Cloud Migration for Small Businesses: Azure, AWS or Google Cloud?
A practical framework for choosing between Azure, AWS and Google Cloud — plus a step-by-step migration plan that avoids downtime.
Start with the workload, not the vendor
Most SMBs don't need to pick "a cloud" — they need to pick the right home for each workload. File shares, line-of-business apps, email, and web hosting all have different best homes.
Quick decision matrix
- Already on Microsoft 365? → Azure is the path of least resistance (Entra ID, Intune, native integration).
- Heavy Linux / DevOps workloads? → AWS is still the deepest ecosystem.
- Data analytics / BigQuery / Looker? → Google Cloud wins.
- Just need file sharing + email? → M365 + SharePoint, no IaaS needed.
The 6-step migration plan
- Discovery — inventory apps, dependencies, licenses, integrations.
- Assess — pick lift-and-shift, re-platform, or SaaS replacement for each app.
- Design — identity (Entra ID), networking (VPN/ExpressRoute), backup.
- Pilot — migrate one non-critical workload first.
- Cutover — off-hours, with rollback plan.
- Optimize — right-size VMs, add reserved instances, tune backups.
Watch out for
- Egress costs when pulling data back out
- License changes (Windows Server, SQL) when moving to IaaS
- Identity: don't run two directories in parallel forever
- Backups: cloud VMs still need backups — snapshots are not backups
Free cloud readiness assessment
The Network Guy 209 offers a free workload-by-workload cloud readiness review for California businesses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do we have to move everything to the cloud?
No — hybrid is the norm. Email and files usually move first, while some line-of-business apps stay on-premise until the vendor offers a SaaS version.
How long does a typical SMB migration take?
6–12 weeks for a 25-user company moving email + files + one LOB app. Larger orgs or complex apps can take 3–6 months.
Need reliable IT support for your business?
The Network Guy 209 provides Managed IT Services, Cybersecurity, Cloud Solutions, Microsoft 365, Network Installation, Server Management, Data Backup, Disaster Recovery, and Website Development for businesses throughout Manteca, Stockton, Tracy, Lathrop, Ripon, Modesto, Lodi, Sacramento, the Bay Area, and across California.
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