>> PROTOCOL: Modern Workspace & Endpoint Diagnostic
Objective: To capture the "Technical Truth" of the current end-user computing environment, identify manual provisioning friction, and map the transition from legacy imaging to Zero-Touch deployment.
1. Business Alignment & Friction Identification
- > The Provisioning Bottleneck: How many manual hours does it take IT to provision a new laptop from unboxing to user-ready?
- > The "Inaction Tax": What is the most common IT support ticket related to endpoints today?
- > Security vs. Usability: Where is the friction point between the security team's mandates and the end-user's ability to seamlessly get work done?
2. Endpoint Management (SCCM to Intune)
- > Zero-Touch Goals: Is the organization utilizing Windows Autopilot and Apple Business Manager to eliminate manual imaging?
- > Packaging Overhead: Who is responsible for packaging updates for LOB applications, and how much time does this consume monthly?
- > Asset Recovery: What is the technical process for remote wipe and locking of a device if an employee is abruptly terminated?
3. M365 Collaboration & Governance
- > Copilot / AI Readiness: Have you executed a data governance audit to ensure sensitive HR/Financial data isn't over-shared internally before turning AI on?
- > External Guest Access: Is there an automated review or expiration policy for external vendors?
>> PROTOCOL: Cloud Foundation & Resilience Diagnostic
Objective: To audit the current state of cloud adoption, identify architectural "Snowflakes," and establish a highly available foundation capable of surviving ransomware.
1. Cloud Adoption & Current State
- > Shadow IT & "Snowflakes": How many cloud subscriptions currently exist, and were they deployed centrally or spun up independently?
- > The Financial Check (FinOps): Are you utilizing FinOps practices to control spend, or is the monthly bill a surprise?
- > The Cloud Skills Gap: Does internal ops possess cloud-native skills, or is there a reliance on external MSPs (The Knowledge Premium)?
2. Backup & Immutable Recovery
- > Ransomware Air-Gap: Are backups truly immutable? If an attacker gains Domain Admin, can they delete the backup repositories?
- > Recovery Testing: How often are backups tested by performing a full, out-of-place restoration, rather than just checking a "green" log?
3. Disaster Recovery (Site Recovery)
- > The "Hope vs. Plan" Check: When was the exact date of the last successful, full cross-site disaster recovery failover test?
- > Automated Orchestration: Is failover automated via runbooks, or does it require manual intervention and IP reconfiguration in a panic?
>> PROTOCOL: Identity & Communications Diagnostic
Objective: To untangle complex identity webs, secure the perimeter using Zero Trust, and eliminate the manual friction of employee lifecycle management.
1. Core Identity & Access
- > Identity Sprawl: Are there multiple disconnected identity silos that force users to remember multiple passwords?
- > The Moat vs. The Identity: Are you relying on traditional VPNs, or actively shifting to a Zero Trust architecture where identity is the perimeter?
- > Conditional Access: Are policies dynamically restricting access based on user location, device compliance, or sign-in risk?
2. Identity Governance & Lifecycle
- > The Onboarding Bottleneck: When a new employee is hired, how many different IT systems require manual account creation by the helpdesk?
- > Role-Based Access (RBAC): Are permissions granted based on strictly defined job roles, or are users copied from existing employees (permission creep)?
- > Auditing: If asked to provide a list of everyone who had access to a financial folder 6 months ago, how long would it take to generate?
3. Unified Communications
- > The Legacy PBX: What legacy telephony systems are deployed on-premises, and are they approaching End of Support?
- > Regulatory Compliance: Is the phone system fully compliant with E911 laws (Kari’s Law, RAY BAUM’S Act) to provide exact dispatchable locations?
