Why projects stall in-house
Most IT managers have a list of projects that everyone agrees should happen: retire the old file server, move to modern device management, replace the firewall before support ends, clean up the Microsoft 365 tenant. They stall for one reason. Daily support always wins the fight for time, and a migration can't be done in 20-minute gaps between tickets.
We supply the engineering hours and the experience of having done the same project many times. Your team supplies the knowledge of how the business uses its systems. Together that's faster and lower risk than either side alone.
Projects we take on
- Microsoft 365: tenant-to-tenant migrations after an acquisition or divestiture, moves from on-premises Exchange, file shares to SharePoint and OneDrive, Teams rollouts, and tenant security cleanups.
- Azure: moving servers and applications to Azure virtual machines, Azure Virtual Desktop, hybrid identity with Entra ID, and cost and access reviews of an Azure estate that grew without a plan.
- Device management: Intune and Windows Autopilot rollouts, so new laptops ship straight to users and arrive configured, plus moves away from older on-premises management.
- Infrastructure refreshes: server replacement and virtualization, storage, switching, firewalls and Wi-Fi, planned around end-of-support dates rather than failures.
- Backup and recovery: redesigning backups for cloud workloads, and writing and testing a disaster recovery plan that matches what the business expects.
- Office moves and openings: network, cabling coordination, Wi-Fi and conference rooms for a new or relocated metro Atlanta office.
How a project runs
- Scope: a short written plan with goals, what's in and out, risks, the cutover approach and how we'll roll back if needed. Your IT lead approves it.
- Quote: each project is scoped and priced separately from the monthly co-managed agreement, so you know the cost before anything starts.
- Build and test: our engineers do the heavy lifting, with your team as involved as they want to be. Some clients want to learn the new platform hands-on; others want it done and explained.
- Cutover: scheduled with your team, often in the evening or on a weekend, with a communication plan for users.
- Hand-over: as-built documentation, admin walkthroughs and a period of follow-up support while things settle.
Who does what on a project
| Project task | Your IT team | Sentry Cloud IT |
|---|---|---|
| Business requirements and priorities | R, A | C |
| Technical design | A | R |
| Build, configuration and testing | C (and hands-on if you want) | R |
| User communication and training plan | A | R (drafts and materials) |
| Cutover go / no-go decision | A | R (readiness check) |
| Ongoing administration afterward | Per your co-managed split | Per your co-managed split |
Planning around the business
Atlanta companies rarely get to stop work for a migration. Distribution centers run late shifts, professional firms have filing deadlines, and manufacturers can't lose a production line to a network change. We build the schedule around those constraints: pilot groups first, cutovers in quiet windows, and a clear rollback point if testing turns up something unexpected. Your team tells us which dates and departments are off-limits, and the plan respects them.
We also plan for the support load that follows a change. The first week after a migration brings questions and small problems. Where your agreement includes help desk coverage, our technicians already know what changed and why, so those tickets get resolved instead of bounced around.
Projects without a monthly agreement
You don't need an ongoing co-managed agreement to bring us in for a project. Some companies start with one migration, see how we work with their team, and decide afterward whether ongoing help makes sense. Others never need more than the project, and that's fine.
Questions about projects & migrations
Can our team do part of the project to keep costs down?
Yes. We'll split tasks between our engineers and your staff in the project plan. It's a good way to build skills in-house. We'll be honest about which steps carry the most risk and are better left to someone who has done them before.
How long does a Microsoft 365 tenant migration take?
It depends on the number of users, mailboxes, sites and integrations, and on whether both tenants need to keep working during the move. We give you a timeline in the written scope after we've reviewed both environments.
