Active Directory Upgrade
Use Case
SOLUTION: Flexible consultancy services
Sector: Aviation
Reviving Trust: How A Leading Airline Safeguarded Millions Through Cybersecurity Transformation
The Client
As one of the world’s most successful airline the customer operates hundreds of aircraft serving 1,000 routes from over 150 airports.
The Challenge
The customer found itself in subject to a highly sophisticated cyber-attack impacting several million of its valued customers. In response to this breach, it launched a formidable Digital Safety Programme (DSP) aimed at bolstering its cybersecurity fortifications.
A critical element of this security overhaul was a targeted upgrade of Active Directory, Microsoft's cornerstone directory service. This seemingly routine upgrade carried immense weight, since it underpins user access and system functionalities, potentially influencing thousands of users and many mission-critical business processes.
However, uncertainty emerged as incumbent suppliers lacked comprehensive testing capability and had failed to quantify the risks involved effectively compromising the success of the upgrade.
The customer needed a lifeline, a trusted reliable partner, with extensive experience of the aviation market who could steer them through the critical challenge with confidence and competence.
Platform Smart’s Solution Overview
When Platform Smart embarked on this journey with the customer, we had not had any exposure to the customer’s directory services. The first priority was to dissect the existing implementation, an undertaking that delivered significant unexpected insights. It quickly became apparent that several domain controllers were superfluous or poised for retirement, thereby streamlining the impending upgrade.
The upgrade itself, while seemingly straightforward for Active Directory, revealed a massive challenge on a different front. Platform Smart’s focus then shifted to the intricate web of applications supported by the Active Directory. We had to quickly engage all the application teams to understand whether the applications could handle the new protocols. Where there was uncertainty, we had to identify and establish workarounds with the apps team.
Through our Flexible Consultancy Service we executed the upgrade in phases, engaging trusted associates with the right skills to deliver the solutions. The linchpin of the programme’s success lay in our close engagement with application teams, ensuring that issues could be spotted and resolved in real-time.
The Outcome
Throughout this critical upgrade project, we safeguarded critical booking, payment, and flight scheduling systems, leaving them untouched by the upgrade. Now, all domain services are running on the latest patched software, bolstering operational stability and security. This successful project marks the gateway to enhanced efficiency and security, propelling the customer’s services to new heights.
“This was a big problem area for the customer but with the combination of strong leadership, diligent management and technical expertise we were able to drive forward the upgrade at pace and with the customer’s backing. We’ve had praise and acknowledgement that this would not have been possible without us.”
Platform Smart Managing consultant
To find out more about this engagement or our experience in the Aviation market get in touch.
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