“Move everything to the cloud” is a sales pitch, not a strategy.
Some things belong in the cloud: email, file sharing, backup, anything your staff need from home or a customer site. Some things are cheaper, faster and simpler kept locally. The useful conversation is about which is which for your business — and that depends on your internet connection, your applications, your budget and how your people actually work.
What we provide
Cloud migration. Planned moves of email, files and applications, staged so the business keeps running. We’ll tell you what’s worth moving and what isn’t.
Hosting. Websites, email and applications on secure, fast servers, looked after as part of your overall IT rather than by a support queue in another country.
Cloud backup. Offsite backup that runs automatically, so a fire, flood, theft or ransomware event doesn’t take your only copy with it.
Disaster recovery. A plan for how the business keeps operating when something significant fails — and how long it takes to get back. Most businesses have never asked how long a full restore actually takes. It’s worth knowing before you need to.
Hybrid setups. A local server for the things that need speed, cloud for the things that need reach. For a lot of small businesses this is the right answer, and it’s rarely the one being sold.
Remote and hybrid work. Secure access to files and applications from home or on the road, without leaving the front door open.
What to think about before moving
Your internet connection. Cloud performance is your connection’s performance. If your upload speed is poor, that has to be part of the plan.
Your applications. Some industry software doesn’t run well remotely, or costs significantly more in a hosted version. Worth checking before, not after.
The ongoing cost. Cloud converts a capital purchase into a monthly subscription. Sometimes that’s better for cash flow, sometimes it’s more expensive over five years. We’ll show you both numbers.
Where your data lives. Depending on your industry and obligations, the physical location of your data may matter. We’ll flag it if it applies to you.
Getting back out. Ask how you’d leave a platform before you join it. We do.
Frequently asked
Is the cloud safer than a server in our office?
Different, not automatically safer. Data centres have better physical security and redundancy than a cupboard in your office. But cloud accounts get compromised through weak passwords and missing multi-factor authentication.
Will it save us money?
Sometimes. It reliably reduces up-front cost and increases ongoing cost. Whether that’s a saving depends on the timeframe you measure.
Do we still need backup if we're in the cloud?
Yes. Absolutely yes.
Can we move gradually?
That’s usually the sensible approach — email first, files next, applications last.