Case Study: Canvas Worldwide Modernizes Infrastructure with Microsoft Azure and SD-WAN

How ECI and Group9 delivered a rapid, cloud-first transformation for one of the world’s top media agencies—amid a global pandemic

The Challenge

Canvas Worldwide, the world’s second-largest independent media agency, had been operating in a shared, on-premises IT infrastructure. But after rapid growth and increasing data demands, Canvas needed more control, flexibility, and scalability to support its long-term digital roadmap.

To complicate matters, this shift had to take place during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, while all 400+ employees were working remotely—and a global supply chain crisis was impacting hardware availability. Canvas needed a strategic partner to guide and execute an accelerated cloud transformation, with minimal disruption and enterprise-grade security.

The Group9 + ECI Solution

Canvas turned to Group9 and ECI, its trusted technology advisor, to lead a full-scale migration to Microsoft Azure and Office 365. The project included a complete overhaul of Canvas’ core infrastructure, a move to SD-WAN, and the deployment of proactive cybersecurity services.

Key Implementation Highlights:

• ⏱️ 26-Week Migration Timeline: Completed on time and on budget despite supply chain disruptions

• ☁️ Full Cloud Migration: Transitioned legacy systems to Azure with zero business downtime

• 💼 Remote User Enablement: Automated onboarding of 400+ work-from-home employees

• 🌐 ECINet SD-WAN: Delivered intelligent network monitoring and performance at scale

• 🔒 Cybersecurity Enhancements: Included BitLocker encryption and fully managed SIEM

• 🔁 Disaster Recovery Tested: Seamless failover between Azure West and East regions

The Results

• 🚀 50% Faster Migration than manual alternatives

• 🧩 Zero-Touch User Access with seamless provisioning and Microsoft tool integration

• 🛡️ Enterprise-Grade Security: Hardened infrastructure and proactive threat defense

• ✅ SOC 2 Certification Readiness accelerated through cloud modernization

• 🧠 Smarter Operations: Legacy IT replaced by automation, reliability, and scalability

• 🤝 Turnkey Partnership: ECI acted as a true extension of the Canvas team

“This is an important difference between a vendor and a partner. ECI became an extension of our team, a true partner.”
— Kevin McEvilly, SVP of Technology, Canvas Worldwide

Conclusion

Group9 and ECI delivered a seamless transformation for Canvas Worldwide, helping the agency evolve from a legacy infrastructure model to a modern, cloud-first, data-centric operation. With Azure at the core and automation powering operations, Canvas now enjoys the agility, security, and performance needed to focus on what matters most—innovation and customer experience.