Arriva Bus

Working with Node4 has helped Arriva
to drive their database design forwards.

The Customer

Arriva UK Bus is a major public transport operator, based in Sunderland and operating 6,000 buses across the north, south, east and west of England, coupled with Wales.

A subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn since 2010, it currently employs 16,000 people, providing a vital service for many regions of the UK and has been in operation since the 1980s before expanding into mainland Europe.

Arriva

“Arriva wanted to optimise its growing SQL Server estate, so it turned to Node4 for advice and support.”

Arriva Bus Team

The Challenge

Going back to 2015, Arriva Bus had a large estate of SQL Server which had grown organically, often with new applications being deployed on standalone servers. This had led to challenges with the performance management of the databases. There were also cost implications relating to how the systems were being licensed and maintained, whilst ensuring vendor compliance.

The Solution

Arriva asked Node4 to address two requirements.

Firstly, it asked Node4 to review a key SQL Server database running a critical EPOS application which was suffering from significant performance degradation. Node4 undertook a detailed assessment of the environment including analysis of application queries and indexing strategy coupled with infrastructure performance. This resulted in a clear set of recommendations and agreed remediation actions.

Arriva also asked Node4 to assess the entire SQL Server estate and provide recommendations for a modernised and consolidated configuration.
Through detailed onsite review sessions, Node4 were able to identify four alternative architecture options for the SQL Server environment. They documented the pros and cons of each solution, taking into consideration the complexity, supportability and cost implications for each of the options. This enabled Arriva to make an informed decision on the future design of the environment.

The Results

Flexible
solution

Speed of response
through UK team

In-depth
expertise

24×7 Managed
Service

Node4 effectively optimised the SQL Server databases and built an upgraded SQL Server AAG (Always on Availability Group) using a multi-site 3-node cluster. This resulted in a significant consolidation of infrastructure and reduction in software licensing cost.

Node4 continue to provide a 24*7 Managed Service including proactive monitoring and performance management of the SQL Server estate. They continue to modernise the environment with migration and management of instances, using both Azure and internal data centre platforms.

Why Node4?

Arriva considered a number of DBA services partners for assisting with their challenges and Node4 were able to quickly demonstrate an effective business and cultural fit.

Learn More About…

Webex

Waythrough

Waythrough, a UK charity supporting people with mental health, addiction, and housing challenges, has upgraded its phone system across 100 locations with Webex Calling. The new cloud-based solution, delivered by Node4, improves reliability, security, and ease of use—ensuring better access to out-of-hours support and helping the charity focus more resources on frontline care.
Case Study
Data Management

Clear Insurance

Clear Insurance Group modernised its data infrastructure with Node4 and Microsoft Fabric to streamline acquisitions, cut costs, and improve analytics. The cloud-based system reduced integration time, saved £20k annually, enhanced compliance, and enabled real-time performance tracking. With unified data and scalable tools, Clear is now positioned to explore AI-driven insights and accelerate growth across its expanding portfolio.
Case Study
SD-WAN

Places Leisure

Fast, secure SD-WAN rollout with Node4 transformed Places Leisure’s tech, enhancing customer experience and operational efficiency.
Case Study