Cloud Adoption Strategy for Azure, Microsoft 365, Intune and more

Cloud Adoption Strategy.. The What, Why & How

Being honest (to a career limiting extent), when I first starting learning about the Microsoft Cloud Adoption framework, my first thought was this is a bit flaffy. I could see how the phased, defined approach to Azure cloud adoption, alongside technical implementation of Azure Landing Zones would apply to larger enterprise and government customers, but saw it as over flaff for smaller organisations.

Queue the Microsoft CAF evangelists ringing the bell of shame

Its safe to say I am now converted and truly believe that the approaches and guidelines outlined in the CAF apply to any organisation adopting Azure, all be it with some tweaking and common sense applied where appropriate.

What is the CAF?

The Microsoft Cloud Adoption Framework (CAF) is a comprehensive guide and set of best practices designed to help organizations plan and execute a successful cloud adoption strategy. It provides a structured approach for companies of any size to plan, design, and implement their migration to Azure, Microsoft's cloud computing platform.

The CAF is built on a set of four key components:

1. The Microsoft Azure platform, including infrastructure, services, and management tools.

2. A set of proven best practices and guidelines that are based on real-world customer experiences and industry standards.

3. A flexible and adaptable framework that can be tailored to meet the unique needs of any organization, regardless of size or industry.

4. A comprehensive set of resources, tools, and templates to help organizations quickly and effectively plan and execute their migration.

The use of the CAF is recommended for any organization, regardless of size, that is looking to adopt Azure services. Here are some of the reasons why:

It provides a clear and structured approach to cloud adoption, which can help organizations avoid common pitfalls and ensure a successful migration to the cloud.

It helps organizations understand their existing IT landscape and determine which applications and services are good candidates for migration to the cloud.

It provides guidance on how to design and implement a secure, scalable, and cost-effective cloud architecture that meets the organization's specific needs.

It provides a set of best practices and guidelines that can help organizations optimize their use of Azure services and avoid common mistakes that can lead to increased costs or reduced performance.

It offers a flexible and adaptable framework that can be tailored to meet the unique needs of any organization, regardless of size or industry.

Overall, the Microsoft Cloud Adoption Framework is a valuable resource for any organization looking to adopt Azure services. It provides a clear and structured approach to cloud adoption, based on best practices and real-world customer experiences, and can help organizations achieve a successful migration to the cloud.

How do Integy approach creation of a Cloud Adoption Strategy for our customers?

The CAF is a great resource for planning and implementing an Azure migration for any size organisation (yes I'm converted, put the bell away). It alone does not provide an overall cloud adoption strategy for most organisations. The Integy approach to creating a Cloud Adoption Strategy for our customers involves a thorough review of an organisations entire IT provision, mapping out a roadmap for transformation (much of which should be done before moving to Azure), which generally leads to a leaner estate, in-scope for migration to the cloud. An Integy Cloud Adoption Strategy engagement assesses the following at a minimum:

Microsoft 365 Adoption Level
Licensing
File data
Security tooling
End User Computing architecture and management tooling
Upcoming capital / infrastructure refresh
Backup and Disaster Recovery
Telephony
Network architecture

The engagement also asks the difficult questions,

Is this the right direction for the organisation? Is moving all workloads to cloud appropriate or should a hybrid architecture be considered?, Can the organisation as a whole and the internal IT team accommodate a significant level of change?

We thrive off helping organisations transform their IT delivery, streamline their operations, control costs and most importantly, offer the agility modern organisations need to progress in todays word.

If any of the above resonates with where you are on your cloud journey, even if the common mistake has already been made of starting without a strategy (we've all done it), get in touch, the Integy Cloud Architecture Team don't charge for a coffee and a chat!

James Cook, Integy Co-Founder & Cloud Architect

Call us today on 01392 796525 or Email us at ask@integy.co.uk

CONNECT WITH US

Empowering Coroners’ Courts Support Service with Microsoft 365 Business Premium

By Ryan Jewell • April 23, 2025

INTEGY moved CCSS to Windows 11 and M365 Business Premium, this case study describes the process

Supporting the UK Governments Transition to Windows 11

By Ryan Jewell • April 22, 2025

Integy helped the UK Government upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11

Empowering Innovation Through Modern IT: A Case Study

December 16, 2024

At INTEGY, we’re passionate about enabling organisations to embrace the future of work, especially when innovation and agility are at the heart of their mission. Recently, we had the privilege of supporting a client whose business serves as a launchpad for startups, providing the technology and equipment needed to kickstart their journey. The Challenge: Outdated IT for a Growing Organisation Our client’s IT infrastructure was a traditional setup, with user accounts and devices tightly bound to Active Directory. This configuration required devices to maintain network connectivity to on-premises servers, creating operational limitations. With the facility expanding to three separate locations, this approach no longer supported their need for flexibility, scalability, and efficiency. Startups thrive on speed and adaptability, and their IT systems needed to reflect those principles. The reliance on traditional IT was slowing them down, creating unnecessary overhead, and limiting their ability to provide the seamless experience their customers expected. The Solution: A Cloud-Native Transformation We transformed their IT environment into a modern, cloud-native setup: Entra ID for Identity Management Every device is now joined to Entra ID (formerly Azure AD), shifting identity management to the cloud. This eliminates the need for on-premises servers, offering secure access from anywhere. Intune for Device Management Devices are now managed through Microsoft Intune, enabling streamlined policy enforcement, application deployment, and security updates, all delivered from the cloud. Enhanced Security with Zero Trust Principles We implemented a Zero Trust security model, ensuring that devices and users are authenticated and compliant before accessing resources. Defender for Endpoint provides enhanced threat protection and visibility across their environment. Simplified User Experience By decoupling devices from on-premises dependencies, we empowered their users to work from any location with a secure, seamless experience. Scalability and Agility With their new cloud-native IT framework, our client is no longer constrained by physical infrastructure. They can now scale operations effortlessly as they open new locations and onboard new startups. The Results: Flexibility, Efficiency, and Growth The move to a cloud-native configuration has been a game-changer for our client. They’ve gained: Operational Efficiency : IT management is simpler and faster, reducing administrative overhead. Improved User Experience : Users now enjoy consistent and reliable access to systems, regardless of location. Scalability : Expansion to new sites no longer requires complex IT overhauls. Security : Advanced cloud security tools ensure their data and devices remain protected. By embracing modern IT, our client is better positioned to serve their customers and focus on what matters most: empowering innovation for startups. Helping You Move Forward If your organisation is grappling with the limitations of traditional IT and looking to make the leap to a cloud-native future, we’re here to help. Let’s transform your IT and unlock your potential.