Springbox is an interactive marketing agency that was tasked with developing an application to stream live concerts via Facebook. However, Facebook changed its rules, requiring Springbox to find a new hosting provider. They selected OpSource due to its competitive pricing, strong support, and ability to quickly scale. OpSource successfully hosted the complex application ahead of schedule. The client was so pleased that they expanded the project from three to four concerts.

1. Case Study
Springbox Takes Concerts to
the Cloud
Case Study Highlights “We were definitely in crunch time. We had to get the project
back on track quickly. OpSource didn’t just make up for lost time;
• Springbox is an interactive
services agency that helps
they completed the project ahead of schedule.”
brands build digital experiences
Mike Nowlin
to captivate customers and Director of Strategic Initiatives
drive business. Combining
strategic insights with big ideas, Springbox Full-service Interactive Marketing
Springbox works to identify and Springbox is a full-service interactive marketing firm with offices in
address the right opportunities Austin and Los Angeles. It produces best-in-class digital solutions for
in the digital space. Representing some of the nation’s best known companies including Dell and Disney.
high-caliber brands such as Springbox is not your typical agency. It was built from the ground up to
Central Market, Dell, Disney, be interactive, going beyond simple micro websites and banner ads to
HEB, LG, PayPal, and Sweet Leaf, focus on complex interactions with data, social media, and
Springbox is an independent mobile applications.
operating unit of DG, with
offices in Austin, Texas, and Los For example, Springbox developed a microsite challenging high schools
Angeles, California. to show Dell why they should win the ultimate prom, complete with
celebrity DJ, ultra-chic décor and incredible edibles. Videos were
• Challenge: Find a hosting
made, viewed, and voted upon – a whopping 129,174 times. In all the
provider that could deliver the
excitement, Dell’s Facebook audience grew by more than 19,000 fans.
right balance of cost, support,
and technical skills needed to
In another project, Springbox delivered an online configurator to help
manage a complex environment.
car maker Scion get customer-specified build sheets to dealerships.
• Solution: OpSource Cloud With the configurator, users could choose colors, parts, accessories and
plus App Ops™ for expanded performance options, and then view their customized Scion in true 3D.
support. Users could save, print or send custom build sheets to a local Scion dealer
to make that dream car a reality.
• OpSource was selected as the
cloud hosting provider based
Challenge: Finding the Right Hosting Provider
on pricing, support, and
A Springbox client approached the agency to develop an application that
technical expertise.
would allow users to stream a series of live concerts via FaceBook as part
© 2011 OpSource, Inc. All rights reserved.

2. SPRINGBOX TAKES CONCERTS TO THE CLOUD
of an overall advertising campaign. the support Springbox needed.
Originally, the agency planned to “There was nobody we could
host the application on FaceBook, call,” says Nowlin. After spending
which would provide the delivery valuable time, Springbox finally
mechanism. Just after the project determined that FaceBook
began, however, FaceBook wouldn’t work with Amazon the
changed its rules, no longer way they wanted it to. “We were
allowing application content on its definitely in crunch time. We had
site. Springbox would have to build to get the project back on track
out a new site from the ground up. quickly.”
With its tight schedule now in Prior to the concert project
“We worked with some fairly jeopardy, the agency would need Nowlin had been considering
to quickly find a hosting provider OpSource to host Springbox’s own
new technologies in ways that
that could host the application. To internal site. “We had looked at
have never been done before,
keep costs low to meet the client’s OnRamp, RackSpace, and several
and it was completely flawless
budget, Springbox required a other providers, both managed
from the technical side, thanks provider that could offer a small and cloud-based. OpSource was
to OpSource. The application footprint initially and grow not only the best option but also
got hit pretty hard, but we rapidly if and when traffic the least expensive. There were
never saw any problems, increased dramatically. differentiators between OpSource
capacity issues, or hiccups. and other providers, but the key
It never went down.” Equally important was finding a for us was support. Unfortunately,
provider who could offer a high the internal project got lost in
Mike Nowlin level of support. “Cost isn’t the the shuffle of client work, but
Director of Strategic Initiatives
first thing I worry about,” says OpSource was at the top of
Mike Nowlin, director of strategic our list.”
initiatives with Springbox. “It’s
much more important that we can Under the gun, Nowlin called his
get people on the phone and fix a contact at OpSource. Within a day
problem or be proactive enough so he received a quote and all the
we don’t have to worry about the technical specifications necessary
problem in the first place.” to implement the complex
concert project. Springbox
Solution chose the OpSource Cloud plus
In the past, Springbox had relied OpSource App Ops™, which
on traditional managed hosting provides outsourced application
providers for the majority of their management services that help
needs. But escalating pricing customers scale complex SaaS
led them to seek a cloud-based and web-based applications. The
solution. A constrained budget led project moved ahead quickly.
Springbox to Amazon to host the “OpSource didn’t just make up for
streaming concert application. lost time; they completed it ahead
of schedule.”
Amazon, however, didn’t provide
© 2011 OpSource, Inc. All rights reserved.

3. SPRINGBOX TAKES CONCERTS TO THE CLOUD
Impact: Client Satisfaction The success of this project opens
The project proved very successful, up opportunities for future
both from a technical and user projects with this client. “We were
standpoint. “We worked with able to prove to our client that
some fairly new technologies in Springbox knows how to find the
ways that have never been done right partners, like OpSource.”
before, and it was completely
flawless from the technical The client was very pleased with
side, thanks to OpSource,” says the project; so much so that
Nowlin. “The application got hit the scope was expanded. “We
pretty hard, but we never saw initially intended to do three
any problems, capacity issues, or concerts, but the success of
hiccups. It never went down.” everything, including the hosting
environment, led the client to ask
for a fourth,” says Nowlin.”
© 2011 OpSource, Inc. All rights reserved.

4. SPRINGBOX TAKES CONCERTS TO THE CLOUD
About Springbox
Springbox is an interactive services agency that helps brands build digital experiences to captivate
customers and drive business. Combining strategic insights with big ideas, Springbox works to
identify and address the right opportunities in the digital space. A unique emphasis on responsible
design, effective collaboration and exceptional results sets Springbox apart as a leader in the industry.
Proudly representing high-caliber brands such as Central Market, Dell, Disney, HEB, LG, PayPal and
Sweet Leaf, Springbox is an independent operating unit of DG, with offices in Austin, Texas, and Los
Angeles, California.
About OpSource
OpSource provides cloud and managed hosting solutions that enable businesses to accelerate growth
and scale operations while controlling costs and reducing IT infrastructure support risks. More than
six hundred enterprises, service providers and Software-as-a-Service ISVs rely on OpSource’s expertise,
experience and cloud automation technology to operate high-availability, business-critical hosting
environments. OpSource’s Managed Services for the Cloud provide application monitoring, management
and optimization across both public and private cloud environments. OpSource’s Software Stack powers
the cloud with automated provisioning, billing, management and administration.
Founded in 2002 and headquartered in Santa Clara, California, OpSource is SAS 70 Type II, PCI DSS Level
1 and European Safe Harbour certified and has operations in California, Virginia, UK, Ireland, and India.
Corporate Headquarters
5201 Great America Parkway, Suite 120, Santa Clara, CA 95054, 1-800-664-9973 (USA)
+353 1 661 9979 (EMEA), sales@opsource.net, www.opsource.net
© 2011 OpSource, Inc. All rights reserved.