The Situation

A global Australian manufacturing firm sought to modernize its digital workspace as part of its broader digital transformation efforts. Key goals included improving operational efficiency, enabling secure internal and external collaboration, and ensuring streamlined data access and management—all while reducing costs and maintaining strong security practices.

• The firm relied on a traditional file system, which lacked modern collaboration features and efficient backup options.
• Managing over 18TB of data became increasingly complex, especially with 400–500 global employees accessing files across various projects.
• Monthly storage costs for hosting data on Azure servers reached AUD $20,000, prompting a need for a more cost-efficient solution.
• Secure file sharing was a major concern, particularly for external users such as customers and on-site staff.
• Management required off-site backups for disaster recovery, while employees wanted access to previous versions of files.
• The team needed a better way to categorize and search data across multiple departments and projects.

How Did NSN Infotech Help

NSN Infotech led a successful SharePoint Online migration, delivering a secure, cost-effective, and user-friendly platform that addressed the firm’s operational and data management challenges.

• Environment Assessment and Planning
  • Conducted thorough assessments of file servers and workflows.
  • Engaged users through workshops and surveys to identify pain points and tailor the solution.
  • Chose SharePoint Online as the optimal platform, leveraging the firm’s existing Microsoft 365 Business Premium licenses.
• Pilot Phase with Select Teams
  • Rolled out a “guinea pig” phase with small teams to test functionality, gather feedback, and fine-tune the system before full deployment.
• Phased Migration Approach
  • Executed a department-by-department migration, minimizing disruption.
  • Completed the entire migration of 18TB of data within 1.5 months.
  • Maintained clear communication with each department throughout the process.

Training and Change Management

• Delivered employee workshops, training sessions, and ongoing support.
• Ensured staff were comfortable using the new system and understood best practices.

Results Achieved

• Secure Collaboration: Segregated internal and external content on SharePoint. External file sharing requires IT approval, enhancing control and visibility.
• Improved Backup and Recovery: Enabled file versioning through SharePoint and implemented Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud for off-site backups and disaster recovery.
• Cost Savings: Reduced data hosting costs by 60%, from AUD $20,000 to approximately AUD $12,000 per month.
• Enhanced Data Security: Used Target Audience settings to restrict access by job role and implemented need-to-know access policies.
• Smarter Data Management: Introduced metadata tagging to improve searchability and categorization, boosting employee productivity.