Written from the perspective of a 12-year Tier 3 Linux systems administrator in Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia. We set aside marketing claims and work through the financial math of cloud software subscriptions, and explain how to operate this infrastructure reliably.
Unused seats, the wrong plan, admin logins nobody controls: what to check on your Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace bill, and what proper management includes.
What moves, what stays, what it costs, and who it suits: an honest guide to leaving per-seat tools for open-source alternatives, including when staying put makes more sense.
Untested backups, no MFA, shared passwords, old Wi-Fi and no offboarding plan: five common gaps in Halifax-area small offices, and practical steps to close them.
A step-by-step forensic framework for uncovering shadow subscriptions, calculating true burden costs including administrative labor, and systematically eliminating SaaS waste.
An engineer's candid breakdown of Nextcloud Hub versus Google Drive. Where Google genuinely excels, where the subscription math breaks, and when you should NOT switch.
Why email is the single highest-risk migration in IT, the deliverability problems of running DIY mail servers, and why managed Fastmail is the practical choice.