Cloud & servers in Birkenhead & Northcote
Some offices are better off with everything in the cloud. Others still need a server down the hall for software that won't run anywhere else. We help you pick the right mix, build it properly and keep it patched, monitored and backed up.
Onsite technicians cover Birkenhead & Northcote. Most problems are fixed remotely first; when a job needs hands, a technician comes to you.
Cloud & servers for Birkenhead & Northcote businesses
Birkenhead's Highbury centre and Northcote's town centre, now being redeveloped, serve small professional offices, health practices, cafes and retailers, with many consultants, designers and tradespeople working from home in the surrounding streets. The harbour bridge puts the city close, but plenty of locals prefer to work near home.
Home-based and small-office businesses here often rely on a single person's laptop and a consumer internet plan, with no backup and little security. Bringing them up to standard is straightforward: business email with multi-factor sign-in, automatic backups, a managed antivirus and a sensible home office network that keeps work devices apart from family ones.
We start by listing what the server actually does. Shared files usually move well to SharePoint and Teams, where staff can reach them from home without a VPN. Line-of-business software that needs Windows Server can move to an Azure virtual machine, or stay onsite on new hardware sized for the next five years. A small NAS can still make sense for large design or video files that are slow to sync. Often the best answer is a mix of all three.
Our technicians visit Birkenhead and Northcote offices and home offices for setups and hardware work, and help remotely day to day. We are glad to support small teams of three or more.
What's included
NAS setup and care
Network storage set up with sensible shares, user permissions, snapshots and an offsite copy, plus firmware kept up to date.
Server review
We map every role your current server plays, from file shares and print queues to scheduled tasks nobody remembers, before suggesting what should replace it.
New onsite servers
Hardware specified, supplied and built with redundant disks, remote management and a warranty that covers the years you intend to use it.
File server to SharePoint
Shared drives restructured and moved into SharePoint and Teams libraries, with permissions rebuilt and staff shown where their folders went.
Remote access
Secure ways to reach onsite systems from home, using Microsoft sign-in and multi-factor rather than open ports on the router.
Azure virtual machines
Windows Server workloads moved to Azure, sized for the software that runs on them, with costs estimated before you commit and reviewed afterwards.
Is it right for your Birkenhead & Northcote office?
This work is usually a fit if:
- Your server is out of warranty or running an unsupported version of Windows Server
- Staff struggle to reach shared files when working from home
- Your accounting, CAD or practice software needs a server to run
- You are paying for a server that mostly stores old files
- You have a NAS but nobody is sure how it is backed up
How getting started works
- Free IT health check. We look at your devices, accounts, backups and network and tell you what we find, in plain English.
- Clear proposal. A written monthly price per user and a list of any fixes, with nothing hidden.
- Handover. We collect admin access and documentation from your current provider and keep your team working.
- Day-one fixes. Security gaps, failed backups and urgent risks are dealt with first.
Cloud & servers in Birkenhead & Northcote: questions
Do you support businesses run from home offices?
Yes, provided you have three or more staff or need business-grade setup. We manage the work devices, secure email and backups, and can set up a home network that keeps work and family devices separate.
What happens to our IT during the Northcote redevelopment?
If you are relocating or your building is being upgraded, we can plan the move, arrange the new internet connection early and set up the new premises so you are working from the first morning. It is quoted in writing first.
Do you support servers on every plan?
Server, NAS and printer support is included in the Complete plan. On other plans it is billed at the hourly rate, $109 remote and $159 onsite plus GST.
Should we move everything to the cloud?
Not always. Email and shared documents almost always belong in Microsoft 365. Some software runs better on a local server, and large media files can be slow to sync. We recommend what suits your software and your internet connection.
Will our folder permissions carry across?
We review them first, because old servers often have years of one-off exceptions. We rebuild them in a simpler structure and check them with you before the switch.
Is Azure more expensive than a server?
It can be if it is left running oversized. Azure is billed monthly with no hardware to replace, so we compare a five-year cost for both options and size the virtual machine to what you actually use.
More IT services in Birkenhead & Northcote
- Managed IT
- IT support
- Cyber security
- Microsoft 365
- Networks & Wi-Fi
- Internet & phones
- Backup & disaster recovery
- Email security & deliverability
- CCTV & access control
- Printers, copiers & scanning
- Laptops, PCs & devices
- Office moves & fit-outs
- IT strategy & consulting
- Co-managed IT
- Security awareness training