Planning and Executing a Successful Transition to Microsoft Entra ID with Río Hondo College
Like many institutions, Río Hondo College has accumulated a variety of authentication and single sign-on solutions over time. As the college began its transition toward Microsoft Entra ID, leaders recognized that success would require more than simply migrating applications. For a successful migration, the team needed a clear understanding of existing integrations, identity data, security requirements, and institutional priorities to ensure a smooth and sustainable modernization effort.
To support this effort, Río Hondo College partnered with Unicon — an education technology consulting firm with expertise across numerous domains, including identity and access management, learning analytics, integrations, and cloud services — to develop a phased approach to migration. This included reviewing the current identity landscape, identifying application dependencies and attribute requirements, and establishing priorities based on institutional impact and operational criticality.
Building on lessons learned from previous identity modernization initiatives within the California Community Colleges system, Río Hondo College leadership was able to streamline planning, anticipate integration challenges earlier, and shape a more structured approach to sequencing and stakeholder engagement.
A key outcome of the engagement has been a practical, phased migration strategy designed to reduce risk while enabling steady progress toward a unified Microsoft Entra ID environment. Early pilot migrations have helped validate assumptions and build confidence in the approach.
“Unicon has been an outstanding partner throughout our identity modernization journey, helping Río Hondo College develop a thoughtful and manageable path forward. Their collaborative approach, higher education experience, and commitment to our success have made them a valuable part of this effort,” said Allan Abutin, Director of Enterprise Operations at Río Hondo College.
Beyond the technical work, the initiative has emphasized collaboration and knowledge sharing, helping ensure institutional teams are prepared to sustain and expand the environment over time.
Río Hondo College’s experience reflects a broader lesson for institutions across the CCC system: successful identity modernization depends on understanding the current environment, prioritizing high-impact applications, and executing in phases that balance security, user experience, and operational continuity.
If you are interested in learning more about leveraging the Foundation for California Community Colleges’ agreement with Unicon, please contact cbcontracts@foundationccc.org.
