Kiinko is Finland’s leading training organization for the real estate and construction industry. Annually, over 5,000 industry professionals train at Kiinko, from their first career steps to top management. Kiinko organizes approximately 250 training events each year.
The organization employs approximately 35 specialists. ICT Manager Juuso Henriksson is responsible for the overall ICT function and also serves as the link between business operations and partners.
Efficiency Through Partnership Model
Above IT manages Kiinko’s ICT infrastructure, Microsoft 365 environment administration and security, as well as Azure server and cloud environment management. Network solutions are based on Cisco Meraki network architecture, and Below IT complements the solution with end-user support.
In selecting a partner, it was important to Kiinko that the collaboration be agile, direct, and personal. The organization did not want a faceless IT provider, but rather a partner with whom matters could be handled together without unnecessary bureaucracy.
“For an organization of this size, a model where one person manages and the partner truly knows us is both efficient and cost-effective,” Juuso explains.
Cost-effectiveness does not only mean resource optimization, but also risk management. A well-structured, secure ICT environment also reduces financial risk.
The smooth collaboration is also evident in daily operations through good accessibility and clear operating procedures.
"For an organization of this size, a model where one person manages and the partner truly knows us is both efficient and cost-effective."
"For an organization of this size, a model where one person manages and the partner truly knows us is both efficient and cost-effective."
Migration to Full Cloud Model
Kiinko previously had a solution based on its own server environment, where its own hardware infrastructure and server room played a central role. The goal was to migrate entirely to the cloud in a controlled manner and at their own pace.
Above IT has played a key role in planning and executing the migration.
Migrating the educational institution’s own enterprise resource planning system to a cloud version was a significant multi-year effort. Financial management systems were also migrated to the cloud in phases with partners earlier. At the same time, the need for on-premises servers gradually decreased.
When workstations were migrated to Microsoft 365-based management and the remaining servers to the Azure environment, Kiinko’s ICT environment operates entirely cloud-based. This strengthens operational reliability and supports business continuity.
“The cloud migration clarified the overall picture and reduced maintenance work related to our own hardware environment. When the workstation model was modernized and Below IT joined for end-user support, support cases can be handled together with broader expertise. This frees up time for overall management,” Juuso explains.
The modernized workstation environment also enables a proactive IT support model: device anomalies are detected in endpoint management before they become visible to users. This reduces the need for support requests and operational costs.
Visibility into Technology Development
Technologies evolve rapidly, and changes occur continuously.
“There’s no way to keep track of everything new on your own, which is why the partner’s perspective on development is important to us,” Juuso notes.
The partnership with Above IT provides Kiinko with structured information based on best practices and helps evaluate which solutions are appropriate for the organization—and which are not.