Customer Interview – OMRON
Tell us why you decided to migrate from a legacy environment to Microsoft 365.
“OMRON had Lotus Notes servers installed in Japan, North America, EMEA, Greater China, and APAC (Asia Pacific) regions,” Mr. Iki, Project Manager of the IT Platform Division, OMRON recalled. “We had been working with each on-premises infrastructure, and had not been making real-time data connections so that we had an issue to share information more speedy and more smoothly to meet cross-regional business demands.
To solve this problem, we decided to innovate our IT infrastructure in order to reform our work stile more flexible, and to instigate changes for our business operation beyond the scope of a particular business unit, role, or region.
In accordance with the results of feasibility studies, we decided to adopt Microsoft 365 for its usability across global business units, scalability, and risk controls. Then, Microsoft referred AvePoint as a service and solution provider. We decided to adopt AvePoint Cloud Governance for our automation management tool.”
Tell us your aim for integrating information environments between global offices.
“When we were using an on-premises intra-company network, external users were not able to access the information. It was also difficult to collaborate with our customers and partner companies. To solve this problem, we introduced an external sharing platform that allows flexible communication between internal and external members while ensuring information security. This empowered the internal and external members, resulting in additional value.
With on-premises servers we were unable to manage users globally, nor achieve data synchronization between servers. The lack of a real-time information sharing system between regions became a bottleneck when conducting large-scale projects across regions.
M365 solved this problem. Also, we standardized operational rules and processes not only globally but also regionally to comply with the Laws, Directions, and protocols in each country as well as local company rules.
Under the legacy intra-net system, we had a problem managing the amount of information and related administrative tasks as business activities increased.”
We systemized M365 operation management procedures with Cloud Governance to solve this problem, and prepare for future business expansion. With Cloud Governance not only have we automated operational tasks such as SharePoint site/Teams provisioning, policy application, access recertification, lifecycle management, and ledger management, but we have also achieved time savings.”
Tell us the results of the implementation.
“Deployment of SharePoint/Teams external sharing services enhanced with the advanced management features of Cloud Governance, we are able to achieve seamless collaboration between our customers and partner companies while maintaining high-level security.
In 6 regions, we operate and manage Microsoft 365 individually and mutually, with assistance of Cloud Governance, without adding any IT headcount.”
Tell us about your experience working with AvePoint.
“AvePoint developed the configuration for Cloud Governance in only one week. Our IT members from EMEA, US, and APAC had a joint workshop with AvePoint’s consultants at our Netherlands office for a week. Based on our requirements, AvePoint worked thoroughly to develop detailed specifications from information polices to external sharing.
After the launch we received feedback from the attendees saying ‘Previously we had to spend a lot of our time for site creation, reporting, and management. Now that Cloud Governance is introduced, all we have to do is to monitor and approve. That’s a big weight off our shoulders.’
Tell us about your future plans.
“We are a multinational company operating globally. We must pay close attention to local Laws and Regulations as well as information security. That is why we are currently driving a project that enables us to group and manage information across applications with Microsoft 365 security features and AvePoint Compliance Guardian as an information security platform.
We anticipate a positive effect on managing documents that have legal retention requirements and confidential information subjected to HIPAA, CCPA, and GDPR as well as the analyzing information for new business opportunities.”
OMRON Corporation
OMRON Corporation is a global leader in the field of automation based on its core technology of “Sensing & Control + Think.” OMRON’s business fields cover a broad spectrum, ranging from industrial automation and electronic components to social systems, and healthcare. Established in 1933, OMRON now provides products and services in around 120 countries and regions.
Read the full case study here.
