
Modernising Endpoint Management for Leading Medical Research Charity
Key Facts.
Industry sector
Not-for-Profit – Healthcare & Medical Research
Size
Large UK Charity – 5,000+ Devices
Solution
Cloud Endpoint Management, Microsoft Intune, Windows 11, Entra ID
Client Overview.
This leading UK charity funds life-saving medical research and supports thousands of individuals affected by health conditions. With a distributed network of offices, retail locations, and remote staff, the organisation manages a substantial IT estate.
Facing increasing complexity in device and system management, the charity set out to modernise its infrastructure – moving away from on-premises legacy IT to a cloud-first model. To guide this strategic transformation, the organisation partnered with the 848 Group to design and deliver its endpoint modernisation roadmap.
The Challenge.
Old technology slows down impact. Charities need modern IT to deliver their mission. But in a sector that can’t afford to overspend, every penny matters.
Working with dated infrastructure, this client needed a clear, strategic, and cost-effective to modernise it. It was dependent on legacy technologies, including:
- Active Directory Domain Services (ADDS)
- System Centre Configuration Manager (SCCM)
- Group Policy Objects (GPOs)
- Traditional file, print, and identity services
This setup was limiting agility, creating technical debt, and hindering progress on broader digital initiatives. The charity hoped to embrace a modern, cloud-native endpoint management model – built on Microsoft Intune, Entra ID (formerly Azure AD), and Windows 11, in line with Zero Trust principles.
But to get there, it needed a clear, expert-led plan to assess the current state, identify key blockers, and develop a phased roadmap for short-term improvements and long-term transformation – all while keeping costs down.
The Solution.
Collaborating closely with internal technical, security, and operational teams, the 848 Group delivered a comprehensive discovery and design engagement. Key assessment areas included:
- Group Policy Review: Mapping legacy GPOs to modern equivalents within Intune
- Application Landscape: Evaluating software deployment via SCCM and Intune for cloud readiness
- Security & Identity: Reviewing Conditional Access, hybrid identity, and certificate services against Zero Trust best practices
- Device Estate Readiness: Assessing over 5,000 devices for compatibility with Autopilot and Windows 11
- Network & Print Infrastructure: Identifying opportunities to reduce VPN reliance and implement Universal Print
The findings were compiled into a detailed High-Level Design (HLD) and a strategic Modern Management Roadmap. This included four clear phases to transition from legacy systems to a fully cloud-native management model.
848 also facilitated a senior leadership presentation to ensure buy-in across IT, security, and business stakeholders.
The Result.
The engagement concluded with a fully approved design and roadmap for modern endpoint management – providing the client with clarity, structure, and the confidence that it could move forward without overspending.
Key Outcomes.
- A strategic plan to phase out legacy infrastructure and transition to cloud-based endpoint provisioning.
- Immediate opportunities for improvement, including rollout of Windows Hello, Intune-managed apps, and Universal Print.
- Strong alignment across technical and business stakeholders, enabling a smooth transition into implementation.
- A trusted partnership between the charity and 848, positioning the 848 Group as a long-term advisor for future transformation initiatives.
Why It Matters.
This project laid the foundation for a secure, flexible, and future-ready IT environment with a clear consideration for cost – helping this leading charity to focus more of its energy on its mission to save lives through vital research.