BUI partnered with the City of Cape Town, First Technology, and Microsoft to modernise contractor access and strengthen security with Windows 365.
South Africa
Executive summary
The City of Cape Town previously used a legacy, on-premises VDI solution to provide contractors with access to critical systems and applications. The setup often caused delays, user complaints, and restricted access.
Partnering with Microsoft, First Technology, and BUI, the city replaced its legacy VDI with Windows 365 to improve access and efficiency. With Windows 365, the city reduced user onboarding time, cut infrastructure costs and maintenance efforts, significantly improved the user experience, and strengthened security.
A growing city, a straining system
The City of Cape Town serves over 8 million residents across 2,500 square kilometres. With more than 230 councillors and 30,000 employees, the City delivers a full range of municipal services, from water and electricity to clinics, roads, housing, and public spaces. Contractors are a vital part of this delivery model.
To support them, the City previously relied on a legacy, on-premises virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) to provide access to essential systems and applications. However, as the number of contractors grew, the system began to show signs of strain.
A modern, cloud-based approach
To modernise its infrastructure and support future growth, the City of Cape Town partnered with Microsoft, First Technology, and BUI to implement Windows 365. The cloud-based solution offered seamless integration, improved flexibility, and a familiar Windows experience for contractors.
"We knew Microsoft would give us better integration, more flexibility, and long-term value. Security was also a big priority and Microsoft met all our needs," says Shanaaz Gasant, Manager of Distributed Computing.
Despite a tight four-month timeline, the migration was delivered on time thanks to precise coordination and strong technical support from the City's partners. "Working with the partners was a brilliant experience," says Peter Guy, IT Support Manager. "They guided us through everything, helped us avoid pitfalls, and supported us every step of the way."