Service Announcement
We are delighted to announce that the IT\norwich Cloud Server has now been formally added to our Service Catalogue. If you would like to purchase the service or need support on it, please contact us in the normal way.
Service Name
IT\norwich Cloud Server
Service Dates
This service was added to our service catalogue on 1st November 2019. We anticipate this to be a long term service offer, subject to the end of life dates for the server operating system. At time of writing our servers include Microsoft Windows Server 2019 which has an end of life date of 1st September 2029.
Service Description
Hosted on a Microsoft Azure platform, the IT\norwich Cloud Server is an out-of-the-box, fixed cost virtual server solution. As a secure, flexible and reliable solution that’s available with VPN and Backup, IT\norwich Cloud Server can be provisioned in under four hours and includes the core services you need to put your business in the cloud.
Service Mandate
This service is recommended for business customers who wish to move some or all of their infrastructure to an internet based server. Such servers can more easily support remote workers and applications that required a dedicated, always on server in the background. Also suitable for branch offices or new business start-ups that want to avoid the up front costs of a physical server.
Service Features
Use the IT\norwich Cloud Server for anything you would use an on-premises server for – any applications that run on a physical server can also be run on the IT\norwich Cloud Server. Here are they key features and benefits:
Essential Network Management & Sharing with Microsoft Windows Server 2019
Though Windows Server includes dozens of features, most customers will have a server to benefit from the basics such as Active Directory, DHCP, and the usual file and print services. As well as sharing your data to only the users that should have access to it, the server is used to enforce security measures such as logon rules and forms the foundation of a managed small business network.
Enhanced Security with the included VPN.
Security is included by default with our server and so we always include the VPN “option” on your server at no extra cost. If you have a suitable router in your office this will allow the computers in your main office or branch office to communicate with the server seamlessly and securely, while users that work from home or another remote location can use a VPN client to connect to the business network.
Flexible Maintenance Options
All systems need to be maintained and when you provision a server with IT\norwich we’ll discuss a suitable server maintenance plan with you. Assuming you have our separate Remote Monitoring and Management service (which will monitor your server at all times) you’ll only need a “light touch” maintenance plan that will typically involve two to three hours maintenance per server per month.
Flexible Backup Options including 15% Discount
Mission critical infrastructure needs to be backed up and the IT\norwich Cloud Server is no exception. For an additional cost we can offer you our IT\norwich Cloud Backup Service by Acronis and – what’s more – all IT\norwich Cloud Server customers will get a 15% discount on the prices indicated.
99.9 % Uptime Guarantee
IT\norwich Cloud Servers are hosted on the Microsoft Azure platform and so as a result you benefit from the Microsoft Azure 99.9% uptime guarantee. In reality your server will need maintenance reboots and can (like any infrastructure) go down as a result of misconfiguration- but beyond those parameters Microsoft guarantee server availability for 99.9% of the time.
Azure AD Authentication Options
Optionally synchronise user account information with the Azure Active Directory (for existing Office 365 users) by adding the Azure Active Directory Connection agent. This will give users Single Sign-On capability between Office 365 and the domain login and will also allow us more flexibility in setting your password policies.
Service Pricing
Each server has a simple monthly pricing scheme which is directly related to the specification of the server. The monthly price remains the same irrespective of the number of users you have, how often they access the server and how much data is stored on or transferred to or from the server. The price only fluctuates if you need to upgrade (or downgrade) your server and this is always discussed beforehand.
Server Sizing
Identifying which server you need is usually pretty straightforward and this is dictated by what “roles” you want the server to have. If you have basic needs and want to just run Active Directory and File and Print services then a server with fewer processor cores and memory should be adequate. If however you want to run line of business applications such as accounting tools or in house CRM systems then you’ll need a more powerful server. Irrespective of the how powerful you need the server to be, the amount of storage is also a consideration.
Server Pricing Table
For servers running Windows Server 2019, we recommend around 150GB of disk space plus extra for your files. If you are running just Active Directory services and File and Print services then the Entry Level server with 256GB SSD or Standard Level server with 128GB will be adequate. If you wish to run more roles or other software, a more powerful server may be required and in this case you should contact us to discuss your needs. The lowest specification in the list would be suitable only for very limited use cases such as an additional Active Directory server.
| Cloud Server Model | No of CPU Cores | RAM | SSD Storage (GB) | VPN Security | Cost / Month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry Level Server | 2 | 4 GB | 64 GB | Included | £126 |
| Entry Level Server | 2 | 4 GB | 256 GB | Included | £141 |
| Entry Level Server | 2 | 4 GB | 512 GB | Included | £166 |
| Entry Level Server | 2 | 4 GB | 1024 GB | Included | £206 |
| Standard Level Server | 2 | 8 GB | 128 GB | Included | £180 |
| Standard Level Server | 2 | 8 GB | 512 GB | Included | £205 |
| Standard Level Server | 2 | 8 GB | 1024 GB | Included | £245 |
| Standard Level Server | 2 | 8 GB | 2048 GB | Included | £320 |
| Premium Level Server | 4 | 16 GB | 512 GB | Included | £290 |
| Premium Level Server | 4 | 16 GB | 1024 GB | Included | £330 |
| Premium Level Server | 4 | 16 GB | 2048 GB | Included | £390 |
| Premium Level Server | 4 | 16 GB | 4096 GB | Included | £540 |
| Premium Plus Level Server | 8 | 32 GB | 512 GB | Included | £430 |
| Premium Plus Level Server | 8 | 32 GB | 1024 GB | Included | £460 |
| Premium Plus Level Server | 8 | 32 GB | 2048 GB | Included | £540 |
| Premium Plus Level Server | 8 | 32 GB | 4096 GB | Included | £690 |
Service Notes for Customers
Please note this additional information:
Routers for Site to Site VPN
The site to site VPN needs a suitable router to work. If you have one of our recommended routers such as a Draytek then the chances are this will work. If you are relying on a router provided by your internet provider, you’ll probably have to buy a new router.
RMM Service
We consider the RMM service (at just £5 per month) to be essential and so all servers we provision will have our RMM software installed and charged for separately unless requested otherwise. For more details please visit this page.
Setup Costs
The prices shown above are for the ongoing rental of the server and do not include any setup costs that will be specific to your businesses needs. These costs can be highly variable and so you should contact us to discus the likely costs associated with this service.
Agreement Term
The minimum period / charge is one calendar month and the minimum notice period is also one calendar month. All months are charged for as a whole calendar month irrespective of the number of days you have the server for in that month.
User Documentation and Links
How do we connect our office to the server?
The left hand side of the image below shows a traditional client / server network topology the right hand part of the image shows us how users connect to the IT\norwich Cloud Server. The router in your office is configured to connect to the cloud server by means of a site to site VPN.
How do remote users connect to the server?
Remote users will need to connect to the router in your office via a software VPN. Once connected they become part of your business network and in turn connect to the server. This is shown below.
This page was last updated on 20th April 2021