Server installation & virtualization · Edmonton
New servers, replacements, Hyper-V, VMware and Proxmox virtualization, and migrations to the cloud, planned around your applications and cut over after hours so your team keeps working.
Production environment
● Healthy
Physical host
Monitored
VM · Business apps
Running
VM · Files & identity
Running
Storage (RAID)
Protected
Backups
Restore-tested
Dell, HPE & Lenovo
PowerEdge, ProLiant, ThinkSystem
Any hypervisor
Hyper-V, VMware, Proxmox, Azure
After-hours cutovers
Migrations outside business hours
On-site in Edmonton
4144A 97 St NW & surrounding area
Windows Server end of support
Windows Server 2016 stops receiving security updates on January 12, 2027. An unpatched server holding your files, accounts and business software is one of the easiest ways into your network.
Ends January 12, 2027
Extended support ends. No more security updates. Plan the upgrade or migration now.
Security updates to Jan 2029
Mainstream support ended in January 2024. Security fixes continue until January 2029.
Security updates to Oct 2031
Mainstream support ends in October 2026; security updates continue until October 2031.
Current release
Mainstream support until November 2029 and security updates until November 2034.
Microsoft’s Extended Security Updates are a paid, temporary bridge priced at 100% of the full licence cost per year on-premises, and as of October 2026 Microsoft has not published an ESU offer for Windows Server 2016. For most small businesses, upgrading or migrating is the better investment.
Server or cloud?
Often, no. Email, documents and Teams run in Microsoft 365, and many smaller offices can retire their server entirely. But a server, or a server running in Azure, is still the right tool when your business software, file sizes or security requirements need one.
We’ll tell you honestly which camp you’re in. Sometimes the best server project is moving what’s left into Microsoft 365 and switching the old box off.
Practice management, imaging, accounting and ERP systems that vendors still install on-premises.
CAD drawings, photos and project files that are slow to sync through the cloud.
Active Directory and Group Policy for computers, printers and permissions in the office.
Records you want stored on hardware you control, with local and off-site backups.
Server services
One team handles the whole server lifecycle, so hardware, licensing, virtualization and backups aren’t split across different vendors.
Requirements, hardware sizing, Windows Server setup, roles, security baseline and documentation.
Planned replacement of aging or end-of-support servers, including Windows Server 2016 upgrades.
Consolidate several server roles onto one well-built Microsoft host with clean separation between them.
Support for existing vSphere environments, or planned moves to Hyper-V or Proxmox if licensing no longer makes sense.
An open-source hypervisor with optional paid support, a practical VMware alternative for many small businesses.
Move workloads to Azure virtual machines, or connect on-premises servers with Microsoft 365 and Azure services.
Files, permissions, Active Directory, applications and virtual machines moved with a tested rollback plan.
RAID design, shared storage and Synology or QNAP NAS for file shares and backup targets.
Health monitoring, patching, capacity reviews and lifecycle planning after go-live.
Right-sized infrastructure
The right design follows your applications, recovery expectations, growth and budget, not a generic equipment package.
One dedicated machine for one main role.
One host running several isolated virtual servers.
Servers in Azure, or local servers connected to the cloud.
Platforms we deploy
We support all four, so our recommendation is based on your workloads and budget, not on the one platform we happen to sell.
| Microsoft Hyper-V | VMware vSphere | Proxmox VE | Microsoft Azure | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Licensing | Included with Windows Server. Standard covers 2 VMs per licensed host; Datacenter covers unlimited VMs | Subscription only since Broadcom ended perpetual licences; at least 16 cores licensed per CPU | Open source; optional paid support subscriptions | Pay monthly for what you run |
| Best fit | Windows-based offices of 10 to 100 staff | Existing VMware environments that need to stay | Cost-conscious offices that want an open platform | Remote teams, no server room, monthly budgets |
| Watch out for | Windows Server needs at least 16 core licences per server | The free ESXi edition is for non-production use only | Fewer local specialists to support it | Ongoing cost and internet dependence |
Project cost
Every server project is quoted after a free assessment, because the price depends on what you need to run. You’ll get a written quote that separates hardware, licensing and labour, so you can see exactly where the money goes.
