Small businesses and schools around Canberra ask us a version of the same question a lot: what IT should we actually be paying for? Between Microsoft 365, Azure, cloud backups and networking gear, it's easy to either overspend on things you don't need or skip something that costs more later.

Start with email and file access

Microsoft 365 covers most small offices well: shared mailboxes, a place for files everyone can reach from home or the office, and version history so a deleted or overwritten file isn't gone for good. This is usually the first thing worth getting right.

Azure or AWS is for scale, not every business

Azure and AWS make sense once you're running your own applications, storing large amounts of data, or need servers that scale up and down with demand. A five-person office rarely needs either on day one, and setting one up too early adds cost and complexity without a matching benefit.

Networking is the part people skip

A weak router, no proper firewall, and a point-of-sale system sitting on the same network as the office Wi-Fi is a setup we walk into often. It works until it doesn't, usually at the worst time. Basic network security and a bit of planning around who can access what heads off most of the headaches.

Backups are not optional

Cloud storage syncing your files is not the same as a backup. If someone deletes a shared file, or ransomware encrypts it, sync happily copies that change everywhere too. A proper backup with version history is a separate thing, and it's the cheapest insurance a small business can buy.

Where we fit in

We support offices, schools and small teams across Canberra with exactly this: setting up Microsoft 365 and cloud accounts properly, sorting out networking and point-of-sale systems, and being the people you call when something breaks instead of figuring it out yourselves. One laptop or the whole office, we're happy to start small.