Security that Wins Clients: How Austin Technology Helped Palisades Seal the Deal
Background
Palisades is an Australian professional services company that supports clients on their digital transformation journeys. They deliver innovative, customised solutions that help businesses overcome operational challenges and achieve strategic goals.
Austin Technology has provided Palisades with managed IT support tailored to their evolving operational needs for several years. As Palisades’s business expanded and the regulatory landscape shifted, the need for a more stringent and compliance-driven IT framework became clear.
This presented an opportunity to deliver strategic enhancements to Palisades’s IT governance and security posture. Building on an already established foundation, this project marked a significant milestone in the partnership, focusing on aligning Palisades’s infrastructure with modern security standards and enabling future growth.
Challenges
Palisades was operating with legacy configurations that were not aligned with modern security standards or compliance frameworks. These gaps hindered their ability to meet new client requirements and compromised visibility, control, and enforcement of IT policies.
They had previously engaged other managed service providers (MSPs), but the solutions lacked the effectiveness and clarity required to meet their operational and compliance needs.
Solution
Austin Technology proposed a comprehensive solution leveraging Microsoft’s ecosystem to enhance Palisades’s IT environment. This included the deployment of:
- Microsoft Intune for modern device management
- Conditional access for secure authentication.
- Microsoft Defender for endpoint protection.
- BitLocker for device encryption.
- Microsoft Secure Score to guide and benchmark security improvements.
They also produced governance documentation, such as acceptable use policies and user guidelines, and ensured these were both practical and enforceable.
Project Implementation
The implementation was driven by a detailed requirements list provided by Palisades, closely aligned with the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) Essential 8 framework, aiming for Maturity Level 1.
Austin Technology piloted each solution with a test group before broader deployment. Given Palisades’s company size, full deployment was completed swiftly. Key to a successful implementation was the consistent communication strategy: scheduled meetings, on-demand discussions, and proactive feedback loops helped secure stakeholder buy-in.
Results
Post-implementation, Palisades saw measurable improvements in their Microsoft 365 Secure Score and overall security posture. This enhanced visibility and control over their IT assets, enabling them to meet the compliance criteria of a prospective client.
As a result, Palisades secured the partnership, validating the effectiveness of the project. They also noted long-term benefits such as easier device management and ongoing compliance readiness.
Key Success Factors
- Significantly improved Microsoft 365 Secure Score.
- Strengthened endpoint and device-level security.
- Successful compliance with third-party security requirements.
- Enabled Palisades to secure a new client partnership.
- Streamlined device management processes for ongoing operational efficiency.
- Greater visibility and control over IT assets.
- Increased readiness for future compliance audits.
Future
The relationship between Austin Technology and Palisades remains strong, with ongoing engagement to ensure their IT and compliance frameworks meet best practices and standards. This project demonstrated the importance of aligning technical implementation with compliance frameworks, and serves as a model for similar professional services firms.
