Introduction

In 2020, a major cloud‑migration initiative kicked off with one clear mission: move all applications to the cloud and empower teams with standardized, scalable solutions. Among the many challenges that surfaced during this transformation, certificate management quickly emerged as a critical area in need of modernization. Manual processes, lengthy approval flows, and slow delivery times were no longer compatible with the pace of a cloud-driven enterprise.

This is the story of how we transformed certificate management into a fast, automated, and future‑proof service, shaping not only technology, but also collaboration and culture along the way.

How It Started: Understanding the Challenge

In a large corporate environment, certificates are everywhere to secure APIs, applications, integrations, and infrastructure. Yet the process for requesting a certificate was entirely manual:

• Multiple approval steps

• Manually entered metadata

• Long waiting times

• Limited visibility into what was issued and where

In a modern IT landscape, this simply doesn't scale.

We knew automation was the key, but transparency and governance were equally important. So we began by showing what could be possible. Using AWS Certificate Manager combined with AWS Lambda, we built a first Proof of Concept. It automatically retrieved and stored certificate metadata in the CMDB and demonstrated how certificates could be requested and processed in seconds rather than hours or days.

The reaction from leadership? Very positive. It was clear we were on the right path.

Selecting the Right Tools and Building Momentum

After the PoC, the next step was selecting the right enterprise-grade tooling to support a long-term solution. Once the tool was chosen, a Morphiq specialist joined the Certificate Management team to help design, build, and roll out the platform.

Working closely with architects, security experts, and application teams, we defined a solution that not only solved today's problems but set the foundation for tomorrow’s needs.

Building the Solution: Collaboration at the Core

During design, build, and deployment, we kept communication open across all internal and external stakeholders. This ensured the solution aligned with corporate standards, met security requirements, and addressed real user needs.

Within just six months, the solution went live.

Teams could now request certificates:

• Within seconds

• Through a self-service portal

• Or fully automated via APIs

To help teams adopt the new approach, our Morphiq engineer created example automation scripts and CI/CD pipeline templates stored in Git, version-controlled, and easy to reuse across the organization.

The result? Faster onboarding, reduced operational load, and a smoother path toward full automation.

Living Solution, Lasting Value

Today, the Certificate Management team continues to maintain and improve the platform. With upcoming industry changes such as shortening TLS certificate validity to 47 days by 2029 the ability to automatically request and renew certificates is no longer a luxury: it’s essential.

The success of this implementation even led to an invitation for Morphiq to present the solution at the vendor’s annual event a great recognition of its quality and impact.

What made this journey succesful?

Reflecting on the project, four principles stand out:

1. A Scalable Strategy and Reusable Framework

We didn’t build a one-off solution. We created a foundation that scaled across teams, systems, and future use cases.

2. Involving Real Users Early and Often

People who rely on certificates every day contributed their ideas and needs. Their input shaped a solution that truly worked for them.

3. Transforming as One Team

Rather than working in silos, we collaborated across functions from engineering to security to operations building not just a tool but shared ownership.

4. Simply Getting Started

Big transformations often begin with a small step: a PoC, a conversation, an experiment. By showing what was possible early on, we created excitement and momentum that carried the project forward.

Conclusion

This journey wasn’t just about automating certificates it was about enabling a modern, cloud-ready organization. By combining technology, collaboration, and a willingness to start exploring, we delivered a solution that continues to bring value every day.

And that’s exactly what IT transformation is all about.