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Open the calendarAzure Cost OptimizationCloud MigrationMicrosoft Entra ID
Norsat International Inc.
GREYDATA cut Norsat International's Azure Cloud Hosting costs by 48% and increased performance by 20% by fully decommissioning their on-premises infrastructure and moving to a cloud-first Microsoft Entra ID environment. Norsat is a Canadian leader in satellite communication solutions, delivering advanced connectivity for remote, critical, and mission-driven operations worldwide.
The Opportunity
In early 2025, GREYDATA partnered with Norsat International Inc., a leader in satellite communications, to modernize their aging on-premises Active Directory infrastructure and eliminate dependencies on legacy servers.
- Address vulnerabilities by migrating to a hosted Entra ID structure
- Migrate critical networking services like DHCP and DNS off legacy servers
- Integrate SSO for applications including WAPs, Wasabi, and Windchill
- Upgrade and Entra-join all workstations while implementing best-practice security measures
Our Solution
GREYDATA deployed a dedicated team of systems engineers to execute a phased migration, transitioning Norsat to a fully cloud-first environment off on-prem servers.
Infrastructure Decommissioning & Migration
- Enabled staging mode and disabled directory synchronization via Microsoft Graph API
- Transitioned DHCP, DNS, IP helper, and relay services to the firewall gateway
SSO & Application Integration
- Configured SSO for wireless access points (WAPs)
- Set up federated access for Wasabi cloud storage
- Implemented Shibboleth federation for Windchill, integrating with Entra ID
Device Management & Security
- Upgraded production machines to Windows 11 and joined them to Entra ID
- Deployed Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS) with GREYDATA RMM tools for automated password rotation
- Resolved network issues including firewall configurations, distribution switches, and rogue devices
Our Deliverables
Infrastructure Decommissioning & Migration
Full decommission of on-prem serversDomain controllers fully retiredDHCP, DNS & identity architectureUsers, licenses & groups preservedFirewall acting as primary gateway
SSO & Application Integration
Centralized SSO across key appsWAPs, Wasabi & Windchill integratedEntra ID as single identity sourceLegacy domain dependencies removedAzure servers Entra-managed
Device Management & Security
Workstations fully Entra-joinedWindows 11 standardizationLAPS enforced with strong rotationCredential lockout against Entra IDHardened posture for managed devices
Results
The project delivered measurable enhancements to Norsat's IT environment, completed well ahead of schedule with zero downtime.
48%
Lower Azure Costs
Reduced Norsat's Azure Cloud Hosting spend by right-sizing every resource and removing capacity their previous provider never reviewed.
20%
Higher Performance
Improved workload performance at a lower cost, an outcome their previous provider was unable to achieve.
100% Cloud-First
Fully retired all on-premises infrastructure.
Enhanced Security
Automated LAPS password rotation across devices.
Improved Efficiency
Streamlined networking & SSO with centralized cloud monitoring.
Compliant
Aligned to Microsoft modern best practices.
Accelerated Timeline
Delivered well ahead of the Q1/Q2 2026 target.
Timeline
This timeline outlines the key milestones of the onboarding and transition process, a structured transition culminating in the successful completion of all critical deliverables.
November 13, 2025
Onboarding Start Date
Formal commencement of the onboarding process.
December 1, 2025
Cutover to GREYDATA Support
Transition of day-to-day support and operations to the GREYDATA team.
December 20, 2025
Onboarding & Critical Project Completion
Planned completion of onboarding activities and all associated critical projects.
Progress Update
3 critical projects completed to date.
Azure Cost Optimization
48% lower Azure costs and 20% higher performance, an outcome their previous provider could not achieve.
Many providers without deep Azure expertise reduce cloud economics to a single principle: “you pay for what you use.” Under that approach, Norsat had been provisioned well beyond their actual requirements, with no one reviewing the spend.
GREYDATA takes a more rigorous approach. We assessed Norsat's real workload requirements, removed unnecessary resources, and applied a detailed understanding of Azure's pricing model to align their billing with every available efficiency, reducing Azure Cloud Hosting costs by 48% while improving performance by 20%.
Thank you all for the tremendous effort and collaboration that made this milestone possible. Successfully decommissioning all on-premises servers and completing the transition to a fully cloud-first infrastructure, well ahead of the original Q1/Q2 2026 timeline, is a significant accomplishment. This reflects strong execution, careful planning, and a shared commitment to moving Norsat forward. I truly appreciate the dedication, professionalism, and attention to detail demonstrated throughout this initiative. Excellent work by the entire team.
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