Server upgrades and migrations, planned before the old one fails
An old server keeps working right up until the day it doesn't, and then it takes the shared drive, the accounting data and the printers with it. We plan the replacement while the old server still runs, choose where each job should go next and move it in stages your staff barely notice.
Server upgrades & migrations for small and medium businesses
Windows Server versions have a fixed support life. Once a version passes end of support, Microsoft stops releasing security fixes, and anything still running it becomes an easy target. Windows Server 2012 is already out of support, and Windows Server 2016 reaches the end of extended support in January 2027. Hardware ages too: disks, power supplies and fans wear out, and parts for a seven-year-old server can be hard to find quickly. Planning ahead turns an emergency into a scheduled project.
The first step is finding out what the server really does. Over the years, servers collect roles that nobody wrote down: a shared drive, a domain controller handing out logins, an accounting database, print queues, a scanner folder, a scheduled script that emails a report each Monday. We list every one of them, decide with you where each should live next, and spot the things that would quietly break if the server was simply switched off.
Then we move in stages. Files often go to SharePoint and Teams. Logins move to Microsoft Entra ID so staff sign in with their Microsoft 365 account. Software that still needs Windows Server goes to a new, smaller onsite server or an Azure virtual machine. Each stage has a plan, a test and a way back. Most of the heavy work is done outside business hours, and the old server stays switched on, untouched, until everyone agrees the new setup is working.
What's included
Server discovery
A full list of roles, shares, applications, scheduled tasks and dependencies on your current server, including the ones nobody remembers setting up.
End-of-support plan
A written plan showing which servers and operating systems are out of support or close to it, with a recommended order and timeline for replacement.
Where each job should go
A clear recommendation for every role: SharePoint, Entra ID, Azure, new onsite hardware or retirement, with reasons and ongoing costs.
Line-of-business software
Accounting, practice management and industry software moved with the vendor's requirements checked first and their support involved where needed.
Staged migration
Changes made in planned stages, mostly outside business hours, each with testing and a fallback to the old server.
Permissions rebuilt
Folder and application permissions reviewed as part of the move, so people keep the access they need and lose access they should not have had.
New hardware
Where an onsite server is still the right answer, a correctly sized replacement with business warranty, quoted in writing first.
Safe retirement
The old server kept untouched until sign-off, then its disks securely wiped and the hardware recycled with a record of disposal.
Who is server upgrades and migrations for?
It is time to plan a server change if:
- Your server runs Windows Server 2012, 2016 or older
- The hardware warranty has expired and nobody knows when
- Staff need a VPN just to open shared files from home
- Your accounting or practice software vendor has warned about support
- The server is slow, noisy or has had disk failures
- Nobody fully understands what the server does any more
Not sure where to start?
Our free IT health check looks at your devices, accounts, backups, security and network. You get a short written report with what is working, what is at risk and a price to fix it. No obligation.
Book the health checkServer upgrades & migrations questions
Should we move to the cloud or buy a new server?
It depends on what the server does. Shared files and logins usually move well to Microsoft 365. Some software still needs Windows Server and may suit Azure or a new smaller onsite server. We recommend role by role, with costs, rather than one answer for everything.
What happens when Windows Server reaches end of support?
It keeps running, but Microsoft stops releasing security updates. New vulnerabilities stay open, insurers may ask about it, and software vendors often stop supporting their products on it. It should be replaced or isolated before then.
Will staff lose time during the migration?
Very little if it is planned well. Most of the work happens outside business hours, files are moved in stages and staff get a short note telling them where things now live before they come in.
What if something goes wrong during the move?
Every stage has a fallback. The old server stays switched on and unchanged until the new setup has been tested and signed off, so we can switch back if a problem appears.
Can you move our accounting software?
Usually, yes. We check the vendor's requirements, take a full backup, and involve the vendor's own support when their software needs a specific install or licence transfer.
How long does a server migration take?
A simple file server move can be done over a weekend or two. Larger moves with several applications take a few weeks of planned stages. We give you a written timeline before starting.
How is a migration priced?
Server migrations are project work, so we quote them in writing first after the discovery is done. Hardware, licences and cloud running costs are listed separately.
Other ways we help
Managed IT
One monthly price per person for support, security, updates and backups. Your outsourced IT team.
Managed IT
IT support
Remote and onsite help when you need it, billed by the hour. No plan, no contract.
IT support
Cyber security
Practical protection against scams, ransomware and account takeover, set up and kept current.
Cyber security