Pragmatic Engineering.
Never Migrate on Ideology. Migrate on Evidence.
Open Stack Forge started in Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia, to fix a common problem: growing businesses pay rising per-person fees for software they can't easily leave or run themselves.
The Frustration Behind Open Stack Forge
Open Stack Forge was founded by Calvin Gould. He spent twelve years as a senior (Tier 3) systems administrator, running Linux servers and networks that businesses relied on every day. Over that time, he watched business software change for the worse.
Tools that started out helpful and affordable became hard to leave and more expensive every year. Once a business moved its email and files into Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Dropbox, Slack or 1Password, the same pattern followed:
- ✓Yearly price increases: often 8% to 20% at renewal, with little room to negotiate.
- ✓Basic features moved to pricier plans: security tools like single sign-on, audit logs and retention rules end up in expensive top tiers.
- ✓More use of your data: terms change so your documents and email can be used to train commercial AI.
- ✓Hard to get your data out: exporting everything is slow, awkward and risky by design.
We started Open Stack Forge to offer a careful, professionally run alternative. We plan the move, set up open-source tools that you own, and keep them running.
Calvin Gould
Founder & Principal Systems Architect
Tier 3 Systems Administrator · Linux & Open-Source Specialist
12 years of hands-on experience building, securing and running business Linux servers, databases, email systems and networks. Based in Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia, serving businesses across Canada.
Never Migrate on Ideology. Migrate on Evidence.
We won't ask you to drop every commercial tool overnight. Open source is only worth it when it clearly saves money, keeps your team productive and runs reliably.
We start with the facts. We list your licences, unused seats, time spent on admin, and upcoming price increases. If switching won't save you real money or give you more control, we tell you to keep what you have.
We don't switch everyone at once. We set up the new tool (such as Nextcloud or Fastmail) separately and test it with 3 to 5 of your staff on real work, while your current system keeps running.
Before the real switch, we take off-site backups, check that your data is complete, and agree with you on when we would roll back. If a check fails during the switch, we go back to your old system without losing data.
Open-source tools need ongoing care. We monitor your systems, test security updates before applying them, and run regular restore tests on the schedule in your plan, all backed by written service terms.
What Open Stack Forge Does Not Do
Knowing what an IT partner won't do matters as much as what they will. Here are our limits.
No Rushed, All-at-Once Switches
We don't switch important systems over a weekend and hope Monday goes well. We run the old and new systems side by side and test everything before the switch.
No Forcing Tools on You
If a commercial tool (like CAD software or your main business system) is worth what you pay and can't be replaced cleanly, we tell you to keep it.
Disclosed Reseller Margin
Many IT providers recommend Microsoft 365 partly because of ongoing reseller income. We're upfront about ours: we resell licences and hardware at a disclosed margin, you can always buy direct, and we'll recommend fewer seats or a cheaper option when it fits.
No Set-Up-and-Leave
We don't install a server and leave your team to deal with broken updates. We offer ongoing support backed by written service terms.
Transparent, Fixed-Price Engagements Starting at $1,500 CAD
We don't bill migrations by the hour, so there are no surprise invoices.
Every migration has a fixed price, a written plan, a clear definition of "done", and a 30-day fix-it period. You know the full cost before we start.
After launch, you can move to one of our Escape Care plans (Basic at $299/mo, Standard at $549/mo, or Plus at $899/mo) for ongoing updates, monitoring and support.
Explore Our Solution Catalog
Read about the open-source tools we set up and how your staff keep working the way they're used to: