Data centre and hosting
Choose, set up and manage hosting for your servers, applications and websites, with Canadian locations considered for data residency.
Managed IT & Support
Cloud services and migration
A well-designed cloud platform can improve performance, control IT costs and give your people secure, reliable access to company data from any device, anywhere. We help organizations choose the right cloud approach, migrate safely and run their cloud environments well afterwards.
Who this service is for
A good fit if
- Your servers are ageing and you need to decide whether to replace them or move to the cloud.
- Staff need secure access to files and applications from home, the road or several offices.
- Your cloud bills keep rising and nobody is sure what is driving them.
- You need to keep certain data in Canada for contractual, regulatory or customer reasons.
- You already use the cloud but it was set up quickly and never reviewed.
Another approach may suit you better if
- Your main application is only supported on premises by its vendor, and there is no cloud version.
- You need a large-scale, cloud-native software platform built from scratch. Our AWS engineering and software development services are a better starting point.
- You have very little on-premises infrastructure and simple needs already met by Microsoft 365.
What this service is
Cloud services cover choosing, moving to and running on cloud platforms. That can mean moving file servers to Microsoft 365, moving a line-of-business application to a virtual server in a Canadian cloud region, or redesigning how your systems are hosted altogether.
We aim for a cloud platform tailored to your organization: one that improves performance, keeps IT costs under control and provides secure, reliable access to your company data from any device, at any time, from anywhere. Cloud services are available as projects and as part of our managed IT services.
Cloud platforms we work with
We work across the major public clouds and several smaller providers, and recommend the one that fits the workload:
- Amazon Web Services (AWS). See also AWS deployment and cloud engineering.
- Microsoft Azure, often a natural fit for organizations already on Microsoft 365.
- Google Cloud Platform (GCP).
- Oracle Cloud, commonly used for Oracle databases and applications.
- IBM Cloud.
- Akamai Cloud (formerly Linode), for simpler, cost-conscious virtual servers.
For hosting options and provider comparisons, see data centre and hosting. Naming a platform does not mean we hold partner status with its vendor.
Data residency and privacy in Canada
Many organizations need to know where their data is stored. Public cloud providers offer Canadian regions: AWS Canada Central (Montréal) and Canada West (Calgary), Azure Canada Central (Toronto) and Canada East (Québec City), and Google Cloud regions in Montréal and Toronto.
Choosing a Canadian region supports data residency, but on its own it does not ensure that every copy of your data stays in Canada. Some services are global, and support, monitoring or backup processes may involve other countries. We check each service against your requirements and document where data is stored and processed.
Privacy law also matters. PIPEDA allows personal information to be processed outside Canada when it is protected by contract and individuals are informed, and some provincial laws, such as Quebec Law 25, add assessment requirements before information leaves the province. Health information in Ontario falls under PHIPA, and federally regulated financial institutions follow OSFI Guideline B-10 on third-party risk. We explain the technical side; this is not legal advice.
How we approach migration
Not everything should move, and not everything should move the same way. For each workload we consider whether to rehost it as it is, replatform it onto managed cloud services, replace it with a software-as-a-service product or leave it where it is. Migrations run in planned waves with testing and rollback plans, so your organization keeps working throughout.
Security in the cloud
Cloud providers secure their own infrastructure, but customers remain responsible for how they configure accounts, access, networks and data. Under this shared responsibility model, a storage bucket left open to the internet or an over-privileged account is the customer's risk, not the provider's. We set up identity with multi-factor authentication, apply least-privilege access, log administrative activity and review configurations against each provider's published security recommendations.
Running the cloud well
After migration, cloud environments need the same care as any other system: patching, monitoring, backup, access reviews and cost management. Cloud costs can creep upwards quietly. Our article on how growing companies cut cloud costs explains common savings, and we review your spending regularly as part of ongoing management.
What is included
The exact list is agreed in writing for each project. These are the usual deliverables and the usual boundaries.
