Mitigating Risks in Your Move to Managed Active Directory Services
Organizations must transition from in-house supported Active Directory (AD) to fully managed AD services. Partnering with an experienced provider like AIS Network can simplify this transition, but it’s essential to understand and prepare for the associated risks.
This blog explores the six most significant risks in this transition. It explains how an AD managed services provider like AISN can help overcome these challenges to ensure a smooth and secure transfer of responsibilities.
Six Risks You May Encounter
- System Downtime or Outages
Risk: Misconfigurations during the transition can lead to downtime, disrupting business operations.
Mitigation: Implement a change management process, test changes in non-production environments, and have a rollback plan.
- Security Vulnerabilities
Risk: Transitions may expose security gaps, leading to breaches or compliance issues.
Mitigation: Conduct security reviews, implement MFA, and continuously monitor for threats.
- Data Loss or Corruption
Risk: Mishandling replication or backups can result in lost or corrupted AD data.
Mitigation: Backup all Domain Controllers and test recovery procedures before making changes.
- Replication Failures
Risk: Failures in replication across locations can cause inconsistencies in the AD database.
Mitigation: Use tools like repadmin for health checks and monitor replication closely.
- Access Control Issues
Risk: Incorrect permissions could lead to unauthorized access or block legitimate users.
Mitigation: Validate access controls, enforce role-based access control (RBAC), and apply the principle of least privilege.
- Impact on Business Operations
Risk: Critical AD services like authentication and DNS disruptions can significantly affect operations.
Mitigation: Plan transitions during off-peak times and communicate with users to minimize disruptions.
AISN Managed Directory Services
If our team at AISN were overseeing your transition to fully managed AD services, we would actively manage and update a list of risks using a risk register. This document would continually capture all identified risks and their impact, likelihood, and mitigation strategies. We would review it regularly to identify new risks and effectively monitor and control existing ones.
AISN integrates risk management into our service management processes to ensure a comprehensive risk mitigation approach. This enables a successful transition and maintains a stable, secure, and fully functional environment. Continuous communication and collaboration with all stakeholders ensure that risks are addressed proactively and that business operations are not disrupted.
Partner With AIS Network
Transitioning smoothly to AISN’s fully managed AD services positions your organization to thrive in a complex technological landscape. By partnering with AISN, you mitigate the risks associated with such transitions and unlock new efficiency, security, and scalability levels. This strategic move, guided by AISN’s expertise, promises a seamless migration and a robust foundation for future growth and innovation. Embrace the change with confidence, knowing that AISN is dedicated to your success every step of the way.
When managing a global enterprise with multiple platforms and access points, finding the in-house resources to ensure that your complex AD environment is well-managed and reliable can be challenging. And, since AD is mission-critical for both on-premise and cloud-based apps, downtime is not an option. That’s where AISN’s Active Directory Managed Services can help. Our award-winning AD management team brings more than 30 years of experience in risk management and 20 years of experience managing AD Services for more than 65,000 users. We can manage AD for your organization, too, so contact us now to get started with a free consultation.