The context
The Métropole Européenne de Lille (MEL) manages an extensive information system built around three main repositories operating in silos: Infrastructure, Applications, and Users. Each covers a specific scope, but none communicates with the others.
These repositories were disconnected, manually maintained, and made it impossible to obtain a single, unified view usable by all teams. There was no way to cross-reference IT and Cyber data or reliably feed ITSM processes.
The project came at a critical juncture: a pressing regulatory context with NIS2 and a major leadership change, bringing a new and ambitious roadmap. It was the siloed state of the repositories and the need for a common foundation for cross-team collaboration that pushed the MEL to act.
The challenges
Siloed repositories preventing any global view. The three repositories (Infrastructure, Applications, Users) operated independently with no interconnection. No comprehensive view of the IT landscape existed.
No shared IT/Cyber reference. IT and Cybersecurity teams worked separately, with no shared database or simple way to collaborate on the same assets.
A demanding regulatory and organizational context. NIS2 required strengthened compliance, while a leadership transition called for new processes and reliable reporting — fast.
Why OverView
The MEL chose OverView for three key reasons. First, the ability to leverage existing tools without a complete rebuild — internal tools and expertise are preserved. Second, an overlay approach that delivers reliable reporting for leadership without starting from scratch. Third, a platform built for organizational change: fast to deploy, flexible, usable by everyone, and designed to foster cross-team collaboration.
The deployment
The rollout followed five key stages:
- Automated data collection — OverView captures data from existing repositories (Infrastructure, Applications, Users) via API
- Repository consolidation — Unification of all 3 repositories with automated daily updates
- Security layer integration — Cross-referencing IT and Cyber data to surface non-compliance risks
- Indicator development — Measuring gaps against risk frameworks (ISSP, NIS2) and building context-specific indicators
- Action plan management — Addressing detected gaps and tracking remediation efforts
The results
| Benefit | Detail |
|---|---|
| Rapid consolidation | 3 repositories unified in 2 months into a single inventory |
| Time and cost savings | Fully automated updates, elimination of manual processes |
| Action prioritization | Business-specific KPIs to focus efforts on high-impact actions |
| IT/Cyber collaboration | Unified, shared view — each team has a detailed view of its scope while sharing a common reference |
| Data-driven decisions | Contextualized indicators enabling reliable reporting to leadership |
By consolidating 3 repositories into a single, reliable, and automated inventory, the MEL transformed its IT asset management. IT and Cyber teams now collaborate on a shared foundation, with indicators aligned to NIS2 and ISSP requirements.