Typical deliverables
- A cloud readiness assessment covering workloads, dependencies, data sensitivity and costs.
- A recommended approach for each workload, such as rehost, replatform, replace with software as a service, or keep on premises.
- A target architecture with identity, networking, security, backup and region choices.
- A migration plan with sequence, testing, cut-over and rollback steps.
- The migration itself, carried out in planned windows.
- Cost controls, including budgets, alerts, tagging and right-sizing recommendations.
- Ongoing monitoring, patching and backup of cloud workloads for managed-service clients.
- Documentation and a handover session for your team.
Not included unless agreed separately
- Cloud provider subscription and consumption charges, which are billed by the provider.
- Rewriting applications for cloud-native architectures, unless scoped separately.
- Licences for operating systems, databases or backup software.
- Legal advice on data residency or cross-border transfers.
What we will need from you
Most delays in this kind of work come from access and decisions, not from the technical build. Knowing these early keeps the project predictable.
- Administrative access to existing servers, applications and any current cloud accounts.
- Contact with your application vendors to confirm cloud support and licensing terms.
- A decision-maker for data residency, security and budget questions.
- Agreed maintenance windows for migration and cut-over.
Delivery
How the work is delivered
Each stage ends with something you can review before the next one starts.
Assess
We inventory workloads and data, map dependencies, review licensing and costs and identify residency or compliance needs.
Output: Cloud readiness assessment.
Design
We choose the platform, region and architecture for each workload and estimate running costs.
Output: Target architecture and cost estimate in CAD.
Migrate
Workloads move in planned waves, each tested before users switch over, with a rollback plan ready.
Output: Migrated workloads and test results.
Optimize and manage
We tune performance and costs, set up monitoring and backups and hand over documentation.
Output: Cost and performance report, and runbook.
Testing and handover
- Each migrated workload is tested by the people who use it before the old system is retired.
- A rollback plan exists for every cut-over.
- Identity, access and administrative accounts follow least-privilege principles and use multi-factor authentication.
- Backups are configured and a test restore is completed.
- Cost alerts are in place, so unexpected spending is noticed quickly.
What affects the cost
We do not publish package prices. Each estimate is based on an agreed scope, in Canadian dollars, with taxes shown separately. These are the things that move the number most:
- The number and complexity of workloads being moved.
- The volume of data to migrate.
- Application dependencies and vendor support requirements.
- Security, compliance and data residency requirements.
- Whether you want ongoing management after migration.
Questions buyers usually ask
Which cloud platforms do you work with?
We work with Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, Oracle Cloud, IBM Cloud and Akamai Cloud (formerly Linode). We recommend a platform based on your workloads, skills and existing licences. Naming these providers does not imply any partnership with them.
Can our data stay in Canada?
Major providers have Canadian regions, including AWS in Montréal and Calgary, Azure in Toronto and Québec City, and Google Cloud in Montréal and Toronto. Choosing a Canadian region supports data residency, but some services, backups or support processes may involve other locations, so we check each service rather than assume.
Will the cloud be cheaper than our servers?
Not always. The cloud changes costs from occasional large purchases to ongoing monthly charges, and poorly managed cloud environments can cost more. We estimate running costs in CAD before you decide, and set up cost controls after migration.
How do you avoid downtime during migration?
We migrate in planned waves, test each workload before switching users over, schedule cut-overs outside busy periods and keep a rollback plan ready. Some brief interruptions are usually unavoidable, and we agree them with you in advance.
Related
AWS deployment and cloud engineering
Secure, well-architected AWS environments in Canadian regions, built as code, with clear shared-responsibility boundaries and cost controls from day one.
How to cut cloud costs
How to reduce cloud costs through visibility, waste removal, rightsizing, commitment discounts and better-prepared negotiations with cloud providers.
Thinking about moving to the cloud?
Tell us what you run today and what you want to change. We will reply to arrange a conversation about your options.