In August 2024, INTEGY completed a crucial IT upgrade for an educational institution, successfully transitioning all campus devices to Windows 11. This milestone marked the culmination of a strategic, phased approach that began in May 2023.
The project was designed not only to meet the immediate technological needs of the institution but also to spread the financial impact over several budget cycles, ensuring cost-effectiveness and careful planning ahead of Windows 10’s end-of-life.
This case study highlights the collaborative efforts, strategic foresight, and strong partnership that drove the project to success.
The journey began in May 2023, when INTEGY partnered with the educational institution to modernise its IT infrastructure. The initial focus was on building a robust Microsoft Intune environment with security policies aligned to CIS (Center for Internet Security) benchmarks. This foundational work also included a significant shift from a traditional domain-join approach to an EntraID-only environment, streamlining device management and paving the way for future upgrades.
Given the diverse hardware landscape, with some devices capable of running Windows 11 and others limited to Windows 10, a phased approach was adopted. In 2023, all laptops were rebuilt with Windows 11, while desktops remained on Windows 10. This strategy allowed the institution to defer some costs, spread the budget impact across multiple phases, and align with the financial year planning.
The final phase of the project was executed in August 2024, with a focus on upgrading all remaining devices to Windows 11 and replacing non-compatible hardware. This phase was carefully planned to ensure minimal disruption while maximising the impact of the available budget.
Strategic Hardware Replacement:
Intune-Driven Upgrade Process:
Deployment and Onboarding of New Hardware:
One of the key elements of this project was the strategic management of the budget. By spreading the costs across multiple phases, the institution was able to:
The success of this project was built on a foundation of strong collaboration and partnership between INTEGY and the educational institution. By working closely with the local site team, INTEGY ensured that all aspects of the project were aligned with the institution’s operational needs and financial constraints.
The phased approach also allowed for continuous feedback and adjustments, ensuring that each stage of the project was executed flawlessly. This close collaboration was crucial in navigating the challenges of a diverse hardware environment and in ensuring that the final transition to Windows 11 was seamless.
INTEGY’s strategic approach to this project, emphasising phased implementation and close collaboration, ensured that the educational institution could modernise its IT infrastructure without overwhelming its budget. This case study highlights the importance of planning, partnership, and strategic resource management in successfully navigating large-scale IT upgrades.
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