Hosting & Infrastructure Advice
Choosing the right hosting setup can be confusing — especially when you’ve got a bespoke system that “just works” and you don’t want to break it. I help UK SMEs pick the right approach for their .NET web apps, SQL Server databases and (where relevant) Android-connected systems, balancing reliability, security, performance and cost.
If you want, I can provide secure managed hosting for systems I build/maintain — or I can advise on the best alternative options (cloud, on-prem, hybrid, or your existing provider), with a clear plan and no unnecessary lock-in.
Secure by default
HTTPS/TLS, least privilege, patching and sensible access controls.
Performance
Right-size CPU/RAM/storage based on real usage, not guesswork.
Cost control
Avoid overpaying for “enterprise” features you don’t need.
Future-proof
A setup you can evolve as the business grows.
What I help you decide
Hosting decisions are easier when you anchor them to real requirements: availability, data sensitivity, performance needs, integration dependencies and budget.
On-premises vs cloud vs hybrid
- Is your current Windows Server still appropriate, or is it time to move?
- When hybrid makes sense (e.g. local kit + cloud backup/monitoring)
- Latency and reliability considerations for office vs field teams
- How to reduce risk during migrations (parallel run, staged cutover)
Right-sizing and performance
- What CPU, RAM and storage your SQL Server actually needs
- IO constraints and database growth planning
- How to scale sensibly (up or out) without redesigning everything
- Performance tuning and indexing before throwing hardware at the problem
Secure hosting foundations (the stuff that prevents pain)
- Modern TLS configuration and certificate renewal (avoid “cert expired” outages)
- Domain/DNS planning so changes are controlled and reversible
- Correct redirects, canonical hostnames and safe headers
- Clear ownership of registrar/DNS accounts (reduce key-person risk)
- SQL Server full/diff/log backups (aligned with realistic RPO/RTO)
- Off-site copies and retention policies (including ransomware resilience)
- Restore testing so you know it works before you need it
- Simple recovery runbooks: who does what, in what order
- Uptime checks and basic health signals (CPU/memory/disk/services)
- SQL Server checks for blocking, long-running queries and capacity
- Application error monitoring (exceptions, timeouts, background job failures)
- Alerts that are actionable (reduce noise, improve response)
Test vs live environments (without doubling costs)
You don’t always need two identical environments — but you do need somewhere safe to test risky changes. I help design an approach that fits your budget while reducing production surprises.
Practical staging
- Lightweight staging for “most changes” + stricter pre-prod for high-risk updates
- Safe test data approaches (masking/anonymisation where needed)
- Deployment scripts that work across environments
Rollback-friendly design
- Versioned releases and repeatable deployments
- Database changes designed to be safe (and reversible where possible)
- Clear “stop conditions” and post-deploy validation
Android and field apps: hosting implications
If your Android app is used in the field, reliability and latency matter. Hosting choices should support stable APIs, safe authentication, and predictable release coordination.
API reliability
- Stable, monitored API endpoints with sensible timeouts
- Versioning so older app versions don’t suddenly break
- Safe rollout strategy for server + app changes
Connectivity realities
- Design for intermittent connectivity (offline queues where appropriate)
- Monitoring for sync failures and retry storms
- Clear incident comms (status pages / in-app messaging if needed)
Two ways to work
Secure managed hosting (optional)
For systems I build and maintain, I can offer secure hosting with the operational basics handled properly: patching, backups, monitoring and sensible access control.
- Clear responsibilities and escalation paths
- Proportionate monitoring and alerting
- Backups with restore testing
Advice only (choose your provider)
If you prefer to use your own hosting provider or internal infrastructure, I’ll advise on the best-fit architecture and help you implement improvements without forcing you into a particular platform.
- Independent recommendations
- Migration planning and risk reduction
- Documentation and handover-friendly setup
Ask about hosting options
If you’re unsure whether to keep your current server, move to cloud hosting, or adopt a hybrid approach, I can help you choose a practical solution and create a clear plan for the next few years — not just tomorrow.