Moving to the cloud isn’t just about technology — it’s about building a more agile, secure, and disaster-ready business. At Portolan Networks, we help organizations transition their data and applications to the cloud with confidence, ensuring a smooth migration and long-term reliability.
Whether you’re shifting from on-premise servers or expanding your cloud footprint, we make the process simple, secure, and aligned with your business goals.
Cloud Migration Services for Sarasota Businesses
Portolan Networks helps businesses across Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte counties decide what to move to the cloud, what to keep on-site and what each option will cost, then handles the migration with as little downtime as possible. Hybris setups are common: email and files in the cloud, with some workloads staying local where that’s cheaper or works better.
Two ways to move to the cloud
Microsoft 365 (SharePoint and OneDrive). For most offices, the shared drive on the server becomes SharePoint team sites, and personal files move to OneDrive. There’s no server left to maintain, and files sync to every device your team uses. See Microsoft 365.
Cloud-hosted servers. Some line-of-business applications still need a Windows server. We move those servers to cloud-hosted infrastructure, so the application keeps running the way your team is used to without the hardware sitting in your office.
Many businesses use both: files in Microsoft 365, and one or two applications on a cloud-hosted server.
Why businesses move to the cloud
What belongs in the cloud, and what doesn’t
Most businesses have already moved email to the cloud. Beyond that, it depends. Some workloads are a clear win in the cloud; others cost more over time there than they would on-premises. We’ll lay out what makes sense to move, what doesn’t, and what each option costs over time, whether that means moving everything, nothing or just part of your environment.
For Florida businesses, part of the case is resilience. With data in the cloud, a hurricane, power loss or failed server at your office doesn’t take your data with it. With secure remote access through zero trust network access (ZTNA), your team can reach the apps and files they need from anywhere, without opening up the whole network the way a traditional VPN does.
How a migration works
- Discovery. We map your servers, applications, data volume and upload bandwidth. Data usually has to upload from your office, so bandwidth often sets the pace.
- Plan and estimate. You get a specific timeline. Small migrations can take a few days; large, complex ones can span several months.
- Cutover. We generally avoid running old and new systems side by side, because people end up saving files to the old one. Instead we schedule the cutover for a slow period or after hours.
- Post-move support. We fix what comes up in the first days and make sure everyone can reach what they need.
Cloud isn’t automatically secure
Cloud platforms offer strong security features, but many of them have to be configured; nothing is secure just because it’s in the cloud. The same is true of a local server, which can be very secure or very exposed depending on how it’s set up. We build your cloud environment so it’s actually secure, not assumed to be. See our cybersecurity services.
Related services
- Microsoft 365: most migrations start with email and files
- Backup and disaster recovery: cloud data still needs its own backup
- Internet failover: your team can only reach the cloud if the office stays online
Common Questions
Timelines vary widely depending on what’s being migrated — servers, applications, data volume — and your available upload bandwidth, since data typically has to be uploaded from your location. Smaller migrations may take just a few days, while larger, more complex migrations can span several months. We provide a specific estimate after a discovery process to understand your environment in detail. Regardless of scope, we work to keep downtime to a minimum throughout the migration.
This depends on what’s being migrated, but in most cases we avoid running old and new systems in parallel, since that risks data being saved to the outdated system after the cutover. Instead, we schedule the migration cutover during slower business periods, or after-hours when needed, to minimize any impact on your team.
Not automatically, on either side. Cloud platforms often offer strong security features, but many of them have to be actively configured — they’re not automatically secure just because they’re in the cloud. The same is true on-premises: a local server can be very secure or very vulnerable depending entirely on how it’s set up and maintained. Security comes down to proper configuration, not which environment you choose. We work with you to build a cloud environment that fits your needs while making sure it’s genuinely secure, not just assumed to be.
Since your data lives in the cloud rather than on local hardware, a hardware failure at your office generally doesn’t put your data at risk the way it would with an on-premises server. Internet access is still required to reach your systems. We can configure your cloud environment with secure remote access, so your team can reach their data and applications from anywhere with an internet connection — not just from the office — for businesses that want that capability. That means even a full office outage doesn’t necessarily stop your team from working, if remote access has been set up.
Yes, and it’s quite common. While most businesses have moved email to the cloud, not every workload is well-suited for it — and in some cases, the long-term cost of running something in the cloud can be higher than keeping it on-premises. We work with you to determine what makes sense to move, what doesn’t, and what the costs look like either way. Whether that means moving everything, nothing, or just part of your environment, we’re here to support whatever setup fits your business.
If you have a server nearing end of life, or you’re wondering whether the cloud would cost more or less, book a time on my calendar. Or call (941) 200-4360.