Consulting firm migrates to the cloud to allow employees to work remotely
THE CHALLENGE: CLOUD-BASED IDENTITY AND ACCESS MANAGEMENT
Allow employees to work from anywhere
The client came to Miles IT with a need to move its local server and firewall over to the cloud, which would negate the need for a physical office location as all employees were already working remotely due to the pandemic.
While the client was cloud-curious for some time and had moved file storage and applications over, they still had an on-premise physical server that acted as a domain controller. Remote employees had to use a VPN to connect to the corporate network.
They needed a solution that would provide cloud-based identity and access management and maintain functionality and security available with the physical server.
The client chose to work with Miles because they were an existing IT support customer, and we had recently completed a successful IT project to move their files to Sharepoint, so they could take full advantage of their Microsoft 365 plan.
THE SOLUTION: AZURE AD MIGRATION AND SERVER DECOMMISSION
Move all users off local domain and into the Cloud
We reviewed everything the client presented to us and developed a solution that would meet all requirements necessary for successful implementation. There were four main components to our proposed solution:
Migration
Migrate 25 users from domain to workgroups
Software Set-Up
Set up Azure AD for identity and access management
Hardware Prep
Decommission the existing server and firewall and prepare hardware for removal
Wire Removal
Remove existing wiring from the office
After the client approved our proposal, our team went to work to ensure the project’s success in a timely manner as the client had a hard date to be out of the office.
How we got it done
Set up and configure Azure AD
We provisioned admin and accounts for each user and configured the domain in Azure AD. We also configured the Azure AD environment for password management and multi-factor authentication. Once this was done, we disjoined computers from the local domain and joined them to Azure AD.
Backup & Recovery
We configured Backupify for cloud-to-cloud recovery in the event that the Microsoft network went down or there was a ransomware attack. We also copied any files that existed on the local server.
Decommissioning & Removal
We implemented a trial decommission period to test and verify there were no dependencies. Once the period was over, we removed the server from the network and moved it to storage, where it would eventually be recycled. We also removed the firewall from the network.
Verify User Functionality
We conducted a thorough review of user functionality in the remote, cloud-based environment to ensure all users had the functionality they needed to perform their jobs.
Remove All Wiring
We removed the data wiring and wireless access points from the office and prepared the network hardware and server for removal from the office.
Thinking about the Cloud?
THE RESULTS: REDUCED COSTS AND BETTER WORK-LIFE BALANCE
Cloud-life is a success for everyone
The migration project was completed in three months, and the client was able to move out of their physical location on-time. The project is a clear example of helping a client who is cloud-curious and already has some cloud-based applications. It also shows how moving over to the cloud can be done in steps to solidify user adoption and mitigate any disruptions that could come from a drastic change in infrastructure.
As an ongoing MAP customer, Miles IT continues to provide monthly support and consultation to the client when asked.
Cost-Savings
After re-assessing the client’s MAP (Miles Assurance Plan), we reduced the cost of their support plan by nearly 40%. The client also saves on any overhead costs as they no longer have a physical location.
Employee Flexibility
Employees can work from anywhere, which can improve work-life balance and employee morale. The client is able to expand their recruitment efforts nationwide to find the best candidates for open positions.
Fewer Support Tasks
We were able to reduce the client’s MAP plan because there were fewer necessary IT support tasks to complete each month as the client went entirely over to the cloud. Monthly support tasks were lowered by nearly 20%.
