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Strategic Migration: GCC High Enclave for DoD Contractor

Enclave Case Study

Industry

Defense Contractor

Challenge

A small DoD contractor needed to comply with CMMC 2.0 and DFARS 7012 regulations but faced budget constraints. A full GCC High migration was cost-prohibitive, and the company sought a solution that ensured compliance for key users while minimizing disruption.

Results

By implementing a GCC High enclave, only 10 employees handling CUI and ITAR data transitioned to the secure environment, reducing costs while achieving compliance. The organization maintained productivity for non-sensitive operations, preserving efficiency.

Key Product

CMMC Compliance Services

10
Employees Migrated
400
Employees Unaffected
$144k
In Cost Savings
DFARS
Compliance Achieved

"For some small defense contractors, a full GCC High migration isn’t financially viable. By implementing an enclave approach, we ensured compliance while keeping costs manageable—giving the organization flexibility to scale as needed."

John Nolan

VP of Compliance, ISI

Enclave Case Study Documents

Dig Deeper:

The contractor relied on Commercial Microsoft 365 for email, document collaboration, and communication. However, with new DoD regulations going into effect, the company needed to secure its IT environment to meet CMMC 2.0 and DFARS 7012 requirements.

Handling CUI and ITAR-restricted data necessitated a move to Microsoft GCC High, but a full migration for all employees would have been prohibitively expensive and operationally disruptive.

Strategic Migration for Compliance and Cost Efficiency

To achieve compliance while controlling costs, ISI implemented a GCC High enclave, migrating only 10 employees who handled CUI and ITAR-sensitive data.

  • These users transitioned to a FedRAMP High-compliant GCC High tenant, ensuring adherence to DoD cybersecurity regulations.
  • Meanwhile, 400 employees in non-sensitive roles remained in Commercial Microsoft 365, preserving operational continuity and avoiding unnecessary licensing costs.
  • This targeted approach met regulatory requirements without disrupting broader business functions.

Security Controls and User Enablement

  • To safeguard the enclave, ISI deployed essential security controls, including Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies, and Conditional Access Policies to restrict unauthorized access.
  • Microsoft Intune was implemented for mobile application management, ensuring endpoint security across the organization. In addition to technical safeguards, ISI prioritized user training and IT support.
  • Employees in the enclave received comprehensive guidance on new security measures, while IT administrators were equipped to manage the dual-tenant structure effectively. This proactive approach ensured a smooth transition and long-term compliance management.

Scalability and Future-Readiness

By adopting an enclave model, the contractor met compliance requirements at a fraction of the cost of a full migration while maintaining the flexibility to scale. As new contracts introduced additional compliance needs, the company could seamlessly onboard more users into GCC High without overhauling its entire IT environment. This scalable, cost-effective strategy enabled the organization to achieve CMMC 2.0, ITAR, and DFARS 7012 compliance without unnecessary disruption, providing a repeatable framework for other small and mid-sized defense contractors facing similar challenges.

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