Before you buy new servers, find out whether AWS would cost you less.
I compare what your current IT costs against AWS, plan the move in stages and migrate your systems without bringing your business to a standstill. If the cloud does not pay off for a particular system, I tell you before we start.
References: Builders & Creatives, ale.business
- -38%
- running costs in year oneafter the data centre was switched off
- 0 min
- unplanned downtimemoved in stages, each with a way back
- 10 weeks
- from kick-off to the last serverincluding handover to the in-house team
- daily
- releases instead of monthlybecause deployments now run automatically
Does this sound familiar?
For companies with their own server room or data centre, hardware nearing end of life, or maintenance contracts that no longer pay off.
- Hardware at end of life
- The servers are five years old, the warranty is running out and the next investment is due. Now is the cheapest moment to ask whether it has to be your own hardware again.
- Knowledge in one head
- One person knows the server room. If they are off sick or leave, things get tight.
- Unclear costs
- Power, cooling, maintenance, licences and staff time sit in different budgets. Nobody knows exactly what running it all costs.
- Fear of the move
- The ERP system cannot be down for a single day. Without a plan, everything stays as it is.
What changes for you
- No more hardware investments and no maintenance contract to renew.
- Your operations no longer hinge on the one person who knows the server room.
- Every migration step has a tested way back.
- Every month you see what each application costs.
Where I have done this before
Builders & Creatives
-38% infrastructure cost in year one
Designed the complete AWS target architecture and took it into production, including a multi-account setup and infrastructure as code.
ale.business
Built the AWS architecture for chat-driven bookkeeping: financial data in the EU region only, encrypted end to end, backed up and fully auditable.
Read the case studyTomislav designed and ran the AWS architecture behind our platform, from target architecture to production. Clear communication, solid execution, and infrastructure we can actually rely on.
Sara KukovecCEO Builders & CreativesHow the cloud migration runs
Migrations rarely fail because of the technology. They fail for lack of planning, which is why no system moves until its dependencies are known, a test has passed and a way back exists.
Foundation
First comes a secure AWS environment with a connection to your site.
Pilot
A non-critical system moves first. We use it to test the process, the speed and day-to-day operation.
Stages
The remaining systems move in groups based on their dependencies, each stage with a test plan and a cutover window.
Optimisation
After the move I size everything to the actual load and lock in lower prices through commitment discounts.
What I need from you
- An IT contact who knows your systems
- Access to documentation, licence agreements and monitoring
- Agreed cutover windows, usually evenings or weekends
Technical scope for your IT team
- AWS landing zone as the base
- Site-to-site VPN or Direct Connect to your locations
- Migrated servers, databases and file shares
- Backup and disaster recovery, tested
- Monitoring and alerting with CloudWatch
- Cost dashboard with budget alerts
- Plan for decommissioning or keeping the legacy systems
- Operations manual and training
Start small, then decide
Every step delivers its own result at a fixed price. You can start or stop at any point.
Cloud cost calculator
Your current running costs next to a rough AWS estimate, with every assumption laid open.
- Cost comparison per year and over five years
- Breakdown by cost type
- No access to your systems needed
Migration workshop
One day with your IT team. For each system we decide whether it moves as it is, gets rebuilt, replaced or switched off.
- System list with a recommendation for each one
- Rough roadmap and cost range
- A clear basis for your decision
Migration assessment
I map your whole environment, including dependencies and utilisation, and work out the numbers for the target environment properly.
- A solid cost comparison for management
- Migration plan with sequence and risks
- A check of AWS funding programmes
Cloud migration
The move as a fixed-scope project: in stages, tested, with a way back and on a secure foundation.
- Migration without unplanned downtime
- Secure AWS foundation included
- Handover with documentation and training
All prices exclude VAT. "From" prices depend on scope and become a fixed price after the assessment.
You work directly with me
I'm Tomislav Pree, a cloud architect from Mainz. I have built and run cloud platforms since 2018, most recently for Builders & Creatives, in large scale e-commerce and in the aviation industry. From the first call to the handover you talk to the person who does the work.
Afterwards: Operations & optimisation
After the move I can stay on board, so the environment remains secure, up to date and affordable.
- Monitoring and response to alerts
- Updates and security patches
- Monthly cost report with savings suggestions
- Small changes without a new quote
What clients ask before they start
Is AWS actually cheaper than our own servers?
Not automatically. If you move servers like for like and run them around the clock, you often pay more. It gets cheaper through the right sizes, switching off unused systems and commitment discounts. That is exactly what I calculate before you decide.
Where is our data stored?
In the AWS Frankfurt region, and on request also in a second European region for emergencies. Encryption at rest and in transit is standard.
Is there funding for the migration?
AWS runs its own programmes that can offset part of the migration cost with credits. I work out in the assessment whether you qualify and for how much. Public funding for digitalisation is best checked in parallel with your bank or chamber of commerce.
How much of our time will this take?
You need one fixed point of contact who can make decisions or get them made quickly. At the start and at handover that means a few hours a week, in between usually one short meeting a week. I do the actual work.
What happens to applications that cannot move to the cloud?
They exist, for example because of licence terms or connections to machines on the shop floor. They stay on site or run in a hybrid setup. A partial move often makes more sense than all or nothing.
Where do you stand today?
Enter your servers, storage and running costs and see roughly what the same environment would cost on AWS.