Case Study: Migrating Workloads from Local Domain Controllers to Microsoft Entra ID

The Situation

The local domain controller has long served as the backbone of hybrid IT environments, delivering critical network management and security services.

However, for an Australian manufacturing firm, the high monthly costs associated with hosting domain controllers, Certificate Authority, and RADIUS services as Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) virtual machine on Microsoft Azure have become a significant financial burden.

In addition to cost considerations, the company’s hybrid work model, supporting both on-site and remote employees, has heightened the need for robust security and seamless access to corporate resources. Persistent authentication failures have further impacted operational efficiency and business continuity.

In the second quarter of 2025, NSN Infotech delivered a solution by migrating the firm’s traditional domain controllers and supporting services to Microsoft Entra ID, with the following key objectives:

• Reduce cloud infrastructure costs. Lower ongoing expenses by eliminating reliance on Azure-hosted domain controllers and related services.
• Enhance security and access control. Strengthen identity management and protect access to corporate resources in a hybrid work environment.
• Improve authentication reliability. Resolve persistent login issues to ensure smooth and uninterrupted user access.
• Support hybrid workforce needs. Enable seamless and secure access for both remote and on-site employees.
• Modernize IT infrastructure. Transition from legacy domain services to a scalable, cloud-native identity platform.

How did NSN Infotech help?

To support the needs of an Australian manufacturing firm, NSN Infotech modernized their identity and access infrastructure during the 1st quarter of 2025 by transitioning away from traditional domain controllers and outdated certificate services. The goal: reduce costs, streamline remote access, and strengthen security.

Cloud Identity Modernization with Microsoft Entra ID

The transition to Microsoft Entra ID delivered several operational benefits, enhancing both security and efficiency across the organization:

• Seamless Authentication Experience: Employees no longer require VPN connections to authenticate or receive policy updates, significantly improving the user experience, especially for remote and field-based staff.
• Anywhere Access: Users gain secure, frictionless access to corporate resources from any location with an internet connection, fostering greater mobility and productivity.

Certificate Services Modernization with Intune Cloud PKI

To replace the legacy domain-based Certification Authority, Microsoft Intune Cloud PKI was implemented, offering a modern, cloud-native solution for certificate lifecycle management:
Certificates were automatically distributed to all Intune-enrolled, trusted devices, ensuring secure device authentication without user intervention.

Secure Wireless Access with RADIUSaaS

A cloud-based RADIUS solution, RADIUSaaS, was integrated to trust certificates issued by Intune Cloud PKI, enabling certificate-based authentication for wireless users across Windows, Android, and iOS. This approach eliminated the reliance on username and password-based authentication, enhancing both security and user convenience.

Lower Operational Costs

Decommissioned virtual infrastructure previously used for identity services, significantly reducing Azure-related compute, storage, and management expenses.