Success Story: Socotab

From local servers to global cloud excellence

Socotab is a leading group in the purchase, processing and sale of oriental tobacco. The company was founded in 1923 in Antwerp, Belgium, as Société Commerciale de Tabac (Socotab) and supplies high-quality tobacco to the world's leading cigarette manufacturers. The head office is in Geneva, while the processing plants are located in Turkey, North Macedonia, Bulgaria and Greece.

Challenges for Socotab

  • Limited flexibility: Data stored exclusively on local servers limited the flexibility of employees and the development of group solutions.
  • Challenges of international cooperation: The international orientation of the teams made coordination and cooperation considerably more difficult.
  • High costs due to local server structure: The local server structure led to high renewal, maintenance and administration costs.
  • Complex migration to the cloud: Migrating critical workloads to the cloud required comprehensive planning and specific expertise in Azure.
  • Increased scalability and flexibility: The IT infrastructure should be made more scalable and flexible in order to effectively implement future modernization projects.

Joint solution with itnetX

  • Migration of more than 25 servers to Microsoft Azure
  • Introduction of Azure services and mapping of the latest technologies
  • Planning and implementation of the migration of critical workloads to Azure Virtual Machines and Azure Web Applications
  • Conducting a security assessment and improving the Secure Score in Microsoft 365 and Azure Cloud Defender
  • Implementation of Azure Backup and Azure Site Recovery to ensure backup and disaster recovery
  • Use Microsoft Intune to deploy device compatibility and application protection policies and enable Attack Surface Reduction rules on Windows servers and endpoints
  • Customized training for IT teams in the latest Azure services
  • Conversion to current operating systems to improve technology and support future projects
  • Reduction of hardware on site to save space and resources
  • Conducted an Azure cost optimization study to reduce monthly costs by leveraging available Microsoft pricing models for existing Azure Virtual Machines


Technologies used

Azure, Azure Entra ID & Priviledged Identity Management, Microsoft Defender, Microsoft Defender for Cloud, Intune MDM / MAM, SharePoint, Sentinel

Added value for Socotab

"Working with itnetX was a crucial step in modernizing our IT strategy. Their extensive knowledge of Azure solutions, which were tailored to our size and needs, was key to our success. They also had a deep understanding of our international requirements and processes. The tailored training and ongoing support help our employees to use the new systems efficiently and take full advantage of modern cloud technology. As our cloud journey continues, itnetX will also accompany us on future projects to protect critical data. We look forward to the upcoming joint projects."

Sakis Pasvantis, Group IT Manager, Socotab

Challenge: Internationally active - locally limited IT infrastructure

Socotab faced several challenges when modernizing its IT infrastructure. Collaboration between the international teams was restricted by the local server structure, which led to long decision-making processes and slow responses to stakeholder needs. In addition, the local servers caused high maintenance and administration costs. It was therefore necessary to make the IT infrastructure more scalable and flexible in order to support efficient processes and future modernization projects.

 

Global networking through the cloud transformation

Socotab's journey to Microsoft Cloud Azure began in 2018 with itnetX. A comprehensive transformation plan was developed in close consultation. The first step was to relocate the local infrastructure at the headquarters in Geneva. This was followed by the migration of more than 25 additional local servers to the cloud.

The introduction of Azure services and the use of the latest technologies significantly increase the flexibility of Socotab's IT architecture. Planning and implementing the migration of critical workloads to Azure Virtual Machines and Azure Web Applications will help make IT resources more scalable and support future modernization projects. Replacing outdated server infrastructure also reduces expensive replacement, maintenance and management costs.

 

Global teams - smooth processes

It is particularly noteworthy that collaboration between the international teams has been considerably simplified in the modern cloud environment. The introduction of modern collaboration tools such as SharePoint has established seamless and efficient collaboration across national borders. These tools enable teams to share documents in real time, work together on projects and exchange information quickly. The configuration of cross-departmental access also improves collaboration with external partner companies.

In addition to shortening communication channels, the efficiency of work processes has also increased. Socotab's teams benefit from a centralized platform that simplifies access to important information and resources. This platform increases transparency and improves coordination between different departments and countries. As a result, Socotab can adapt more quickly to changing market conditions and develop global solutions and applications more effectively.

 

Highest security standards and reliable business continuity

The team of experts at itnetX carried out a comprehensive security assessment and improved the Secure Scores in Microsoft 365 and Azure Cloud Defender. These measures ensure that the highest security standards are met. The implementation of Azure Backup and Azure Site Recovery ensures reliable backup and disaster recovery that safeguards business continuity.

In addition, the use of Microsoft Intune strengthens endpoint security by providing Attack Surface Reduction rules on Windows servers. These rules minimize potential security risks and provide additional protection by proactively identifying and mitigating vulnerabilities.

 

Proactive cost monitoring and resource optimization

itnetX conducts regular reviews of Socotab's IT resources to identify optimization opportunities. The team of experts analyzes the spend structure, looks for efficiencies and develops alternative solutions to improve resource utilization without compromising performance or quality. An important part of this strategy is the optimization of Azure resource costs. This includes adjusting the compute size to the actual workload and the targeted use of Azure reservations and savings plans. With this proactive approach, itnetX ensures that IT investments are used optimally and that costs remain predictable and transparent.

 

Azure expertise: itnetX training courses to build internal skills at Socotab

The itnetX team of experts conducts customized training courses for Socotab's IT teams. These training courses serve to build internal Azure skills and the efficient use of modern cloud technologies. IT staff learn how to optimally integrate Azure services. Switching to the latest operating systems and cloud services not only improves the technology, but also increases the efficiency and flexibility of the IT infrastructure. These measures better prepare Socotab for future projects and technological challenges.

 

Long-term partnership since 2018 and customized support

Since the start of the cloud journey in 2018, itnetX has established itself as a strategic Microsoft partner at Socotab. Through regular personal exchanges and a deep understanding of the specific requirements, itnetX has been able to implement customized solutions and make continuous adjustments to keep Socotab's IT environment up to date.

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