NextLink Labs

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am an Executive of KEF Robotics

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

KEF Robotics provides state-of-the-art autonomy software to fly aircraft without a human pilot.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire NextLink Labs to accomplish?

• Enhance our cybersecurity posture
• Streamline our on-premises infrastructure while improving development workflows and DevOps processes
• Refine cluster configurations, automating CI/CD pipelines, and providing actionable insights into security measures.

SOLUTION

How did you find NextLink Labs?

Online Search

Why did you select NextLink Labs over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from NextLink Labs were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

NextLink Labs provided tailored services to strengthen our cybersecurity framework and optimize our DevSecOps processes. They conducted an in-depth assessment of our systems, delivering strategic recommendations to enhance security and operational efficiency. Their work included refining our infrastructure to ensure maintainability, scalability and compliance, improving development workflows, and implementing advanced tools to streamline operations. By offering ongoing support and addressing priority tasks, they ensured a smooth transition and empowered our team to maintain high performance with the new systems in place. Their expertise brought measurable improvements without disrupting our core operations.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The collaboration led to significant improvements in our cybersecurity infrastructure and operational efficiency. Our team now benefits from a robust and scalable cluster-based setup, enhanced security monitoring, and optimized development pipelines. There were no disruptions to our existing workflows. 

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

NextLink Labs demonstrated exceptional project management skills. They maintained consistent communication, adhered to deadlines, and adapted their approach based on our feedback.

What was your primary form of communication with NextLink Labs?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

What stood out most was their ability to deliver complex solutions in a clear, actionable manner while maintaining transparency throughout the project. Their expertise in both cybersecurity and DevOps proved invaluable.

Are there any areas for improvement or something NextLink Labs could have done differently?

None. The engagement exceeded our expectations.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director of Technology of an agriculture company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Leader in providing innovative seed handling and treating systems for the agricultural industry, focusing on bulk seed handling, seed treatment, and precision management solutions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire NextLink Labs to accomplish?

• Our goal was to modernize and enhance our AgConnex and SeedConnex platforms by improving their analytics, user interface, and backend systems.
• Additionally, we aimed to establish a comprehensive DevSecOps strategy for managing our cloud infrastructure and securing our software development lifecycle.

SOLUTION

How did you find NextLink Labs?

Referral

Why did you select NextLink Labs over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from NextLink Labs were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

NextLink Labs provided full-stack development services to revamp our AgConnex platform. Their team led the development of an analytics dashboard that integrates with our existing on-prem systems to offer real-time insights into seed handling and treatment operations. They implemented the project through agile sprints, working closely with our team to ensure seamless integration between our API and React-based frontend.
In parallel, they supported the DevSecOps initiative by migrating our AWS infrastructure from legacy systems, setting up automated security testing, and formalizing our software deployment processes. Their focus on compliance and security best practices was critical for us as we scale our business.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

NextLink Labs successfully delivered the initial phases of the AgConnex platform on time and within budget. The platform now offers enhanced analytics capabilities, which have improved the visibility of our seed treatment processes. They also helped us adopt a robust DevSecOps strategy, significantly improving our infrastructure's security and scalability.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Their team was highly professional and communicative, delivering biweekly sprint demos and providing clear progress updates. They were proactive in identifying potential roadblocks and worked closely with our internal team to resolve any technical issues that arose.

What was your primary form of communication with NextLink Labs?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

The most impressive aspect of working with NextLink Labs is their thorough understanding of both software development and cybersecurity. Their ability to execute highly technical projects while maintaining a focus on security and scalability truly set them apart.

Are there any areas for improvement or something NextLink Labs could have done differently?

We encountered some minor delays in the integration phase due to the complexity of our legacy systems, but NextLink Labs handled these challenges effectively and transparently.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Vice President of a research company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We conduct market research on behalf of Fortune 100 pharmaceutical companies, biotech start-ups, healthcare non-profits, and more.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire NextLink Labs to accomplish?

• Build the front and backends of our new recruitment platform
• Implement best in class security
• Personable team members to work with

SOLUTION

How did you find NextLink Labs?

Referral

Why did you select NextLink Labs over others?

• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from NextLink Labs were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

To build a proprietary, B2C recruitment platform with relevant, third-party integrations. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Users are able to successfully complete goals - whether as a patient of physician signing up to join our research, or as a company user finding and matching patients and physicians to the research that we are conducting.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

The team is incredibly responsive and pleasant to work with. Deliverables are generally on time. Any delays are due to budgetary limitations on our end.

What was your primary form of communication with NextLink Labs?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

NextLink Labs brings the human touch to software development. They understand that people are the end users, rather than data points, and they infuse their work with that perspective day in and day out. The team is a pleasure to work with.

Are there any areas for improvement or something NextLink Labs could have done differently?

No suggestions. NextLink is great.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

 I am the Senior Director - DevOps, IT of a technology company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We provide innovative technology solutions that enhance efficiency, trust, and security in critical public sector operations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire NextLink Labs to accomplish?

