Home-Start East Surrey is a charitable organisation dedicated to supporting families with young children across the East Surrey area. Through a network of trained volunteers, they provide emotional and practical assistance to parents facing challenges such as isolation, mental health issues, or financial hardship. Their mission is to help families build resilience and improve outcomes for children.
Home-Start East Surrey had been relying on a single independent IT support provider for several years. While this arrangement initially met their needs, it became increasingly unsustainable. The organisation faced significant risks when the sole support contact was unavailable due to illness or leave, leaving them without technical assistance. Their infrastructure was built around an ageing on-premise server connected to five workstations, with limited scalability and resilience. Additionally, their website, which may be redeveloped in future, was not integrated into their broader IT strategy. The charity required a more robust, responsive, and proactive IT support solution, including dedicated account management and consultancy to ensure compliance with cyber security standards and improve overall productivity.
Following a thorough onboarding process, Qlic IT proposed a full migration from the legacy on-premise server to a modern, cloud-based infrastructure using Microsoft 365. The first step involved auditing the existing server to confirm its functions beyond domain control and data storage, ensuring no critical services were overlooked before decommissioning.
We implemented SharePoint for centralised document management and collaboration, migrating all relevant data securely. To enhance device management and security, all new devices were enrolled into Microsoft Intune, allowing for streamlined updates, policy enforcement, and remote support.
To safeguard organisational data, we deployed Datto Backupify for SharePoint, ensuring automated backups and rapid recovery capabilities. This solution provides peace of mind and aligns with best practices in data protection.
Throughout the transition, Home-Start East Surrey benefited from dedicated account management, ongoing consultancy, and access to a responsive support team. Our proactive approach ensures that any technical issues are addressed swiftly, and the organisation receives strategic advice to maintain system resilience and cyber security compliance.
The migration to a cloud-based infrastructure has significantly improved Home-Start East Surrey’s operational efficiency and resilience. Staff now benefit from secure, remote access to files and resources, enabling flexible working and better collaboration. The risk associated with relying on a single support provider has been eliminated, replaced by a dedicated team offering unlimited access to engineers and strategic guidance.
The organisation is now better equipped to adapt to future changes, including potential website redevelopment, and has a scalable IT environment that supports growth. With enhanced cyber security measures and reliable data backup, Home-Start East Surrey can focus on its core mission with confidence in its IT systems.
- Migration from on-premise server to Microsoft 365 cloud environment
- Secure data transfer and centralised document management via SharePoint
- Device enrolment and management through Microsoft Intune
- Automated SharePoint backups using Datto Backupify
- Dedicated account management and unlimited engineer access
- Improved cyber security posture and system resilience
- Scalable infrastructure supporting future growth and flexibility
