Cloud Services · Vancouver, BC
Cloud Services Vancouver
Hexafusion helps Vancouver businesses run on the right cloud platform with the right controls. Whether you are starting fresh on Microsoft 365, migrating workloads to Azure or AWS, or running a hybrid environment, we handle the architecture, migration, and ongoing management.
Microsoft 365 for Vancouver Businesses
M365 is the default productivity platform for most BC SMBs. We handle tenant setup, migration from on-premise Exchange or Google Workspace, SharePoint governance, Teams deployment, identity and access with Azure AD, conditional access policies, and security baseline configuration.
- New tenant setup with security-first defaults
- Email migration with zero downtime
- SharePoint and OneDrive governance
- Teams calling and meeting rooms
- Conditional access and multi-factor authentication (MFA) enforcement
- Canadian data residency where available
Azure and AWS
For workloads that need more than M365, we design and manage infrastructure on Azure and AWS. Cost optimization, identity federation, network security groups, backup strategy, and monitoring.
Hybrid Cloud
Not every business should move everything to the cloud. For regulated industries and specific workloads (dental imaging, legal case management, manufacturing), we design hybrid architectures that keep sensitive systems local while using cloud for collaboration, backup, and disaster recovery.
Canadian Data Residency
For clients with PIPEDA, BC's Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA), or contractual data residency requirements, we configure cloud services to keep data in Canadian regions (Canada Central, Canada East) where possible, and document cross-border data flows where they are unavoidable. Microsoft 365 core services (Exchange, SharePoint, OneDrive) can be pinned to Canadian regions at tenant creation. Azure and AWS both offer full Canadian regions. A handful of services still transit US regions: some advanced Teams features, certain AI add-ons, and some compliance logs. We disclose those in writing before you sign.
Our migration methodology
Cloud migrations fail most often in two places: identity and dependency mapping. Our methodology is built to surface both early so you get a fixed price before anyone starts moving data.
Inventory current systems, user counts, data volume, integrations, line-of-business apps, and dependencies. Identify blockers (line-of-business apps that pin you to on-premise, compliance constraints, bandwidth bottlenecks).
Target architecture, identity model, network and security baseline, backup strategy, monitoring plan. You approve this before we start moving data, and we quote a fixed price for the migration.
We migrate one team (typically 5 to 10 users) and run them on the new environment for two weeks. Issues surface and get fixed before we touch the rest of the company.
Cutover waves on scheduled weekends. Mailbox delta sync gives zero-downtime email. SharePoint and Teams rollout follow on a published schedule so teams know what's happening.
Thirty days of hypercare with direct engineer access for any post-migration issues. This covers the tail of small problems that only surface when real users hit the new environment.
Final documentation, admin training, and transition into our managed operations. From this point the environment is covered under your monthly Hexafusion plan.
Security in the cloud
Moving to the cloud does not move security problems. It moves them to a different control plane. Our baseline for every cloud tenant we manage:
- Identity first. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) everywhere, conditional access policies, privileged access workstations for admin accounts, break-glass accounts documented and rotated.
- Encryption at rest and in transit. Configured by default, verified in monthly reviews.
- Separate backup credentials. Backups are configured with a separate identity and stored in an immutable vault. A compromised tenant cannot erase its own backups.
- Endpoint detection and response (EDR) across every device that connects to the tenant, not just company-managed laptops.
- Audit logging to an immutable store. We ship Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace audit logs to a separate platform so a compromised admin cannot cover their tracks.
- 24/7 managed detection and response (MDR) on Enterprise plans, monitored by a human security operations centre.
Cost optimization
Cloud bills creep. Every Azure or AWS environment we inherit has waste: orphaned volumes, over-provisioned virtual machines, dev resources left running on weekends, legacy instance types no one thought to retire. We typically find 20 to 40 percent of the monthly cloud spend can be released in the first 60 days of engagement. Ongoing, we review cost quarterly with three levers:
- Right-size compute. Match virtual machine and database sizes to actual usage, not day-one estimates.
- Reserved instances and savings plans. For predictable workloads, one-year or three-year commitments cut compute cost 30 to 60 percent.
- Tag every resource to a business unit. Finance sees cloud spend the same way they see software licences. No more surprise bills.
Cost reviews are included at no extra charge in our Professional and Enterprise plans. On Essential, we flag spend anomalies and quote cost-optimization as a separate engagement.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a Microsoft 365 migration take?
For a typical Vancouver small business of 10 to 50 users, a full migration from on-premise Exchange or Google Workspace takes three to six weeks. Discovery and tenant setup run in parallel during the first week. Mailbox cutover happens on a weekend with zero-downtime delta sync. SharePoint and Teams rollout follows over the next two to four weeks.
Can our data stay in Canada?
Yes for most services. Microsoft 365 core data (Exchange, SharePoint, OneDrive) can be pinned to Canada Central or Canada East regions. Azure and AWS both offer Canadian regions. Some advanced Teams features and AI add-ons still transit US regions; we disclose those in writing before you sign.
Should we move everything to the cloud?
Usually no. Most Vancouver businesses land on hybrid: email, collaboration, and identity in Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace; commodity workloads in Azure or AWS; and anything with large-file access, specialty hardware, or regulatory complexity (dental imaging, legal case management, engineering CAD, manufacturing SCADA) kept on-premise with cloud backup.
How do you keep cloud costs under control?
Three levers: right-size compute by reviewing usage quarterly, use reserved instances for predictable workloads, and tag every resource to a business unit so you can trace spend. Most new Azure and AWS environments we inherit have 20 to 40 percent of monthly bill in waste we can retire in the first two months.
Do you handle Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD) setup?
Yes. Identity is the single most important control in any cloud environment. We configure Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory) with conditional access policies, multi-factor authentication (MFA) everywhere, privileged access protection, break-glass accounts, and device compliance. For organisations with existing on-premise Active Directory we set up secure hybrid identity with Entra Connect.
Can you manage our AWS environment?
Yes. We manage small and mid-sized AWS environments: EC2 and containers, VPC design, Route 53 DNS, identity through IAM with federation, S3 storage lifecycle, CloudWatch monitoring, Backup vaults, and cost controls. We focus on environments in the 1,000 to 30,000 dollars per month AWS spend range.
Planning a cloud move?
Talk to a Hexafusion consultant about your cloud strategy. We will scope the project, flag the risks, and give you a fixed price.
Request a cloud assessment