Client Profile
A U.S.-based wholesale insurance company needed to modernize aging on-premises infrastructure supporting approximately 150 users, including a small remote workforce in Asia.
The client’s legacy environment included VMware-hosted virtual servers, Dell hardware, NetApp storage, WatchGuard security infrastructure, Symantec, and a Cisco virtual firewall.
Techmedics partnered with the client to transition key infrastructure and remote access services to a Microsoft cloud environment built around Azure, Entra ID, and Azure Virtual Desktop.
Executive Summary
For a U.S.-based wholesale insurance company with approximately 150 users, including a small remote workforce in Asia, aging on-premises infrastructure had become a growing operational risk. The organization needed a more resilient, cloud-aligned environment that could support its primary U.S. operations, accommodate remote users, reduce dependency on legacy hardware, and modernize remote access without disrupting day-to-day operations.
Techmedics planned and executed a multi-phase modernization effort centered on Microsoft Azure, Microsoft Entra ID, and Azure Virtual Desktop. The work included establishing a hybrid identity foundation, migrating virtualized server workloads to Azure, and transitioning the client’s on-premises Remote Desktop Session Host environment to Azure Virtual Desktop.
The project included 10 Windows servers and 2 Linux servers, along with staged Azure rollout, cloud connectivity validation, application testing, AVD preparation, and Cisco Duo MFA reconfiguration. This preparation helped reduce cutover risk during a limited 48-hour migration window.
By moving critical data, workloads and remote desktop services into Azure, the client reduced its on-premises footprint, avoided a major hardware refresh, moved away from VMware licensing dependency, and improved resiliency for a primarily U.S.-based workforce with remote team members operating in Asia. The engagement positioned the organization with a more flexible infrastructure foundation while preserving security controls and supporting GLBA-related compliance considerations.
Challenges
The client’s legacy infrastructure created mounting operational risk across hardware lifecycle management, remote access, resiliency, security continuity, and support for a primarily U.S.-based workforce with a smaller remote presence in Asia.
While most users were based in the United States, the company also supported a small remote workforce in Asia, creating additional remote access and support considerations across time zones. Its reliance on on-premises infrastructure made remote access, support coordination, and business continuity more complex.
Aging infrastructure had also become a strategic concern. The environment relied on older physical hardware, VMware virtualization, Dell servers and switches, NetApp storage, WatchGuard security infrastructure, Symantec, and other legacy components that would eventually require refresh, replacement, or continued support investment.
The client also wanted to reduce its physical technology footprint. Maintaining local infrastructure required space, power, cooling, and support resources, while creating dependency on local site availability. In a region affected by rolling blackouts, improving resiliency was an important consideration.
Because the workforce operated across time zones, the migration needed to be completed with minimal disruption. The transition required careful planning, testing, and sequencing around a compressed 48-hour cutover window.
The modernization effort also needed to preserve security controls, support GLBA-related compliance considerations, reduce reliance on VMware licensing, and establish a cloud foundation that could scale more effectively with the company’s primarily U.S.-based user base and smaller remote team in Asia.
Our Solutions
Hybrid Identity Foundation with Microsoft Entra ID
Techmedics integrated the client’s on-premises Active Directory environment with Microsoft Entra ID, creating a hybrid identity foundation for the cloud migration. This allowed the client to modernize identity management while preserving continuity for authentication, access management, and existing directory-dependent workflows.
Microsoft Azure Server Migration
Techmedics migrated the client’s virtualized server infrastructure to Microsoft Azure, including 10 Windows servers and 2 Linux servers. Before cutover, Techmedics prepared the Azure environment, created the required cloud servers, tested connectivity, and validated the cloud network.
This staged approach helped reduce migration risk during the limited maintenance window and gave the client a more flexible infrastructure model for supporting a distributed workforce.
Azure Virtual Desktop Modernization
Techmedics migrated the client’s on-premises Remote Desktop Session Host environment to Azure Virtual Desktop, modernizing remote access for users who relied on centralized applications and desktop resources.
Before production migration, Techmedics built additional AVD virtual machines for application testing and user validation. This helped confirm application behavior and remote desktop functionality before users were moved into the new environment.
Cloud Network Preparation and Connectivity Testing
As part of the migration preparation, Techmedics staged the Azure rollout and tested connectivity in the cloud environment. The network was separated into two environments during the process to support testing, validation, and controlled transition planning.
This preparation was especially important because the final transition had to occur within a 48-hour window. By building and validating cloud infrastructure ahead of time, Techmedics helped reduce the risk of cutover issues and user disruption.
Cisco Duo MFA Reconfiguration
Techmedics reconfigured Cisco Duo MFA as part of the transition, helping preserve secure access controls as workloads and remote desktop services moved from the on-premises environment into Azure.
Maintaining MFA alignment helped ensure that modernization did not weaken the client’s security posture or interrupt established access workflows.
Outcomes
The modernization project gave the client a more resilient, cloud-aligned infrastructure foundation built around Microsoft Azure, Microsoft Entra ID, and Azure Virtual Desktop.
By moving server workloads and remote desktop services into Azure, the client reduced dependence on aging on-premises infrastructure, decreased its physical technology footprint, and avoided a major hardware refresh. The transition also helped reduce VMware licensing dependency and lessen operational exposure to local power, cooling, and site availability risks.
For a primarily U.S.-based workforce with a small remote team in Asia, the Azure-based environment created a more scalable platform for remote access, support, and infrastructure management across multiple time zones.
The migration improved resiliency by moving key workloads to Microsoft cloud infrastructure, helping the client reduce reliance on local systems in a region affected by rolling blackouts.
Most importantly, Techmedics helped the client complete a complex, multi-phase modernization effort within a limited maintenance window while preserving access continuity, maintaining security controls, and positioning the organization for more flexible infrastructure operations going forward.
Partners Involved
