General Dynamics
Overview
General Dynamics, a leading defense and aerospace company, required an advanced solution to strengthen IT operations and collaboration. For Mission Systems, the goal was to efficiently monitor the health and performance of diverse infrastructure—servers, applications, network devices, and power systems—to ensure reliability and high availability. At the same time, General Dynamics Land Systems Canada (GDLS-C), in partnership with the Department of National Defence (DnD Canada), aimed to build a secure and compliant SharePoint Online environment to enhance information sharing and collaborative work.
Challenge
The complexity and critical nature of General Dynamics’ operations demanded robust, secure, and comprehensive IT solutions. Existing monitoring tools offered limited visibility across heterogeneous systems, leading to delayed issue identification, downtime risks, and reduced efficiency. At the same time, General Dynamics Land Systems Canada (GDLS-C), in partnership with the Department of National Defence (DnD Canada), required a secure collaborative environment that could support sensitive file sharing, strict compliance standards, and controlled system access.
Solution
Our consultants designed and deployed an enterprise-grade framework combining advanced monitoring, security, and collaboration capabilities. Key initiatives included:
- Cross-Platform Monitoring & Management: Integrated Windows, Linux, and network devices (routers, switches, firewalls, UPS systems) into a centralized monitoring system using Microsoft SCOM, with automated alerting, reporting, and performance analysis.
- Application & Infrastructure Reliability: Established health checks for critical applications, maintained VMware-based virtual labs, and engineered military-grade infrastructure including PacStar servers and HPE EL8000 rugged servers, with cybersecurity hardening and Zero Trust policies.
- Secure Collaboration Environment: Built Microsoft 365 SharePoint Online environments aligned with CCCS Protection B standards, audited by third-party firms. Configured sensitivity labels, conditional access, MFA, PIM, and SSPR to ensure compliance and security.
- Information & Access Protection: Implemented RBAC using Microsoft Entra ID, enabling strict system and file access management while protecting proprietary, CGP, and ITAR data from threats or unauthorized use.
- Lifecycle & Retention Policies: Deployed file lifecycle management processes, data retention policies, and OneDrive-based user storage to ensure compliance and operational continuity.
- Collaboration Tools Integration: Delivered SharePoint Online, Microsoft Teams, and Exchange Online for secure communication and seamless teamwork across GDLS-C, DnD, and Marshal.
- Documentation & Training: Developed user guides, technical SOPs, and bilingual documentation (English and French), along with knowledge transfer sessions to ensure smooth adoption.
Results
The integrated monitoring and collaboration solutions delivered measurable improvements:
- Real-Time Visibility & Security: Achieved comprehensive visibility across IT infrastructure while enabling secure, compliant sharing of sensitive documents.
- Reduced Downtime & Enhanced Productivity: Proactively identified issues, cutting downtime by nearly 60%, and streamlined document management to boost cross-departmental efficiency.
- Operational Efficiency: Automated monitoring reduced manual oversight, allowing IT teams to focus on strategic initiatives.
- Compliance & Access Control: Met rigorous security standards, passed third-party audits, and implemented strict access management for greater data protection.
Conclusion
By deploying advanced monitoring with Microsoft SCOM and establishing a secure SharePoint Online collaborative environment, General Dynamics strengthened both infrastructure reliability and organizational collaboration. These initiatives improved system availability, operational efficiency, and proactive risk management while enabling secure, compliant information sharing and enhanced protection across mission-critical environments.
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