Streamlining Acquisitions for National Utility Critical Infrastructure Supplier: A Comprehensive Solution
A leading national utility parts and service company in the energy sector had been facing significant challenges in managing the technology, data, and infrastructure integration of its acquired entities. To address these issues, they partnered with AlphaRidge, an IT management and security firm, to develop a comprehensive, secure, and efficient Acquisition Integration workflow. This approach not only facilitated a seamless integration process for the parent company but also accelerated operations, compliance, and revenue generation.
As a prime vendor to national utility companies, this American Utilities Company (AUC) is entrusted with the responsibility of maintaining direct access to critical national infrastructure. Consequently, the company is subject to stringent compliance requirements and necessitates a robust security framework to safeguard its assets.
The Challenge: Rapid Growth & Acquisition Integration
AUC's growth strategy involved acquiring various companies, each with unique technology and data landscapes. Integrating these entities posed significant challenges, including establishing stable, high- bandwidth internet connectivity to the parent company's cloud workloads in Azure, and securing networks and applications from persistent threats by Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) actors. Furthermore, AUC grappled with issues of retaining access to applications developed by individuals no longer associated with the company post-acquisition.
CHALLENGES
+ Strict regulatory compliance requirements
+ There was no room for service disruption
+ Consolidating disparate resources
+ Managing legacy systems, depreciated or non-existent documentation
+ Securing and managing infrastructure from various remote locations
Our Approach
AlphaRidge adopted a multi-faceted approach to address AUC's challenges. This included conducting an enterprise-wide carrier review and consolidation, implementing carrier diversification, securing all administrative accounts using Duo Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), and employing network discovery and monitoring tools such as Auvik to manage network devices effectively. Additionally, AlphaRidge developed detailed Engineering Run-Books to ensure consistency and traceability of technology-related elements during the integration process.
Implementation
Collaborating closely with AUC's helpdesk teams, AlphaRidge executed infrastructure ingestion and ongoing management. They also spearheaded the migration of all local workloads to the Microsoft Azure cloud, thereby reducing network congestion and enhancing redundancy and performance across the organization.
Outcomes
As a result of AlphaRidge's interventions, AUC successfully implemented MFA across all critical network, SaaS, and cloud infrastructure enterprise-wide. By strategically splitting carrier types for each location and migrating infrastructure to Azure, AUC achieved substantial cost savings of nearly $150,000 per year while significantly improving bandwidth and redundancy through carrier diversification. This facilitated seamless connectivity across 14 corporate offices and multiple warehouses, distribution centers, and repair facilities, enabling AUC to maintain its cloud-first approach.
Key Takeaways
Successful growth through acquisitions necessitates a structured, consistent, and efficient approach to integrating technology and data landscapes. The collaboration between AUC and AlphaRidge exemplifies the importance of expertise and experience in guiding the integration process from inception to completion. By focusing on streamlining, documenting, and establishing repeatable processes aligned with company best practices, AUC was able to overcome the challenges posed by its acquisition-based growth strategy and pave the way for a secure, efficient, and agile future.
“Our partnership with AlphaRidge has proven invaluable in navigating the complexities of acquisition integration. Their expertise and comprehensive approach have enabled us to streamline our processes, bolster security, and maintain operational efficiency, ultimately driving growth and enhancing our ability to serve our clients."
CIO, AUC