Our goal was to optimize our GitLab infrastructure for greater scalability and performance, ensuring that our DevOps and CI/CD processes could support our rapidly growing operations. We also prioritized simplifying the infrastructure to make it more manageable and easier to maintain.

SOLUTION

How did you find NextLink Labs?

Referral

Why did you select NextLink Labs over others?

• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from NextLink Labs were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

The project with NextLink Labs involved upgrading our GitLab from version 15.1.1 to 16.8.0, ensuring minimal downtime and preserving all essential data. They conducted a thorough discovery phase, reviewing our existing infrastructure and making strategic recommendations for system improvements. 
After upgrading the platform, they performed exhaustive user acceptance testing (UAT) to ensure everything functioned flawlessly. NextLink Labs also provided ongoing DevOps support, helping us optimize CI/CD workflows and implement critical infrastructure improvements.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The project exceeded our expectations. Our upgraded GitLab environment is now more resilient, scalable, and well-equipped to support our rapidly growing operations. The improvements have significantly enhanced our system's efficiency, minimized downtime, and optimized integration with our CI/CD workflows.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

NextLink Labs managed the project smoothly. They maintained clear and consistent communication, adhered to the timelines, and were responsive to any issues or requests. Their ability to adapt to our evolving requirements was a standout feature.

What was your primary form of communication with NextLink Labs?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

What stood out most was their thorough understanding of GitLab and their ability to tailor solutions to our specific infrastructure needs. Their team was always proactive in offering suggestions and solutions that added value beyond the initial scope.

Are there any areas for improvement or something NextLink Labs could have done differently?

No significant areas for improvement. Everything was handled with professionalism and care.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the DevOps Manager of a robotics company

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are an autonomous mobile robotics company, focused on material handling.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire NextLink Labs to accomplish?

• We engaged NextLink Labs to streamline and standardize our DevSecOps practices and support our migration of source control tooling. This would help us enhance our software deployment, infrastructure management, and security operations in line with our growth objectives.

SOLUTION

How did you find NextLink Labs?

Referral

Why did you select NextLink Labs over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from NextLink Labs were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

NextLink Labs was tasked with developing and implementing a DevSecOps Strategy and migrating our self-hosted repository management system to a SaaS solution. The project included discovery, strategy formulation, and executing a smooth migration for over 500 repositories and 1,000 users while ensuring compliance with our cybersecurity policies.

They provided continuous feedback through weekly meetings, reviewing our current practices, and optimizing our CI/CD pipelines, infrastructure management, and security protocols. Additionally, they handled complex integrations with issue tracking and CI/CD tooling, ensuring minimal disruption to our workflow.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

NextLink Labs successfully streamlined our DevSecOps practices and migrated our repositories with minimal downtime. Their work has helped us improve efficiency and security in our software development processes. 

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Their team was proactive and communicative, keeping us informed every step of the way. They stuck to deadlines and managed the project efficiently, addressing any blockers as soon as they arose.

What was your primary form of communication with NextLink Labs?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

The most impressive aspect was their deep knowledge of source control management and DevSecOps, coupled with their ability to seamlessly integrate these practices into our operations without any major disruptions.

Are there any areas for improvement or something NextLink Labs could have done differently?

None—NextLink Labs exceeded expectations in all areas.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director of IT and Solutions Delivery of Alius Health

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Alius Health is a Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) that delivers best-in-class customer service, innovative technology, and a transparent pricing model to improve patient care.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire NextLink Labs to accomplish?

• Our primary objective was to transition from DuploCloud to GitLab for managing our DevOps pipeline. We wanted a scalable, secure, and efficient CI/CD process that would enhance operational performance while reducing dependency on third-party tools.

SOLUTION

How did you find NextLink Labs?

Referral

Why did you select NextLink Labs over others?

• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me

How many teammates from NextLink Labs were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

NextLink Labs was responsible for assessing our current DuploCloud CICD pipelines and migrating them to GitLab's platform. They analyzed our development environments, including DEV, QA, UAT, and production, to ensure seamless integration and deployment across all stages.

Additionally, they supported modernizing our application by upgrading the React and .NET frameworks. Throughout the engagement, they provided regular knowledge transfer, ensuring our team could maintain and operate the new system independently.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The DevOps pipeline migration from DuploCloud to GitLab was completed ahead of schedule, and we now have a streamlined CICD process that is easier to manage and scale. The application modernization upgrades to React and .NET significantly improved system performance, stability, and security.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

NextLink Labs demonstrated exceptional project management skills, keeping us informed at every stage of the project. Their team was responsive, clear in their communication, and always available for technical discussions. The weekly check-ins helped ensure we stayed on track with deliverables and timelines.

What was your primary form of communication with NextLink Labs?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

What stood out most was their thoroughness in understanding our existing infrastructure and proposing solutions tailored to our needs. Their expertise in GitLab and the efficiency with which they handled the pipeline migration and application modernization was impressive. Moreover, their ability to transfer knowledge ensured we could independently maintain the new systems without needing extensive support.

Are there any areas for improvement or something NextLink Labs could have done differently?

