International financial and analytics giant 

A megaton merger, seamlessly managed: 40,000 users, 700TB of data, no downtime 

The client

A global financial information and analytics powerhouse, providing vital business intelligence solutions to some of the world’s largest industries and markets.

Headquartered in Manhattan, their operations span across the USA, Europe, and APAC. 

The need

In 2020, the company acquired another large international analytics firm in a world record-breaking $44 billion deal. Finalised in February 2022, this merger created a market-leading information services provider, but it also presented a complex IT challenge. 

The newly combined businesses operated on separate Microsoft 365 tenants, hindering collaboration and efficiency. A seamless migration to a unified Microsoft 365 tenant was imperative to support the merged organisations’ goals. However, the sheer scale of the migration, involving over 40,000 users and vast amounts of data, made it a highly complex and daunting task. 

The challenges

The merger of two large organisations with distinct IT environments posed significant technical challenges. Synchronising 40,000 identities and nearly 15,000 workstations required careful planning and execution. 

Ensuring the protection of sensitive data and adherence to regulatory requirements was a top priority for this project. Minimising disruption to users and business operations was essential for a successful migration. 

Extensive testing and validation were essential to ensure a smooth transition and mitigate risks. 

The process

In-depth discussions with the client’s teams helped identify potential roadblocks and develop a customised migration strategy. Multiple proof-of-concept exercises were conducted to refine the approach and mitigate risks. 

The challenge was clear: how to migrate a large-scale business without interrupting critical functions. 

The solution

Cutover events required meticulous planning, coordination across global teams, and careful negotiation of timelines. The stakes were high: given the critical nature of the migration, the client needed a reliable and flexible tailored solution for large-scale migrations. 

The massive scale of this data migration demanded a sophisticated solution. The complexity was such that it necessitated a collaborative effort between PowerSyncPro DirSync and PowerSyncPro Migration Agent. 

PowerSyncPro DirSync: The identity foundation

At the heart of any successful migration lies a robust identity management system. PowerSyncPro DirSync played a pivotal role in preparing the groundwork for a successful large-scale migration. 

It meticulously synchronised identities across the two environments, ensuring a seamless transition for users. 

PowerSyncPro DirSync maintained a consistent and accurate representation of all objects by managing attribute changes, batch scope, joiners, and leavers and group memberships seamlessly syncing across multiple Active Directory forests and Entra IDs. 

This foundational work was essential for the subsequent migration of workstations. 

PowerSyncPro Migration Agent: The workstation maestro

Once the identity foundation was in place, the focus shifted to migrating workstations. The migration of nearly 15,000 Windows workstations was a significant undertaking. 

Operating remotely, the PowerSyncPro Migration Agent streamlined the process of transferring device join states between tenants avoiding any costly re-imaging or swapping out of devices. With a user-friendly dashboard, administrators had complete visibility into the migration progress. The ability to complete workstation migrations in under ten minutes was a testament to the tool’s efficiency and ensured a swift return to operations for the end-users. 

Together, PowerSyncPro DirSync and PowerSyncPro Migration Agent formed a powerful duo, ensuring a successful and efficient migration of the complex Microsoft 365 environment. 

The results

The migration, once a daunting prospect, was completed smoothly and efficiently. Working in tandem, PowerSyncPro Migration Agent and PowerSyncPro DirSync played a pivotal role in reducing downtime, minimising disruptions, and safeguarding sensitive data. 

PowerSyncPro’s automation capabilities reduced manual effort, saving time and resources. Users experienced minimal disruption, ensuring business continuity throughout the process. 

Users experienced a seamless transition, with minimal impact on their daily work. The unified Microsoft 365 environment fostered a strong foundation for enhanced collaboration and productivity across the merged organisation. 

In the client’s words…

“They (the team) really understood the challenges and pains involved in a project of this complexity and scale. We were able to trust them implicitly – something that’s vital when security and compliance are paramount – and communication was fluid with no misunderstandings.”
  
“Choosing to deliver the project in four cutover events after months of discovery and planning was intense – but it was the right choice for us. I still can’t believe we pulled it off! Impressive.”