Local IT support, with a way off Big Tech when it suits you.
Local IT support, with a way off Big Tech when it suits you. Founder-led by Calvin Gould, a systems administrator for 12 years, with 10 of those years supporting on-premises, legacy and air-gapped systems, including in environments that run 24/7. Support hours: Mon–Fri, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Atlantic, with a 1-hour, 24/7 response by phone for P1 issues (total outage or active security incident) on IT Secure plans. Legacy, on-premises & air-gapped systems →
Open Stack Forge keeps your computers, network, email and data secure and running, for a flat, published price per person. And when Microsoft or Google raise prices again, we can move you to Canadian-controlled tools you actually own.
12-year Tier 3 systems administrator · Published pricing · Month-to-month after onboarding · On-site in Sackville, Bedford, Halifax & Dartmouth
Managed IT Support
Help desk, security, backups, Wi-Fi and computers handled by one local person who knows your setup. No surprise invoices.
- From $89/user/month
- Remote and on-site help
- Microsoft 365 & Google Workspace managed properly
Leave Big Tech
Replace per-seat Microsoft, Google, Dropbox and Slack bills with open-source tools on Canadian-owned hosting. Fixed-price, done for you, with training.
- Packages from $1,500
- Your data, your keys
- Keep Outlook and your folder structure
Running older, on-premises or offline systems? Legacy, On-Premises & Air-Gapped Systems →
The IT company that isn't paid to keep you on Microsoft.
Straight pricing
Every plan and project price is on our website. Most IT companies won't tell you theirs until after a sales call.
Disclosed reseller margin
Your licences stay in your name. We resell licences and hardware at a disclosed margin, and you can always buy direct.
Real depth, local
Open Stack Forge was founded by Calvin Gould, a Tier 3 systems administrator with 12 years in enterprise IT. We're based in Lower Sackville.
A way out, when you want it
Stay on Microsoft 365 or Google if they work for you. When they stop making sense, we'll plan the move.
What do your software subscriptions really cost?
Most growing organizations spend $150 to $300+ per employee monthly across fragmented software subscriptions. Adjust the sliders below to calculate your immediate and 3-year projected savings.
Illustrative example based on the figures you enter. Not a guaranteed outcome.
Need a diagnostic specific to your software stack? Answer 12 quick questions to get your personalized Software Cost & Flexibility Scorecard.
Find Out Where Your Software Stack Is Quietly Costing You
In just ~4 minutes, uncover your biggest software pressure points across cost, lock-in, integration, and scalability. This is not a generic tech checklist—it is an executive-level diagnostic built to reveal hidden vendor inefficiencies and where open-source alternatives set your organization free.
Cost Pressure Score
Quantifies escalating per-seat SaaS subscription inflation, dormant licenses, and forced multi-year enterprise contracts draining your operating cash flow.
Lock-in Risk Score
Measures how deeply your documents, customer records, and identity structures are locked in proprietary silos that block export and transition.
Integration Friction Score
Reveals manual data duplication, fragile webhook chains, and lost productivity caused by proprietary tools deliberately walled off from your team's stack.
Scalability & Control Score
Assesses your ability to scale seats dynamically without quadratic license penalties, ensuring you own the accounts, the data and the keys.
Typical IT company vs. Open Stack Forge
Compare how we work to the traditional managed service provider model.
| Evaluation Criteria | Typical IT company | Open Stack Forge |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Quote after a sales call; extras billed separately | ✓ Published per-user price; what's included is listed |
| Contract | 1–3 year terms common | ✓ 90-day onboarding, then month-to-month |
| Licences | Often resold with an undisclosed markup | ✓ In your name; disclosed margin, or buy direct |
| Default advice | Stay on / upgrade Microsoft 365 | ✓ Whatever costs you least and keeps you in control |
| Who you talk to | Ticket queue | ✓ Our team, directly |
| Data control | Wherever the vendor puts it | ✓ Canadian-owned hosting option |
On-site across the Sackvilles, Bedford, Halifax and Dartmouth
Most support happens remotely within minutes. When you need someone in the room, for a new office, a network problem or a new-hire setup, we're a short drive away. Big Tech alternatives are delivered remotely anywhere in Canada.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about our IT support plans, response times, and leaving Big Tech.
Do you support Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace?
Yes. Most of our IT support clients use one of them, and we manage them properly: security settings, backups, account setup and removal. If we resell the licences, we earn a disclosed margin from the distributor, and you can always buy direct. We'll tell you honestly if a cheaper option fits better.
How is your pricing different?
You pay a flat monthly price per person, and the plan page lists exactly what's included. Work outside the plan is quoted in writing before we start.
Do I have to sign a long contract?
No. Plans start with a 90-day onboarding period, then run month-to-month with 30 days' notice.
What size businesses do you work with?
Mostly 5 to 50 people. IT plans have a 5-user minimum per plan, so smaller teams start from $445 per month on IT Essentials.
What does "leave Big Tech" actually mean?
Moving email, files, passwords, chat or even desktop computers off Microsoft, Google and similar per-seat subscriptions onto open-source software on Canadian-owned hosting. You own the accounts and data. We do it in stages so nothing breaks.
Is my data safer on Canadian servers?
Location alone isn't enough; US-owned providers are subject to US law even in Canadian data centres. Real control means Canadian-owned hosting plus encryption keys held by you. We'll explain the trade-offs honestly.
What's the Free IT and Security Checkup?
A 30-minute visit or call where we look at your backups, security, passwords and devices and give you a short written list of the biggest risks. No obligation.
What's the software scorecard?
A free 4-minute questionnaire that scores your software costs and lock-in and suggests where you could save.
Find out where your IT stands, free.
Book a Free IT and Security Checkup. It takes 30 minutes. You'll get a short written list of your biggest risks and quickest savings, whether or not you hire us.
- Direct 30-minute review with a Tier 3 systems administrator
- Actionable written list of your biggest risks & quick savings
- No sales pitch, no obligation, no long-term lock-in
- On-site in HRM or remote Canada-wide
Want instant value? Take our 4-minute diagnostic scorecard for immediate benchmark results before booking.
Book your Free IT and Security Checkup or Big Tech review
Direct line to your Open Stack Forge team.