Cloud & servers in Ponsonby
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 Ponsonby. Most problems are fixed remotely first; when a job needs hands, a technician comes to you.
Cloud & servers for Ponsonby businesses
Ponsonby Road and the streets around it are home to architects, design studios, marketing agencies, fashion labels and property businesses, many working from converted villas or rooms above the shops. Teams tend to be small, image-conscious and busy, with clients dropping in for meetings.
Old timber villas with lath-and-plaster walls swallow Wi-Fi signal and make cable runs awkward, so a single router in the hallway rarely covers the back studio. Creative teams often run Macs alongside a few Windows machines, move large design and video files to the cloud, and need printers and plotters that work for everyone.
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.
Technicians come to Ponsonby offices for Wi-Fi fixes, Mac and Windows setups and small cabling jobs, and most everyday help is done remotely so the studio keeps working. Larger changes are quoted in writing first.
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.
File server to SharePoint
Shared drives restructured and moved into SharePoint and Teams libraries, with permissions rebuilt and staff shown where their folders went.
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.
Monitoring and patching
Disk health, storage space, services and updates watched, with patches applied in a maintenance window that suits your office.
NAS setup and care
Network storage set up with sensible shares, user permissions, snapshots and an offsite copy, plus firmware kept up to date.
Is it right for your Ponsonby 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 Ponsonby: questions
Do you support Macs as well as Windows in creative studios?
Yes. We manage Macs and Windows computers side by side, with the same security, updates and backups on both. Shared drives, fonts, printers and cloud storage are set up so everyone can open the same files.
Our villa office has dead spots. Do we need new cabling?
Not always. Often a couple of well-placed access points linked by cable or a wired backhaul solve it, and we can usually run that cabling under the floor or through the ceiling without wrecking period features. We look first and quote before any work starts.
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.
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.
How long does a file server migration take?
For a typical office, planning and copying happen over a week or two while staff keep working, and the final switch is done after hours. Larger or messier shares take longer; the timeline is in the written quote.
More IT services in Ponsonby
- 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