Running a National AMC on SharePoint 2019 and a Single MSSQL Server
A full audit of the current technology stack, hosting architecture, and CMS, covering performance, security, scalability, and API design, with two concrete migration paths recommended.
Current Technology Stack (Non-Logged-In Site)
| Layer | Technology |
|---|---|
| Frontend libraries | jQuery, Bootstrap, CSS |
| Backend framework | .NET |
| Database | MSSQL |
| CMS | SharePoint 2019 |
| API | REST API (Lambda Function and .NET) |
| CI/CD | Jenkins |
| Version control | Git Server |
| Hosting | On premise |
Source: ibs Fulcro technology and CMS audit.
Performance Issues
CDN not effectively utilized
Higher latency for users outside the primary hosting region, since static content isn't served from edge locations.
Unminified JS and CSS files
Larger file sizes than necessary, directly slowing page load across the site.
Core Web Vitals fail thresholds
Confirmed by the GTmetrix and Lighthouse data. This directly affects both user experience and SEO ranking.
High API response times
Slower interaction times across the logged-in platform, compounding the frontend performance issues.
Excessive HTTP calls
Too many separate JS and CSS files, none bundled, increasing page load time through request overhead.
No lazy loading implemented
Images and other assets load immediately rather than on demand, increasing initial page load unnecessarily.
Security Issues
Unsecured, publicly accessible APIs
Some APIs lack proper authentication, creating a real risk of data breaches.
Missing or misconfigured Content-Security-Policy header
Increases exposure to cross-site scripting (XSS) and other client-side attacks.
Cookies missing the HttpOnly flag
Increases risk of client-side attacks like XSS by allowing unnecessary JavaScript access to cookie data.
Scalability & Architecture Issues
Monolithic architecture
Difficult to scale, maintain, or adapt to new technologies as requirements grow.
On-premise hosting blocks horizontal scaling
Infrastructure can't scale dynamically to meet demand spikes, unlike cloud-native alternatives.
Single MSSQL database server
A single point of failure with no replication or clustering, and limited scalability headroom.
API, Data Handling, and Process Gaps
REST APIs instead of GraphQL
Inefficient data fetching for complex queries, compared to what GraphQL could offer.
No caching mechanism for APIs
Increases server load and response times on every request, with no relief for repeated queries.
SharePoint 2019 as primary data source and CMS
A legacy system that limits integration flexibility and modern content workflows.
Synchronous API calls
Blocks the main thread, causing delays in page rendering and user interaction.
No queuing technology
No mechanism like RabbitMQ or Kafka for handling high-load operations asynchronously.
No formal code quality checks or automated testing
Increases the likelihood of bugs and security vulnerabilities reaching production, with regression testing left entirely manual.
What Core Web Vitals Actually Measure
Core Web Vitals are speed metrics that form part of Google's Page Experience signals, used to measure real user experience. The metrics cover visual load with Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), visual stability with Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS), and interactivity with First Input Delay (FID).
The developments that most directly improve Core Web Vitals scores are architectural: headless architecture, edge-first deployment, modern frontend frameworks, a microservices approach, micro frontends, and segmented rendering. Each of these is a structural fix, not a content or design fix.
Recommended Solution: Strapi + React.js (Headless CMS)
Flexibility and customization
A decoupled architecture where React (frontend) and Strapi (backend) communicate via APIs gives complete control over the front end and tailored user experiences.
Cost-effective
Strapi is open-source, removing the licensing cost burden that comes with enterprise CMS platforms.
Developer-friendly
Strapi's REST API approach facilitates efficient data management, directly improving page load times and performance.
Scalable and lightweight
Can be scaled horizontally on cloud platforms, with strong support for modern DevOps and CI/CD practices.
Strong community support
An active open-source community means continuous updates and long-term reliability.
Alternate Solution: Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) Cloud + Edge Delivery
Enterprise-level capabilities
Extensive features including content workflows, advanced asset management, personalization, and analytics integration.
High performance with Edge Delivery
Efficient global content distribution with low latency, suited to a large-scale content delivery need.
Security and compliance
Enterprise-grade security, GDPR compliance, and strong access controls built in.
Adobe ecosystem integration
Strong integration with Adobe Analytics, Target, and other Adobe products for marketing capability.
Significantly higher cost
AEM's licensing, development, and operational costs are substantially higher than Strapi's. That cost is only justified if the advanced features are actually used.
Recommendation: Strapi + React.js is the recommended path given cost, flexibility, and the scale of the current performance problem. AEM Cloud remains a credible alternative if the organization is already committed to the broader Adobe ecosystem and the higher cost is acceptable.
Frequently asked questions
It creates a single point of failure with no replication or clustering. If that server goes down or fails, there is no automatic fallback, and it also caps how far the site can scale as traffic grows.
SharePoint 2019, hosted on-premise rather than in the cloud, which limits horizontal scaling and ties infrastructure capacity to physical hardware rather than elastic cloud resources.
A headless CMS, specifically Strapi paired with React.js, chosen for its open-source cost profile, API-driven flexibility, and ability to scale horizontally on cloud platforms with modern CI/CD practices.
Yes, Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) Cloud with Edge Delivery, which offers stronger built-in personalization, asset management, and Adobe ecosystem integration, at significantly higher licensing and operational cost than Strapi.