Complete Digital Transformation: How we helped a company with 1,400 users successfully migrate to M365

Our customer, a transport company with 1,400 users, had identified opportunities for technological improvement before working with us. They were using a telephony solution that had reached its limits, a document management platform that required security updates, and messaging and file storage services that could benefit from reliability enhancements. In addition, their Microsoft Office suite needed updating, and the device deployment process could be optimized. These challenges had an impact on team collaboration and raised security issues.

Our client was aiming for a hybrid deployment of M365 to take advantage of both cloud and its existing infrastructure. This hybrid model was intended as a stepping stone toward a migration full-scale migration, while retaining key elements such as Active Directory on their existing on-premises infrastructure.

Step 1: Identity management

The first step involved implementing a directory synchronization solution. This solution allowed our client’s employees to use a single username and password for all M365 applications. All identity changes were made locally before being synchronized with the service Cloud Entra ID / Azure AD. This also enhanced security and simplified password management.
As part of this crucial step, our approach to digital transformation included the deployment of a robust hybrid identity based onAD, ADFS federation, and Entra ID / Azure AD. This integration provided not only a basic configuration but also advanced features such as:

• Identity Protection
• Privileged Identity Management (PIM)
• Access reviews

These components ofAzure AD / Entra ID P2 have been carefully configured to identify potential risks, limit privileged access over time, and enforce regular reviews of permissions, thereby reducing the attack surface. During the workshops, we explored the implementation of these features in greater depth to address the project’s specific needs.

Step 2: Device Patch Management , and Management

We have developed a comprehensive social media patch management strategy managed through Intune (Microsoft Endpoint Manager) by Co-management with System Center (SCCM). This single interface handled all security and feature updates for Windows 10/11 and mobile devices— iOS , and Android.

Autopilot & Device Management

AutoPilot was the solution chosen for the initial deployment of the workstations. It enabled a secure, fast, and automated configuration, thereby reducing deployment time.

Step 4: Microsoft Teams

Due to stability issues with their previous system, our client decided to migrate to Microsoft Teams. As part of this transition, they also replaced the Zoom product for managing video conferences.

Note: We will not go into further detail on this point, as we have already published several draft migration Teams on our website (including for telephony).

Step 5: Migration Exchange and archiving solution

In this phase, we began by conducting an in-depth analysis of the requirements, dependencies, and current state of the infrastructure. This detailed analysis was crucial for developing the target architecture and defining the methods for migration. The goal was to ensure flexibility during the transition phase while facilitating the management of deployment batches migration.
For this migration, we opted for Microsoft’s official method: implementing a hybrid mode Exchange. This approach involves federation between Exchange OnPrem and Online, sharing the same email domain names. This decision offered several significant advantages: it eliminated the need to purchase expensive licenses for third-party tools, ensured a smooth transition for internal applications that use email (such as fax machines, scanners, alert systems, and line-of-business software), and simplified support by having a single point of contact—namely, Microsoft—in the event of issues during the migration.

In summary, this approach has enabled a migration smoother, uninterrupted operations for internal applications and simplified support management, all while saving on licensing costs.

Step 6: SharePoint

As the future document management system, SharePoint Online was adopted to replace Alfresco, offering a more modern and flexible solution.
We organized a workshop with Alfresco administrators and key users to understand the existing document library structure, discuss the proposed implementation method migration in detail, and present the final structure in SharePoint Online.
The migration phased rollout of sites, as well as communication with users, were carried out by the client’s internal teams with the help of the pilot process and support from our team.

Step 7: OneDrive

A procedure and best practices have been provided to users for migration transferring data from Dropbox to OneDrive.

Step 8: Decommissioning old solutions

The final step was the removal of the OnPrem solutions, which were migrated, thus optimizing the infrastructure.

Challenge:
A crucial component of our success in our client’s digital transformation was our strategic approach to change management. We are convinced that the transition to these solutions Microsoft 365 must be accompanied by effective change management to ensure the successful adoption of these new technologies.
To achieve this, we recommended using the Prosci ADKAR™ method and worked closely with the internal teams. Together, we organized a workshop aimed at sharing best practices and preparing for the change management associated with these solutions Microsoft 365. This initiative strengthened employee engagement and contributed to a smooth transition to the new infrastructure.

After the project was fully implemented, our client saw a significant improvement in the stability and security of its systems. Team collaboration became more seamless thanks to the integration of Microsoft Teams , and other M365 tools. Device deployment time was reduced, and password management was simplified. Security challenges were addressed, resulting in greater control over company data.

Project methodology and quality assurance

Quality assurance is guaranteed by PMI-compliant project management and the use of specific tools by our staff. In particular, we have used:

• Clearly described business processes.
• A certified project methodology (Microsoft Sure Step) describing all the deliverables (mandatory and optional) required for project implementation.
• An internal methodology based on the use of WBS (Work Breakdown Structure).
• Project document management (Extranet).
• Project management at Microsoft Project.