Licensing tip: Windows Server is licensed per core, with a minimum of 16 core licences per server. Standard edition covers two virtual machines per licensed host, while Datacenter covers unlimited VMs. Picking the right edition up front avoids paying for licences you don’t need.
A controlled migration
Server projects need sequencing, testing and a rollback plan, not an improvised weekend cutover.
Step 1
Workloads, applications, storage, users and dependencies.
Step 2
Hardware, virtualization, licensing, backup and migration plan.
Step 3
Configure and secure the new environment away from production.
Step 4
Test applications, access, performance and recovery before cutover.
Step 5
Move services and data after hours, with a rollback path ready.
Step 6
Document, monitor and manage the new environment.
Cutovers are scheduled in the evening or on weekends, so staff log off on the old server and log back in on the new one.
Protection & continuity
Ransomware, failed drives and bad updates all end the same way: the question is how fast you’re back. We design backup and recovery with the server, not after it, and test restores so recovery is proven.
16%
of Canadian businesses were impacted by cyber security incidents in 2023.
Source: Statistics Canada, 2024
No one
is immune from ransomware: the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security says attackers are opportunistic and don’t target specific industries.
Source: Cyber Centre, NCTA 2025-2026
Common workloads
Specifications follow the real workload. Tell us what you run and we’ll size the server to it.
Practice management and imaging servers that stay fast, patched and backed up, supporting your Health Information Act obligations.
Document management, accounting databases and file shares with tight permissions and restore-tested backups.
Fast local storage for drawings and project files, plus secure access from job sites.
Secure remote access and site-to-site connections to your servers.
Why AlphaIT
Our engineers hold Cisco CCNA and CCNP Switch certifications and work across Microsoft, VMware and open-source platforms, so you get the design that suits your business, installed by a local Edmonton team that will still be supporting it next year.
Edmonton, St. Albert, Sherwood Park, Spruce Grove, Stony Plain, Leduc & Nisku, Fort Saskatchewan, Beaumont and Acheson.
Frequently asked questions
Straight answers before you choose an architecture or migration approach.
It depends on the hardware, Windows Server licensing, virtualization platform, backup and how much needs to be migrated. We quote every project in writing after a free assessment, with hardware, licensing and labour listed separately.
After January 12, 2027, Microsoft stops releasing security updates for Windows Server 2016. The server keeps running, but new vulnerabilities won’t be fixed. Microsoft’s paid Extended Security Updates are a temporary bridge, and no ESU offer for Windows Server 2016 has been published, so we recommend planning an upgrade or migration now.
Not always. Many smaller offices can move everything into Microsoft 365. You may still need a server, on-premises or in Azure, for line-of-business software, large local files, or Active Directory and Group Policy.
A physical server suits a single critical workload. Virtualization suits several server roles and makes backup and recovery faster. Cloud or hybrid suits remote teams and businesses without a server room. We recommend based on your applications, recovery needs and budget.
For most Windows-based offices, Hyper-V is the most cost-effective because it’s included with Windows Server. VMware still makes sense for existing environments, but it’s now subscription-only. Proxmox VE is a capable open-source option. We support all three.
Broadcom offers a free vSphere Hypervisor (ESXi 8), but its release notes state it has no support and is for non-production use, so it isn’t suitable for running your business. Production VMware now requires a subscription.
Windows Server Standard licenses two virtual machines per fully licensed host. Datacenter licenses unlimited virtual machines. Every server needs at least 16 core licences.
For simple file sharing and as a backup target, often yes. A NAS isn’t a replacement for application servers, Active Directory or databases that need Windows Server.
Most of the work happens before cutover: we build and test the new environment alongside your current one. The cutover itself is scheduled after hours, so staff typically log off on the old server and back in on the new one with minimal disruption.
Yes, subject to the software vendor’s requirements. Migrations can include file shares and permissions, Active Directory, server roles, virtual machines and supported line-of-business applications. We coordinate with your software vendors where needed.
Yes, if it’s healthy, still under support and sized for the job. We assess existing hardware before recommending a replacement.
Yes. Monitoring, patching, backup verification, capacity reviews and support are available through our managed IT services.
Free server assessment
We’ll review your current hardware, Windows Server versions, workloads, storage and backups, explain your options in plain English, and give you a written quote. No obligation.
780-318-0149
4144A 97 St NW #232, Edmonton, AB T6E 5Y6
