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From Exchange Headaches to Cloud Confidence: How Baker Tilly (BVI) Simplified IT and Strengthened Security with XTIUM

Responsive support, reliable cloud infrastructure, and security solutions that help a lean IT team stay ahead.

Industry

Accounting and Professional Services

Challenge

On-premises Exchange server consuming too much time and resources

Result

Smooth migration to Microsoft 365 and expanded security with Cisco Duo

Key Product

Microsoft 365 Managed Services, Cisco Duo Multi-Factor Authentication

Value

Simplicity, reliability, and peace of mind from a trusted partner

"2 Seamless Migrations"

From on-prem Exchange to Hosted Exchange, then to Microsoft 365 — both completed on schedule.

"1 Call for Support"

Single point of contact for every IT issue, big or small.

"0 Downtime"

Weekend cutovers ensured staff productivity never stopped.
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A Partner Who Delivers Every Time

“It was a no brainer because I know what it’s like to reach out to Microsoft sometimes. If I can get a human on the phone in 10 minutes or less, why leave?”

Norman Allen, Head of Information Technology, Baker Tilly (BVI) Limited

Accounting Expertise Meets IT Complexity

Baker Tilly is one of the world’s leading accounting networks, with more than 200 independent member firms across 140 territories. Each office operates autonomously, managing its own systems, security, and infrastructure.

For Norman Allen, Head of IT at Baker Tilly’s British Virgin Islands office, that autonomy comes with challenges. His small team supports everything — from servers and backups to email and cloud applications.

When their on-premises Exchange server began consuming more and more of his time, Norman realized the cost of staying the same was too high. “I end up spending hours sometimes just fixing these little things,” he said. “It prevents me from doing my other work.” He began searching for a better way to simplify and secure their IT environment.

Why XTIUM: Trusted Support and Seamless Communication

Norman discovered Evolve IP, now part of XTIUM, while evaluating hosted Exchange providers. From the start, the difference was clear.

That sense of partnership carried through each stage of their relationship. When Microsoft began transitioning customers to Microsoft 365, Norman chose to stay with the team he trusted. “They said they could handle the migration and manage our tenant,” he recalled. “It was simple — I’d rather call them than spend hours chasing an answer through Microsoft.”

The reliability and personal support made the decision easy. Over time, that trust grew into a broader partnership spanning productivity, security, and long-term IT strategy.

“We went through the migration together… I was quite impressed just in terms of whenever we had issues after that, whether it’s minor or major, I just had one place I could go for support.”

 

Norman Allen,
Head of IT, Baker Tilly (BVI) Limited

Implementation
Smooth Rollouts with Minimal Disruption

The migration from on-premises Exchange to XTIUM’s hosted platform took just a few days of syncing data, followed by a weekend cutover. When it came time to move to Microsoft 365, the process was even faster — an overnight sync followed by another weekend switch.

Monday morning, Baker Tilly’s staff was fully operational with no downtime and no loss of data. Each rollout demonstrated XTIUM’s commitment to clear communication, planning, and follow-through.The migration from on-premises Exchange to XTIUM’s hosted platform took just a few days of syncing data, followed by a weekend cutover. When it came time to move to Microsoft 365, the process was even faster — an overnight sync followed by another weekend switch. Monday morning, Baker Tilly’s staff was fully operational with no downtime and no loss of data. Each rollout demonstrated XTIUM’s commitment to clear communication, planning, and follow-through.

Expanding Security with Cisco Duo

After stabilizing email and collaboration systems, Norman turned his attention to security. He had been exploring multi-factor authentication when an XTIUM newsletter mentioned Duo.

Working with the XTIUM engineering team, Baker Tilly (BVI) rolled out Duo across their environment, adding a critical layer of protection for staff and systems. The process was collaborative and efficient, with engineers guiding every step.

“I was this close to reaching out to Cisco… then I found out you guys can do it. We did a proof of concept, had a couple of calls, and it was absolutely fair.”

 

Norman Allen,
Head of IT, Baker Tilly (BVI) Limited

THE RESULTS

A Reliable, Future-Ready Foundation

  • Email uptime and reliability improved immediately. Staff no longer experience delays or disruptions.
  • Two successful migrations, zero downtime. Weekend cutovers ensured business continuity.
  • Expanded security posture. Duo provides modern authentication without complicating workflows.
  • Trusted single point of contact. One partner handles support, renewals, and new opportunities.
  • Proactive communication. Regular newsletters and account check-ins spark ongoing improvements.
“Even though after the fact, I found out that support probably technically should not have helped me… the engineer basically said, this is outside the scope. But he fixed it, and he pointed me in the right direction.”
Norman Allen
Head of IT, Baker Tilly (BVI) Limited
“Sometimes I don’t know what to ask for because I don’t know if it’s on the shelf. What I’ve learned is maybe I should just ask. Give me a shopping list, exactly.”
Norman Allen
Head of IT, Baker Tilly (BVI) Limited
“Sometimes I’m just keeping the lights on. I don’t always have time to go and look for the next thing. Having a partner that can put solutions in front of me makes all the difference.”
Norman Allen
Head of IT, Baker Tilly (BVI) Limited
“We always have at least one opportunity each year to review what we need. Those conversations are how we discovered Duo. It’s great to have a partner who keeps me informed.”
Norman Allen
Head of IT, Baker Tilly (BVI) Limited

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