI, and Developer Productivity with Sonatype

A leading banking cooperative with a global footprint faced significant challenges in securing its software development lifecycle (SDLC). With over 7,000 developers across seven teams and over 2,500 unique applications to manage, the organization was struggling to ensure comprehensive security compliance, reduce maintenance costs, and prevent shadow downloads. Key hurdles included migrating legacy systems, ensuring reliable performance under peak loads, and integrating security tooling into existing developer workflows. Furthermore, the company needed to maintain a publicly accessible Nexus Repository instance while minimizing security risks and improving collaboration across teams.

Through collaboration with Sonatype’s Customer Success team, they migrated from a legacy Nexus 2 instance to Nexus 3, optimizing performance and reducing infrastructure costs. The migration included stress testing the new system, fine-tuning Postgres connections, and upgrading hardware resources, resulting in a peak throughput of 6.2 Gbps. They deeply integrated Sonatype solutions with other tools such as Azure DevOps, Fortify SAST, Checkmarx, and SonarQube while implementing scalable policies for security compliance.

The organization further streamlined developer workflows by making security information readily accessible within Azure DevOps and IDE tools. They also onboarded applications using Terraform for automated and efficient integration into IQ Server.

Enhanced Posture

By mandating 100% of component downloads through Nexus, eliminating shadow downloads, and refining firewall policies, the team significantly improved its SDLC security compliance. Firewall policies blocked malicious and suspicious open-source components at the proxy stage, reducing rework and preventing vulnerabilities from entering production.

Quantifiable ROI and Operational Efficiency

The migration from Nexus 2 to Nexus 3 led to a reduction in maintenance costs and infrastructure complexity. Performance improvements allowed for throughput of 6.2 Gbps, with CPU and RAM upgrades enhancing system stability. Unit test times were reduced from 3–6 minutes to 55 seconds, saving developers valuable time and contributing to higher productivity.

Integration-Driven Productivity Gains

The integration of tools such as Fortify SAST, Checkmarx, and SonarQube allowed the organization to align security standards across teams efficiently. Developers now receive actionable, risk-prioritized security information directly in their workflows, removing the need for manual compliance checks. This seamless approach fostered faster remediation of critical vulnerabilities, saving time and effort.

Developer Collaboration and Innovation

The secure and reliable public repository instance dramatically improved developer collaboration. By adopting AWS Secrets Manager for credential management and automating security processes, the organization minimized risk exposure without adding complexity. This “reduce cognitive load and keep it simple” mantra enabled developers to focus on innovation while maintaining high security standards.

Cultural Transformation Toward Security

A culture of innovation, driven by leadership, empowered developers and stakeholders to view security as a priority rather than a barrier. Over 2,500 unique applications were scanned through Azure DevOps pipelines, demonstrating growing adoption of the Sonatype platform. Senior stakeholders noted the business-critical nature of these tools, stating that Sonatype Nexus Repository is “priority 1” during ransomware or disaster recovery scenarios.

A Closer Look at Key Results

• ROI Examples: Migrating to Nexus 3 reduced infrastructure complexity, operational costs, and future maintenance efforts. Streamlining unit tests resulted in a 90% decrease in processing time, enabling significant developer efficiency gains.
• Performance Metrics: Stress testing the Nexus 3 production instance achieved a peak throughput of 6.2 Gbps (+700 MB/sec). The improvements eliminated bottlenecks, enhanced system responsiveness, and instilled confidence in system reliability during high-traffic periods.
• Security Strengths: Firewall policies blocked malware and critical vulnerabilities at the earliest stages, saving time and reducing rework for teams downstream. The proactive onboarding of applications through automated processes ensured compliance and risk mitigation without disrupting workflows.

Fostering Continuous Innovation

Collaborating with Sonatype enabled the organization to innovate continually while maintaining robust security. By sharing their best practices with other Sonatype customers, including Equifax and FIL, the team became a thought leader in the community. They introduced innovative methods to improve future use of the Sonatype platform, such as Terraform-enabled automation for onboarding applications and integration with SCM for automated pull requests and code comments.

Leadership played a central role in fostering this transformation. By advocating for scalable, secure solutions and pushing for alignment across security, engineering, and development teams, they built a foundation for long-term growth and success.

Looking Ahead

Armed with a scalable and secure infrastructure, the organization plans to onboard more applications into the IQ Server while continuing to refine policies and tooling integration. They aim to expand automation and deepen integrations across tools, ensuring a standardized approach to security that aligns with broader business objectives.

Through the adoption of Sonatype's solutions and a clear strategy for integrating security into their SDLC, the organization has achieved remarkable progress. They have strengthened their security posture, delivered measurable ROI, and fostered a culture of innovation. With continuous improvements and a focus on efficiency, the organization has set new standards for secure and scalable software development, ensuring lasting success in a competitive and fast-paced environment.