Case Study:
National Institute of Teaching – Secure Azure Cloud Platform for National Data Analytics & AI Services
The National Institute of Teaching
The Client
Overview
The National Institute of Teaching (NIoT) partnered with LA NET to build a secure Azure cloud platform enabling critical data analytics and AI services. NIoT required a government-grade platform that met stringent governance, audit, privacy, and security standards, with full cost transparency and long-term optimisation.
The Challenge
NIoT needed to build a high-security cloud platform for sensitive national-level data analytics and AI services, while meeting stringent governance, assurance, and external audit requirements. They also needed to establish strong identity, access, and data-protection controls, and ensure ongoing operational support and continuous improvement to maintain compliance and resilience.
The Solution
LA NET designed and deployed a secure Azure foundation aligned with the Microsoft Cloud Adoption Framework (CAF) best practices. This included Infrastructure as Code and DevOps tooling for automated, consistent, and repeatable deployments with full traceability; Azure Policy deployed as code for automated governance and compliance enforcement; and advanced security controls including MFA, Conditional Access, encryption, Privileged Access Management, and FIDO2 hardware security keys. Cost governance was established through tagging standards and controls providing financial visibility, alongside a continuous improvement programme of monthly reporting, governance reviews, proactive recommendations, and rapid incident response — maintaining Secure Scores consistently above 80%.
The Outcome
LA NET delivered a production-ready, fully governed Azure landing zone in under one month. NIoT achieved compliance and a strong security posture validated against the Microsoft Cloud Security Benchmark, independently assured through external audit. The engagement established predictable operations supported by proactive governance, and gave NIoT full visibility into compliance, cost, and security metrics — providing a future-proof cloud foundation for ongoing optimisation and long-term risk reduction.
“With LA NET’s managed services, we have confidence that our Azure environment is continuously monitored, secure, and compliant. Their proactive support and deep technical expertise mean potential issues are addressed early, keeping our platform stable and reliable. LA NET has become a trusted extension of our team.”