Technology & digital transformation

Cloud and Hosting: stable operation, private environments and tested backups

We host your applications and websites and operate your servers, plan the migration of existing systems to a more suitable environment and build private environments for sensitive data. A backup that has never been restored is incomplete in our view, so we run restore tests regularly and document the results.

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What we offer

First we help you choose the right environment: a public cloud provider, a private cloud, servers inside your organisation, or a combination. The choice depends on data sensitivity, regulatory requirements set by the competent authorities, budget, available connectivity and where users are. We explain the advantages and constraints of each option frankly, including practical considerations around service availability, payment and connectivity in the region.

We then set up and operate the environment: servers and operating systems, databases, encryption certificates and domains, monitoring and alerts, security updates and access management. We host websites and applications we develop as well as those built by others, keeping test environments separate from production.

Migration is done in phases: an inventory of systems, data and dependencies, a migration plan with a rollback plan, a trial run on a copy, then the actual move at a time that minimises disruption. Backups are designed according to each system's importance: what is backed up, how often, where it is stored and for how long. We then perform actual restore tests on an agreed schedule and give you a report on the outcome.

Who it is for

Public institutionsNeed reliable operation of systems and portals, with control over where data is stored and who can access it.
HospitalsSystems running around the clock and sensitive data that require a protected environment and tested backups.
CompaniesWebsites, applications and online shops that need stable hosting without a dedicated in-house technical team.
Organisations with ageing serversOld or undocumented on-premises servers that need structured migration or rehabilitation.
Investors and new businessesWant a sound hosting set-up from the start rather than temporary fixes.

Problems we address

A website or system goes down occasionally and nobody knows why or receives an alert.
Backups exist on paper, but nobody has ever tested whether they can restore the system.
An old in-house server whose details only one person knows, with no documentation.
Hosting scattered across several providers with disorganised accounts and passwords.
Hesitation about moving to the cloud because of questions on data location, cost and connectivity.
No separation between test and production, so experiments affect users.

Tasks and deliverables

Current environment assessment: An inventory of servers, applications, data, dependencies and accounts, with a report on risks and priorities.
Hosting architecture design: A document defining the chosen environment, its components, the reasons for the choice and expected running costs based on provider pricing.
Server set-up and operation: Configuration of servers, databases, certificates and domains, with security updates and access management.
Migration plan and execution: A phased plan with rollback, a trial run, then the actual migration and post-move verification.
Private environments: An isolated environment for sensitive systems and data, on premises or with a provider, with defined access controls.
Backup policy: What is backed up, how often, where and for how long, with an off-site copy where possible.
Restore tests: Scheduled actual restores of selected systems into a test environment, with a report on duration, result and findings.
Monitoring and alerts: Monitoring of service availability and resource use, with alerts sent to the agreed contacts.

Who does what

What IAG does

Assess the current situation and propose a suitable hosting architecture.
Set up, operate and update servers and environments.
Plan and carry out migrations with a rollback plan.
Design backups and perform and document restore tests.
Set up monitoring and alerts and handle incidents as agreed.
Document the environment and accounts and hand them over in an orderly way.

What specialists, partners and authorities do

Cloud and data centre providers supply the underlying infrastructure under their terms; the availability of their services remains their responsibility.
The client, in consultation with its legal adviser and the competent authorities, defines requirements regarding where data is stored.
The client or its internet provider supplies the network connectivity required for on-premises environments.

Practical example

Illustrative scenario

Migrating an internal system to a managed environment with tested backups

A company runs its accounting and order systems on an old server in its office, without regular backups or documentation.

Inventory the applications, databases, accounts and dependencies on the server.
Choose the new environment with management based on data sensitivity, cost and connectivity.
Set up the new environment, move a trial copy and test it with users.
Carry out the actual migration over a weekend with a rollback plan ready.
Activate daily backups and monitoring.
Run the first restore test after one month and hand over a report on the result.

This is an illustrative scenario to explain our approach, not a client reference.

How we work together

Inventory and assessment
We document what you have today and identify risks and needs.
Design
We propose the architecture, environment and backup policy, with an estimate of running costs.
Set-up
We prepare the new environment and apply security settings and monitoring.
Migration
We move systems in phases with a trial run and rollback plan.
Operation
We run and update the environment and handle alerts according to the agreed service level.
Regular testing
We run restore tests and review configuration and costs periodically.

Intended results

A documented hosting environment whose components and access your team understands.
Early alerts when services fail instead of hearing it from users.
Backups proven restorable in an actual test.
A structured migration that limits disruption to daily work.
A clearer view of hosting running costs.

What we need from you

A list of current systems, websites and servers and who uses them.
Identification of the most critical systems and the acceptable downtime and data loss for each.
Requirements regarding data location and confidentiality.
Necessary access credentials, shared through agreed secure channels, not via the public website.
Suitable time windows for migration and maintenance.
Approval of the operating budget for providers.

Basis for cost and timeline

Cost has two parts: provider costs (servers, storage, data transfer and licences), paid at their rates, and IAG fees for set-up, migration and operation. Set-up and migration fees depend on the number and complexity of systems and the data volume and are usually priced as a fixed-scope project. Operation, monitoring and restore tests are covered by a monthly or annual contract defining the service level and scope.

Frequently asked questions

Do you guarantee the service will never go down?

Nobody can guarantee that. We design the environment to reduce the likelihood of outages, monitor it and respond to incidents according to a service level defined in the contract, and we also depend on provider availability.

Why do you insist on restore tests?

Because an untested backup may be incomplete or corrupted without anyone knowing. Only an actual test shows that the system can really be restored and how long it takes.

Can our data stay inside our organisation?

Yes. A private environment can be set up on in-house servers, taking into account power, cooling, connectivity and off-site copies.

Do you host systems you did not develop?

Yes, after a technical assessment and once at least minimal documentation exists or has been prepared.

Who owns the provider accounts?

We recommend that accounts are held in the client's name, with defined administrative access granted to us. This is documented at handover.

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