Customer Profile
A mid-to-large enterprise organization running mission-critical Microsoft workloads such as Active Directory, Exchange Server, and SharePoint Server sought to modernize its infrastructure. The objective was to reduce on-premises complexity while maintaining security, scalability, and full compatibility with Microsoft enterprise services.
Business Challenges
- Limited scalability of on-premises infrastructure
- High operational overhead for patching and maintenance
- Need for secure centralized identity management
- Improved resilience, backup, and compliance readiness
- Requirement to retain Microsoft-native workloads without redesign
Solution Overview
The organization implemented a hybrid/AWS-hosted Microsoft workload architecture using Amazon Web Services (AWS). Microsoft workloads were deployed on Amazon EC2, with Amazon EBS providing persistent storage and AWS Systems Manager delivering centralized operational control. Microsoft Active Directory remained the central identity authority.
Architecture Summary
- Microsoft Active Directory Domain Controllers on Amazon EC2
- Microsoft Exchange Server on EC2 with EBS-backed mailbox storage
- Microsoft SharePoint Server on EC2 with EBS-backed content databases
- AWS Systems Manager for patching, automation, and secure access
Key Components
- Microsoft Active Directory: Centralized authentication, authorization, and policy management across Exchange and SharePoint environments.
- Microsoft Exchange Server: Scalable and highly available email platform with simplified operations through AWS Systems Manager.
- Microsoft SharePoint Server: Secure collaboration and document management platform with elastic compute and storage scaling.
- Amazon EBS: High-performance, encrypted block storage with snapshot-based backups for all critical workloads.
- AWS Systems Manager: Automated patching, secure instance access, inventory tracking, and compliance reporting.
Security and Compliance
- Encryption at rest using Amazon EBS
- Role-based access control via IAM and Active Directory
- Secure access using Systems Manager Session Manager
- Centralized monitoring and audit readiness
Business Benefits
- Reduced operational overhead through automation
- Improved scalability and resilience
- Enhanced security posture
- Pay-as-you-go cost efficiency
Conclusion
By integrating Microsoft enterprise workloads with AWS infrastructure and management services, the organization achieved a secure, scalable, and future-ready platform. The solution preserved existing Microsoft investments while delivering the agility and operational excellence of the AWS cloud.
