Challenge
The Army Transportation Command (ARTRANS) ran its users, computers, and mission systems on a legacy Active Directory. The Army was moving to its modernized enterprise directory service, which meant migrating every user account and device across headquarters, domestic locations, and overseas sites. Identity sits underneath everything a user does, so a migration that went wrong would lock people out of the systems they need to do their jobs. Forward sites added a further challenge, with different connectivity, different staffing, and mission demands that could not be paused for an IT project.
Our Approach
CEdge, a subcontractor to Alesig Consulting LLC on the command’s GITSS task order, ran the migration as a managed, measurable program rather than a single cutover.
Track every move
Each migration was tracked through an individual ticket, building by building and workstation by workstation. That gave leadership an exact, current picture of what had moved, what was in progress, and what remained.
Small, repeatable batches
Machines moved in batches of five to ten per migration cycle, and building-wide waves were coordinated in advance with the people affected so disruption stayed low. Smaller batches meant a problem affected a handful of machines instead of an entire building, and each cycle taught the team something for the next.
Wrap the migration with the surrounding work
The same team handled the tasks that cluster around an identity move: provisioning new hires directly on the new service, tracking asset swaps and replacements, re-registering devices for network access control, supporting smart card reset and unlock procedures, and training new staff on access controls. For secure administration of the new directory, we created administrator accounts and set up dedicated privileged access workstations.
Measure progress at forward sites
At forward locations, migration progress was tracked monthly and driven to completion, with local teams trained on the new procedures along the way.
Results
- A migration tracked to the ticket, giving the command a precise, current completion picture throughout
- Forward sites moved from 95 to 100 percent complete over the tracked reporting period, with one overseas element finishing at 100 percent
- Privileged administration moved to dedicated secure workstations as part of the new directory service
- A proven playbook for identity changes: the team had previously led the command’s smart card authentication migration, finishing eight months ahead of the official deadline