None. The entire experience was smooth, and they delivered everything as promised.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the COO of The Hope Learning Center, which has three divisions of services for special needs children, especially kids on the autism spectrum. Our company is about 13 years old with around 110 employees. 

We provide various types of therapies and counseling to school districts. We have a private license school in Western Pennsylvania for children in kindergarten through 12th grade. That school operates on three campuses. We also have an outpatient insurance clinic where we provide pediatric, occupational, speech, and physical therapies, as well as applied behavior analysis. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with NextLink Labs?

A few years ago, we started building a proprietary software app called Timeline. It was designed to track compliance and documentation related to special education services. We started the project with an independent developer, and he took the application to the limits of what he could do in terms of his time and coding expertise. As a result, we looked for a company to help us scale up that app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We first worked with NextLink in the earlier version of our app. We contracted them for monthly maintenance work, which included small-scale development tasks at a slow pace. After about 1–2 months, we embarked on a bigger UI/UX redesign process. They presented us with possible app designs and put together a scope of work that included migrating our existing functionality to a new coding language. They also helped us transition from Rackspace to AWS so that we could scale better. 

That redesign process has been phase one of our bigger engagement with them. At present, we’re back to smaller-scale development work, and they’re providing us with ongoing maintenance services. 

What is the team composition?

We’ve interacted with their business development manager and their CEO. They’ve assigned a single developer in various sprints, and they’ve added a couple of developers to our account. As far as I know, four of their teammates have worked with us during the redesign process. 

How did you come to work with NextLink Labs?

An associate pointed us in the right direction, and we met NextLink on their recommendation. We had a conversation with the team about what our app could do and what we’d like to see as it grew. We told them what we had, and they sent us some work samples that were similar to our project. They also pointed us to various websites. 

After our team checked the things they’d done, NextLink seemed to be a good fit for our project in terms of their expertise. We were pleased with the designs and functionalities that we saw, and this helped us make the decision to hire them. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested around $200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in September 2019, and the collaboration is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

NextLink’s work has aided in the increase of staff productivity by about 25%. We now have access to data that helps us track staff productivity and compliance in a better way. We create our invoices on the platform that they’ve developed, so there’s also been a marked uptick in our cash flow cadence. We’ve also met compliance requirements more regularly and with greater accuracy. 

How did NextLink Labs perform from a project management standpoint?

We’ve worked squarely in the heaviest time of the pandemic during the biggest chunk of the project. As a result, we’ve used Zoom a lot, which has been effective and helped us meet with NextLink regularly. We’ve also used Trello to track feature requests and updates. They submit reports on the number of hours they’ve utilized, and we then compare that number to the hours estimated or guaranteed in their scope of work or contract. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

NextLink’s ability and desire to understand our purpose and internal workflows have been exceptional. They don’t simply take a stab at what they think we want; they haven’t even tried to redirect us to another path or choice. Instead, they take the time to deeply learn what we do in our organization and why it’s important before we proceed to actual development. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

It will be great to receive a clearer picture of our short-term deliverables. For instance, when we have a consensus to receive about 7–8 deliverables, I’m not always sure whether we hit those deliverables in the way we want. Sometimes, we need to retrace things in a follow-up meeting and ask them about the deliverables.

At the same time, some things aren’t always documented properly for everyone to see. Using the same example, those 7–8 deliverables aren’t necessarily built into a list that we can look back and follow up on in our next meetings. Documentation has been a little looser than that. However, we might have owned more of that responsibility than we’ve assumed. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Set aside some time to educate the NextLink team on what you do in your daily business. Since you live the business every day, it’s easy to assume that everybody else understands it using a cursory explanation or a brief summary. However, most things are more nuanced than that. If you want to get the most out of your work with NextLink, take advantage of their strength, which is learning about your organization. Finally, don’t try to rush that education process. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

 I am the CTO of an education company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are an educational technology company that offers tools and resources to enhance learning and teaching through data-driven insights and personalized content.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire NextLink Labs to accomplish?
Our goal was to conduct a risk assessment to assess and enhance our cybersecurity maturity across various organizational domains.

SOLUTION

How did you find NextLink Labs?

Online Search

Why did you select NextLink Labs over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from NextLink Labs were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

NextLink Labs  carried out a detailed assessment to evaluate and enhance our cybersecurity posture. This included an analysis of our current practices, a maturity matrix to identify strengths and areas for improvement, and strategic recommendations for future enhancements. The deliverables provided clear and actionable insights to support ongoing improvements in security processes and protocols.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

NextLink Labs conducted a thorough assessment of our security practices and provided a comprehensive set of recommendations. These insights will help guide improvements and support the enhancement of our overall cybersecurity posture.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

The team was highly responsive and transparent, keeping us informed throughout the process. They delivered results on time and maintained excellent communication.

What was your primary form of communication with NextLink Labs?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

The depth of expertise and personalized recommendations provided by NextLink Labs were outstanding. Their commitment to aligning solutions with our long-term operational goals was particularly impressive.

Are there any areas for improvement or something NextLink Labs could have done differently?

None; the engagement met all our expectations.