The Client
A large international financial services organisation operating across multiple regions, supporting thousands of users and managing a complex global IT and security environment.
The Challenge
The organisation had a mature internal IT and security capability and was self-managing a number of third-party security tools, including a legacy SIEM and endpoint security platforms. However, onboarding new applications, workloads, and data sources into the existing security stack had become increasingly complex and resource intensive.
While the organisation was initially unconvinced of the value of migrating to a cloud-native SIEM, it recognised the need to explore alternative approaches that could simplify operations, reduce overhead, and improve threat visibility across a growing hybrid and cloud environment.
Key Challenges
Operational complexity: Managing and maintaining multiple legacy security platforms
Scalability: Difficulty onboarding new applications and workloads efficiently
Resource pressure: High operational overhead for internal security teams
Visibility: Limited ability to correlate threats across cloud and endpoint environments
Change assurance: Need to validate value before committing to a new SIEM platform
The Solution
CWSI invited the organisation to participate in the Microsoft Cyber Security Investment (CSI) programme and delivered a Modern SecOps engagement to demonstrate the value of Microsoft Sentinel.
The engagement showcased Sentinel’s cloud-native architecture, simplified onboarding, and ability to integrate seamlessly with existing Microsoft security tools. A controlled production rollout for a defined data set provided clear, measurable benefits when compared to the existing SIEM platform, helping build confidence across regional IT teams.
Key elements of the solution included:
Modern SecOps engagement delivered through the CSI programme
Proof-of-value deployment of Microsoft Sentinel for targeted workloads
Simplified onboarding aligned to defined threat vectors
Strategic guidance for SIEM migration and platform consolidation
Roadmap development for broader Microsoft security adoption
The Result
The engagement resulted in a successful migration to Microsoft Sentinel and a clear roadmap to modernise security operations across the organisation’s global estate.
Key Outcomes
1
Successful replacement of the legacy SIEM platform with Microsoft Sentinel
2
Reduced operational overhead through cloud-native security operations
3
Improved threat detection and visibility across cloud and endpoint environments
4
ECIF funding secured to deploy Microsoft Defender for Endpoint and Microsoft Cloud Apps
5
Fully integrated security architecture spanning Sentinel, Defender, and Intune
Why CWSI
CWSI worked closely with both regional and global IT teams to deliver a structured, evidence-based approach to security modernisation. By demonstrating real-world value through a production deployment, CWSI helped the organisation confidently transition from legacy tooling to a modern, integrated Microsoft security platform that supports long-term scalability and resilience.
