Cloud & servers in Howick
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 Howick. Most problems are fixed remotely first; when a job needs hands, a technician comes to you.
Cloud & servers for Howick businesses
Howick is one of Auckland's older settlements, with a village centre on Picton Street hosting boutique retail, cafes, real estate, legal and accounting practices, medical rooms and financial advisers. Many professional firms here are owner-run and serve long-standing local clients.
Small professional offices in the village often run on a few computers, an ageing multifunction printer and an internet connection with no backup. Upgrading these firms usually means retiring old equipment, putting files and email into secure Microsoft 365 storage and making sure scanning and printing work cleanly for every staff member.
The old office server is often the most important and least loved machine in the building. It holds the shared drive, the accounting database, the printer queues and the scanner folder, and it has been running in a cupboard for seven years on a warranty that ran out three years ago. When it fails, everything stops, and nobody remembers quite how it was set up. Replacing it in a hurry after a failure costs far more, in money and lost days, than planning the change.
Our technicians visit Howick practices for upgrades, printers, networks and faults, with daily support handled remotely. We schedule visits outside busy client times where we can.
What's included
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.
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.
Monitoring and patching
Disk health, storage space, services and updates watched, with patches applied in a maintenance window that suits your office.
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 Howick 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 Howick: questions
Our scanner only saves to one computer. Can that be fixed?
Usually. We set the printer up to scan to email, a shared folder or SharePoint so anyone can scan and find their documents, and we check it works from every desk.
Is it worth replacing a five-year-old office computer?
Often yes, especially if it can't run a supported version of Windows or slows the person using it. We look at the age, condition and warranty and recommend replacing or keeping it, with any hardware quoted in writing.
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.
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.
Can you look after a server someone else installed?
Yes. We document it, check the backups and health, and tell you plainly how much life it has left.
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 Howick
- 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