Modern Workplace Marco Polo

Introduction Modern Workplace

with Microsoft Teams and Exchange Online

MARC O’POLO, a leading premium fashion label, was facing significant communication problems due to a faulty Exchange Hybrid configuration. This affected mail flow and calendar access after the migration to Exchange Online. The HWS Group analysed the causes and carried out a complete reconfiguration of the hybrid environment.

Modern Workplace Project:

MARC O'POLO

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HWS Gruppe – Modern Workplace Migration

Overview: MARC O’POLO, a leading premium fashion label, was facing significant communication issues due to a faulty Exchange Hybrid configuration. This affected mail flow and calendar access after the migration to Exchange Online. The HWS Group analysed the causes and carried out a complete reconfiguration of the hybrid environment.

Challenge

MARC O’POLO, a leading premium fashion label, had introduced Microsoft Teams and synchronised the user directories between Active Directory (AD) and Azure Active Directory (AAD) to create a modern workplace. However, incorrect configuration of the Exchange hybrid led to significant problems with mail flow and calendar access. Users whose mailboxes had been migrated to Exchange Online were unable to send emails, and it was also not possible to migrate back to the on-premises system. This mail traffic outage had a significant impact on both the company’s internal and external communications. The challenge was to correct the Exchange Hybrid and successfully migrate the mailboxes to restore the company’s full communication capability.

Analyse

The HWS Group carried out a thorough analysis of the existing AAD Connect configuration to identify the causes of the faulty hybrid setup. It turned out that the Exchange Hybrid configuration did not meet the company’s requirements and fundamental adjustments were necessary. There were also challenges in the mail flow due to incorrect settings and synchronisation problems. Based on this analysis, HWS decided to carry out a complete reconfiguration of the Exchange Hybrid environment in order to stabilise the mail flow and enable the migration of around 1,200 users to the cloud.

Realisation

Working closely with MARC O’POLO, the HWS Group developed a detailed plan to resolve the issues and future-proof the IT infrastructure:

Reconfiguring the Exchange Hybrid: The first step was to correctly configure the Exchange Hybrid environment to restore calendar access and mail flow. This included customising the Exchange Online environment to the specific needs of the company.
Migration of 1,200 user mailboxes to Exchange Online: Following the successful reconfiguration, the migration of approximately 1,200 mailboxes to the cloud began. This step was prepared through proof-of-concept (PoC) testing to ensure that the migration could be carried out smoothly and without interruption to communication services.
Optimisation of Microsoft Teams and establishment of a long-term cloud strategy: The configuration of Microsoft Teams was further optimised to increase the efficiency of communication. At the same time, an Azure AD Connect configuration was set up to support future projects and a long-term cloud strategy.
Roadmap for cloud security: In parallel to the migration, a roadmap for improving cloud security measures was created. This included measures such as MFA Enforcement, Privileged Identity Management (PIM), Conditional Access Policies and Advanced Threat Protection to strengthen the security of the cloud environment.

Benefits for the customer:

The successful implementation of the Exchange Hybrid configuration and the migration to Exchange Online brought Marc O’Polo a number of key benefits:

Optimised communication flow: The successful migration of mailboxes stabilised the mail flow, resulting in significantly improved internal and external communication. Employees were able to work without interruptions, which increased efficiency.
Increased efficiency and productivity: The rapid resolution of the mailflow problems and the optimised use of Microsoft Teams led to a significant increase in productivity. Employees were now able to work consistently and without communication problems.
Cost efficiency and long-term planning: The implementation of a future-oriented Azure AD Connect configuration and the ongoing support of the Azure environment by the HWS Group provided a solid basis for future cloud projects. This helped the company to reduce costs and optimise processes.