Overview

The Ministry of Interior (MoI), introduced by late Sultan Said bin Taimur in 1970, is one of the most important organs of the State. Since its establishment, MoI has played a significant role in various aspects of social modernization and service in the country. The ministry has also continued to play a pivotal role in social development throughout the country.

As part of the Ministry, MOI required a reliable, secure, and robust infrastructure capable of enhancing productivity across the department. The management identified the need to maintain multiple user sites in four separate AD forests along with connectivity between their two main sites. An effective email communication mechanism and centralized security for protection against internet-based threats was highlighted as a priority. MOI also sought a robust Infrastructure and System Center technology suite to meet their server technology needs and system center management. Keeping the big picture in mind, KalSoft sketched an IT roadmap (phase-wise) for MOI and began implementing cutting-edge infrastructure technologies.

With MOI’s pain points in view, KalSoft proposed a solution encompassing Active Directory, MS Exchange, and ISA for the first phase. Active Directory enabled a fully integrated employee directory and security services with single sign-on capabilities across multiple applications, ensuring interoperability among various platforms. The deployment of MS Exchange provided secure email messaging with robust backup and data availability mechanisms. The ISA deployment greatly enhanced integrated security, enabling fast and secure access to network applications. MOI was initially using SUSE Linux for some applications and database servers; therefore, monitoring these systems through a unified server was crucial. The second phase began with the implementation of SCOM, which now monitors 7 Linux servers. Following that, SCCM was implemented to manage almost 400 clients. Currently, MOI has 45 Willayat offices connected to the head office via SCCM distribution points. This comprehensive deployment of advanced infrastructure technologies has enabled MOI to effectively meet its business needs, making it a unique ministry with a complete IS technology stack.