Efficient license management across Microsoft tenants

This case study explains how a large US county government deployed VOSS to address its license management challenges.

THE CHALLENGE

A large North American county government faced significant challenges managing Microsoft licenses across its vast and dynamic organization. Operating as a collection of regional entities and departments, each with their own budget and operational requirements, the county needed a solution to streamline

Managing licenses in a dynamic, multi-unit environment The government organization provided employees with tailored Microsoft license bundles designed to suit their specific job role, with each bundle comprising three or more licenses or license add- ons. Managing these bundles proved challenging for a workforce of over 70,000 that was spread across diverse regions and departments. Added to this, the organization operated within a single Microsoft tenant, making it difficult to align license allocation and usage with sub-units. This centralized structure required manual tracking, often resulting in license mismanagement and unnecessary delays in addressing licensing needs.

license allocation while reducing administrative complexity.

THE CHALLENGE

The dynamic nature of the organization further complicated matters, as frequent changes to onboarding and offboarding processes, and departmental reorganizations, required constant license adjustments. Without visibility at both the global and local levels, the IT team struggled to allocate licenses efficiently, causing user dissatisfaction and escalating costs due to underutilized or redundant licenses. While the existing Microsoft's tools are well suited to the needs of many organizations, they lacked the ability to segment the single license pool and match these to the county's complex business hierarchy. This meant the IT team could not empower individual departments to manage their own license usage while maintaining global oversight, further exacerbating inefficiencies. To address this, the county sought a solution that could segment its Microsoft super tenant, streamline everyday license management tasks, and empower regional administrators to manage licenses autonomously while aligning with the business hierarchy.

THE SOLUTION

VOSS for dynamic, segmented license management

The county government deployed VOSS to address its license management challenges. VOSS provided a structured and automated approach, allowing the IT team to maintain a global view of their Microsoft licenses while empowering subunits to operate independently with localized control. Crucially, VOSS enabled the segmentation of licenses to match the organization’s business hierarchy - a capability not available out of the box with the Microsoft Administration Portal. Segmentation and business hierarchy alignment : VOSS mirrored the county's business structure, segmenting licenses across departments and regions. Role- based access control (RBAC) enabled local administrators to manage licenses specific to their subunits while providing the IT team with a consolidated global view. ▪ Automation : VOSS automated key processes, such as onboarding, offboarding, and license allocation, eliminating manual tasks and reducing administrative effort. ▪ Actionable insignts : Robust dashboards provided visibility into license allocation and usage, helping the county optimize consumption and avoid unnecessary costs. ▪

THE BENEFITS

Unlocking efficiency and improved service delivery

By implementing VOSS, the county government realized transformative benefits across visibility, administration, and automation:

ENHANCED VISIBILITY A clear global view of license usage enabled accurate tracking, capacity planning, and transparent cross-charging of license costs. LOCALIZED CONTROL Administration was aligned with the organization’s business hierarchy, providing local teams with a tailored view of the license pool. This ensured licenses were better matched to actual needs and allocated promptly. AUTOMATION & ACCURACY Routine processes, whether for individual licenses or bulk actions, were automated to ensure precision and timeliness. Local helpdesks managed tasks efficiently with minimal training requirements, supported by a clear audit trail.

With VOSS, the county government reimagined its Microsoft license management strategy. By combining global oversight with localized autonomy, the organization achieved a streamlined, efficient solution that enhanced service delivery and empowered teams to act swiftly while meeting their dynamic needs.

Addressing a growing challenge As organizations grow and evolve, the need for efficient license management becomes even more critical. VOSS provides the tools to segment large, complex environments, align license management with business structures, and deliver visibility at both global and local levels. VOSS provides the tools and automation necessary to navigate this complexity with confidence. If your organization is facing similar challenges, get in touch to discover how VOSS can help you streamline operations, reduce costs, and improve service delivery.

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