Guides
Technology guides for business owners
Straight answers on IT costs, security, Microsoft 365, AI and websites — written for owners and managers of small and medium businesses in Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley.
Costs and budgeting
[Costs]
How Much Does IT Support Cost Per Hour in Vancouver?
Hourly IT support rates in Vancouver: published Canadian rates, minimums, travel and after-hours charges, block hours, and hourly vs per-user arithmetic.
[Costs]
How Much Do Managed IT Services Cost in Vancouver?
What managed IT services cost in Canada: pricing models, what's included, published Canadian rates, a 15-person Vancouver office budget and how to compare quotes.
[Costs]
How Much Does a Website Cost in Vancouver?
What a website costs in Vancouver: cost tiers by scope, what drives the price, builder, domain and email costs in Canadian dollars, and how to compare quotes.
Choosing IT support
[IT strategy]
What Is a Managed Service Provider (MSP)?
What a managed service provider (MSP) does, what’s included, how MSPs charge, MSP vs break-fix or in-house IT, and what the contract should require.
[IT strategy]
How to Switch IT Providers Without Breaking Anything
How to change IT support companies safely: what you own, notice periods, a handover checklist, credential rotation and a realistic timeline.
[IT strategy]
Business Network Setup: A Checklist for New Offices
What to plan before you sign a lease: internet, cabling, Wi-Fi, firewall and network segmentation, plus a move-day checklist for a new office.
[IT strategy]
Managed IT Services vs. Break-Fix IT Support: Which Fits Your Business?
Managed IT services vs. break-fix IT support: plain definitions, how each is priced, pros and cons, hybrid options and the questions to ask before you sign.
Cybersecurity
[Security]
Invoice Fraud and Business Email Compromise: How to Stop It
How invoice fraud and business email compromise work, the warning signs, the payment and Microsoft 365 controls that stop them, and what to do if you're hit.
[Security]
Backup and Disaster Recovery for Small Business
Backup, retention and disaster recovery for BC small businesses: the 3-2-1 rule, what cloud suites don’t cover, RPO, RTO and restore testing.
[Security]
Cyber Insurance for BC Small Businesses: What Insurers Ask
What BC small businesses need before applying for cyber insurance: the controls insurers ask about, how to answer accurately and what to document.
[Security]
Cybersecurity Checklist for Small Businesses in BC
A cybersecurity checklist for BC small businesses built on the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security’s baseline controls, plus what to do after a breach.
Cloud and Microsoft 365
[Cloud]
SharePoint Migration Checklist: Moving Off a File Server
How to move a file server or shared drive to SharePoint and OneDrive: the limits that cause failures, structure, permissions, tools and cutover.
[Cloud]
Server vs Cloud: a Five-Year Cost Comparison for Small Business
What an on-premises server costs over five years versus the cloud: a worked 15-person example, where each option wins, and the questions that decide it.
[Cloud]
Google Workspace vs Microsoft 365 for Small Business
Compare Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 for a small business: apps, storage, meetings, device management, security tiers and Canadian pricing.
[Cloud]
Microsoft 365 Migration Checklist for Small Businesses
A Microsoft 365 (Office 365) migration checklist for small businesses: migration types, licence choices, DNS and cutover steps, security settings and timelines.
AI for business
[AI]
Power Automate for Small Business: What It Can Automate
What Power Automate does, what Microsoft 365 already includes, when you need Premium, the workflows worth automating first, and how to keep flows from breaking.
[AI]
Microsoft 365 Copilot in Canada: Cost, Licensing and Readiness
Canadian Copilot pricing checked on microsoft.com/en-ca, what it does in Word, Excel, Outlook and Teams, licence prerequisites and the readiness work.
[AI]
AI Services for Small Business: What to Automate First
Nine workflows small businesses can automate with AI now, a simple way to score which one goes first, what to measure and the traps that waste money.
[AI]
AI Consulting for Small Businesses: Costs, Use Cases and Where to Start
What AI consultants do, how engagements are priced, what Copilot, ChatGPT and Claude business plans cost, privacy rules in B.C. and a first-30-days plan.
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