Switch the server off for good, without anyone noticing.
Most small businesses still paying for an office server do not need one. The files can live in SharePoint and OneDrive, the applications can run in the cloud, and the box in the cupboard can stop being a fire risk, a power bill and a single point of failure. The migration is the part that has to be done carefully: structure, permissions, the folder everyone forgot about, and the day the old server is finally switched off.
Who this is for
Businesses with an ageing file server or NAS, a server the warranty has run out on, or a 'temporary' Dropbox that became the filing system. Also businesses already on Microsoft 365 whose SharePoint was never set up properly, so everyone still emails attachments to each other.
What is included
Discovery and a plan
What is on the server, who uses it, what applications depend on it, how much is duplicate or dead, and what has to stay on premises if anything. Then a migration plan with dates and a rollback.
SharePoint and OneDrive designed properly
A structure built around how the business works, not a copy of a 15-year-old folder tree: sites per team or function, sensible permissions, Teams connected to the right libraries, retention and sharing policies set so a file cannot leave without someone deciding it should.
Migration from file servers and NAS
Data moved with a migration tool that keeps permissions, timestamps and version history, in stages, with a final sync at cutover so nothing edited in the last week is lost. Staff get a short session on where things now live and how syncing works.
Applications and databases
Line-of-business applications assessed for cloud versions, hosted alternatives or an Azure virtual machine where nothing else fits. Email already on Microsoft 365 is left alone; anything still on Exchange or IMAP is migrated too.
Server decommissioning
Backups verified, dependencies confirmed gone, Active Directory retired or moved to Entra ID, then the server switched off for a fortnight before it is removed, so anything missed shows up while it can still be switched back on. Drives wiped to a documented standard and the hardware recycled through a licensed carrier, with a certificate.
Backup from day one
Microsoft 365 backup in place before cutover, so the new home for your data is protected from the first day and the old server's backups can be retired.
What is not included, and why
- Application licences and cloud subscriptions. Shown as their own lines so you can see what the software costs against what the server was costing.
- A server you genuinely still need. Some businesses have an application or a piece of equipment that has to run locally. We will say so, and supply and support a smaller, newer server for that alone.
- Rebuilding a bad folder structure in the cloud. Copying chaos to SharePoint gives you cloud chaos. The design step is not optional, and it is where the time goes.
What it costs
Quoted as a fixed-price project after discovery, based on the amount of data, the number of users and the applications involved. Managed IT clients have the planning included and pay for the migration days. Get in touch or book a call and we will start with a free look at what is on the server.
How it starts
- 1Free IT Health CheckA short online check that benchmarks your security and business risk and tells you where you stand.
- 2Discovery callAn engineer, not a salesperson. What you have, what is broken, what it would cost to fix, in writing.
- 3OnboardingEverything moves across on a plan, with no gap in cover and nothing lost.
Questions people ask before signing
How long does a migration to SharePoint take?
A typical small business file server takes three to six weeks from discovery to cutover, most of it design, clean-up and a staged copy running in the background. The cutover itself is usually a weekend. Applications add time depending on what they are.
Will we lose files or permissions?
No. The migration tooling preserves permissions, dates and version history, we run a final sync at cutover, and the old server stays switched off but intact for a fortnight before it is removed. We have not lost a file yet and the process is designed so we never do.
What about the applications that run on the server?
Discovery lists every one. Most have a cloud version or a hosted equivalent; a few need an Azure virtual machine; occasionally one has to stay local. You get the options and costs for each before anything is decided.
What happens to the old server?
Verified backup, two weeks switched off, then the drives are wiped to a documented standard and the hardware is recycled through a licensed waste carrier. You receive a certificate of data destruction for your records and your insurer.
We already have SharePoint and nobody uses it. Can you fix that?
Yes, and it is a common starting point. Usually the structure was never designed, permissions are a tangle and staff were never shown how to work with it. We redesign it, migrate what is there into the new structure, and train the team.
Is our data safer in the cloud than on our server?
With Microsoft 365 configured properly and backed up separately, yes: encrypted, replicated across UK data centres, protected by multi-factor authentication and monitored. The server in the cupboard has one power supply, one set of disks and a door that does not lock.