Leading UK Bank Utilises ManagementStudio to Modernise its IT Infrastructure
With over 100,000 machines requiring upgrades, more than 8,000 applications, 250,000 mailboxes, and hundreds of terabytes of data migrating to the cloud, managing a program of this scale demanded a robust solution. A comprehensive solution was essential to gain a clear understanding of the IT landscape, rationalise applications and hardware, and implement automation – ensuring a standardised, efficient, and accelerated delivery process.
This project was a significant undertaking aimed at modernising the IT infrastructure by migrating all users to Windows 11, transitioning on-premises mailboxes to the cloud, moving on-premises user documents to OneDrive, and replacing all Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) environments with Azure Virtual Desktops (AVDs). The scope of the project included:
- 100,000 physical devices
- 20,000 VDIs
- 250,000 mailboxes
- Approximately 8,000 End-User Computing (EUC) applications
- Hundreds of terabytes of data
- Automated surveys and communications to users
- Real-time hardware engineer and stock level tracking
- Active Directory group modifications
- OneDrive and mailbox migrations
- Full automation of the VDI to AVD migration, including user
communications, eliminating the need for manual intervention
Identification Process to Determine a Solution
A comprehensive assessment was conducted, including comparisons with alternative solutions such as Juriba and Excel-based approaches, plus using in-house tools. It became clear the scale and complexity of the project required a more advanced solution to ensure efficiency and effectiveness.
Due to the complexity of the estate, the solution had to be capable of integrating data from multiple sources, offering customisation and accessible to users across the organisation. ManagementStudio met all these requirements – and more – whilst also proving to be a more cost-effective solution to its competitors.
A cost-benefit analysis was carried out and presented to senior stakeholders for approval. Following sign off, ManagementStudio was swiftly installed in the bank’s data centre and configured efficiently to support the project’s objectives.
Implementation
Deployment and operation were seamless, supported by a dedicated team of ManagementStudio consultants, who installed the solution and managed its day-to-day operations throughout the project. Their expertise eliminated the need for training, enabling rapid configuration and immediate responsiveness to any required changes or maintenance. This ensure that the project could full leverage ManagementStudio’s capabilities from the outset, maintaining efficiency and consistency.
Benefits Delivered
ManagementStudio has delivered significant benefits, streamlining complex IT migrations and reducing manual effort. Key advantages included:
- Automation & Efficiency – The platform automated critical processes, including application rationalisation, device allocation, and VDI-to-AVD migrations, minimising manual intervention and accelerating deployment timelines
- Cost Savings – Through optimised device allocation and application rationalisation, unnecessary hardware and software costs were reduced, leading to substantial financial savings
- Real-Time Visibility & Control – Live tracking of hardware, stock levels, and deployment progress provided stakeholders with complete visibility, enabling proactive decision-making
- Seamless Integration – The solution was quickly installed, configured, and operationalised without disruption, thanks to a dedicated team of ManagementStudio consultants
- Improved User Experience – Automated communications and structured migrations ensured a smooth transition for end users, minimising downtime and disruption
- Scalability & Flexibility – The system’s adaptability allowed it to support large-scale transformations across multiple environments, handling high volumes of devices, applications, and users effortlessly.
Overall, ManagementStudio has played a critical role in ensuring a smooth, cost-effective, and well-managed transformation, allowing the business to fully leverage modern IT infrastructure with minimal risk.
It is clear that without ManagementStudio, the digital workplace transformation project would have taken significantly longer and required a much larger workforce to manage. Plus, the ongoing benefits of having ManagementStudio embedded into our IT infrastructure continues to provide significant cost savings.
Summary
Given the complexity of the bank’s infrastructure and the variety of tools used in BAU operations, gaining a clear view of the estate through data analysis had been challenging. ManagementStudio transformed this process by enabling data cleansing, consolidation of multiple data sources, and integrating advanced data mining capabilities, providing a comprehensive and, more importantly, an accurate view of the environment. The bank now has a centrally held and continually refreshed data set with ManagementStudio that facilitates streamlined project execution by eliminating data silos and reducing the operational overhead associated with disparate data sources.
