Infrastructure and cloud projects
Moving to the cloud, replacing an ageing server or retiring an old Exchange server are decisions that cost real money and are hard to undo. I help you choose the right approach, then plan and lead the project. Depending on the job, I do the hands-on work myself or manage specialist partners.
That might be moving existing servers into Azure or AWS as they are, a file server into SharePoint, or on-premises Exchange to Microsoft 365. Or it might be new Windows or Linux servers, on site or in the cloud, planned before anything is bought. Old servers are decommissioned properly at the end, with nothing left quietly depending on them.
How cloud services are billed, through me or direct, is agreed when the project is scoped. You get full documentation and handover, so you’re never dependent on one person to know how your systems fit together.
Not sure where to start? An IT review sets out what needs doing first, and in what order.
If you want to read up before we talk, Microsoft’s own Microsoft 365 documentation covers each part of the service in detail.
What it involves
Lift and shift
Existing servers and workloads moved to Azure or AWS largely as they are, planned so the business keeps running throughout.
File servers to SharePoint
Shared drives moved into SharePoint and Teams, with folder structure and permissions planned first so people can find their files on day one.
Exchange to Microsoft 365
On-premises Exchange moved to Exchange Online or another service, with every mailbox and calendar checked before the old server goes.
Cloud infrastructure
Virtual servers and storage provisioned in Azure or AWS, sized for what you run, secured and documented, with old servers decommissioned safely.
Questions about an infrastructure or cloud project
Should we move our server to the cloud?
Not always. File storage and email move well to Microsoft 365, while some line-of-business software runs better on a local or hosted server. I’ll look at what your server does and what it costs to run, then recommend what makes sense for each part.
How do you keep disruption down during a project?
By planning the work around how your business runs, and making sure your staff know what’s happening and when.
What documentation do we get at the end?
A written record of what was built and how it fits together: the servers, network layout and accounts, the suppliers and renewal dates, plus how to carry out routine tasks. It’s written so another IT provider could pick it up and understand your systems.
Related services
Backup and disaster recovery
Backups that follow the 3-2-1 rule and are tested, plus a plan, and cloud recovery, for keeping the business going.
Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace
Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace set up, tidied or migrated, with sign-ins and email properly secured.
Structured cabling and building works
Data cabling and office moves, with advice before building work starts on where everything should go.
Interested in an infrastructure or cloud project?
