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For many SMBs, the on-prem server room is the single biggest source of risk and cost: hardware that must be refreshed, cooled, patched, and backed up — and that fails at the worst possible time. Cloud migration removes that burden.
What moves where
| Legacy workload | Modern destination | Key benefit |
|---|---|---|
| On-prem Exchange | Exchange Online | Always current, 99.9% SLA, no server to patch |
| File server | SharePoint / OneDrive | Anywhere access, version history, co-authoring |
| Active Directory | Microsoft Entra ID | Cloud identity, Conditional Access, MFA |
| Line-of-business app server | Azure VM or SaaS | Elastic compute, no hardware refresh |
| On-prem backup | Cloud backup (immutable) | Off-site, ransomware-resistant, automated |
The business case
- No more hardware refresh — shift CapEx to predictable monthly OpEx.
- Anywhere access for a hybrid workforce — no VPN required for most workloads.
- Auto-patched, always current services — Microsoft handles the infrastructure.
- Built-in resilience and simpler disaster recovery — geo-redundant by default.
Assessment first, always. IDENETY starts with a Cloud Migration Assessment to surface risks — mailbox sizes, legacy apps, bandwidth — before setting a cutover date. Phased, tested migration means no data loss and minimal disruption. See our M365 Security Baseline guide to lock down the tenant after migration, and our server virtualization guide for workloads that need a lift-and-shift to Azure VMs first.
Contact our engineers to discuss a cloud migration assessment or M365/Azure deployment.