Cloud Migration & Cyber Security For Chartered Association Of Business Schools

Chartered Association Of  Business Schools, commonly known as Chartered ABS, is a non-profit organisation that champions business schools for the benefit of businesses and society.

The organisation first approached Akita in 2015 for IT support services. Since then,  the organisation has grown sixty employees today.

As a long-term customer, we’ve partnered with Chartered ABS both with their day-to-day IT and  their ongoing IT strategy, helping them overcome

Meeting The Organisation’s Challenges

Beyond IT support, Chartered ABS has encountered common growth challenges as it has grown. These include:

• Overcoming the limitations of on-premise IT infrastructure.

• IT procurement and setup management for a growing number of staff
• Enhancing cyber security protection measures.
• Support with Microsoft licensing requirements for Dynamics 365 and Power BI.

With reaching managing services, Akita has been able to assist at every step.

Our Solutions

Moving Operations To The Cloud

As the organisation grew, the need to operate from effective IT infrastructure was seen as a necessity. As such, we worked with the organisation to migrate it away from a leased on-premise RDS server to a fully cloud-based solution.

After conducting a thorough assessment of Chartered ABS’ infrastructure, it was clear that moving to cloud would provide the flexibility and scalability needed to support future growth.

The migration was phased to ensure minimal disruption, allowing them to shift key operations to the cloud. This transition enabled staff to collaborate remotely with greater ease and security, reducing their dependency on physical hardware while enhancing overall productivity.

Simplifying Hardware Procurement & Onboarding

We’ve also worked closely with the organisation to streamline their IT procurement and employee setup processes as its grown. Our team has advised the organisation on procuring the right IT hardware to meet their needs while securing competitive pricing.

Additionally, we’ve implemented workflows and processes for new user setups, making it easier and faster to onboard new staff with minimal manual intervention.

Bolstering Cyber Security

As organisations grow, their risk profile increases. To ensure that sensitive data remains  secure and, we’ve worked with Chartered ABS to conduct regular penetration testing. Working with our cyber security consultants, we’ve been able identify potential vulnerabilities and recommend security improvements to strengthen the organisation’s cyber security posture.

In the process, we’ve also supported Chartered ABS in achieving Cyber Essentials Plus certification

Maximising Business Applications Licensing

As operations have scaled, Chartered ABS has adopted Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Power Platform applications. As a Microsoft Business Application solution partner, Akita has been able to support the organisation with obtaining the necessary licenses for Dynamics 365 and Power BI became increasingly complex as the organisation grew.

Results

During the relationship with Akita, Chartered ABS has experienced a significant transformation in its scale and operations. Beyond IT support and proactive care, we’re pleased to have partnered with this non-profit organisation and support its evolution from a small operation to a fully cloud-based, efficient, and secure entity. Through our managed IT services and strategy, we help to ensure Chartered ABS remain focused on its core mission.