IT Solutions & Open Source Migration Services

We assess your needs and recommend the right solutions - reducing costs where possible

Rising software costs eating into your budget? OSN helps Western Manitoba SMEs evaluate their IT infrastructure and identify opportunities for cost reduction. Through professional assessment of both proprietary and open source solutions, we recommend the right platforms for your specific needs - often reducing licensing costs by 60-80% in key areas like collaboration, cloud, and phone systems.

The Problem: Are Rising Licensing Costs Eating Your Budget?

Sound familiar?

  • Annual price increases of 10-20% from vendors like Microsoft, Adobe, or Autodesk
  • Per-user licensing makes business growth expensive
  • Vendor lock-in means you can't switch without major disruption
  • Paying for enterprise features your 50-person business doesn't use
  • Data stored in US or offshore data centers - compliance and privacy concerns
  • Software budget is now your 2nd or 3rd largest operating expense

You're not alone. Many SMEs are trapped in a vendor ecosystem designed to maximize recurring revenue - not to serve your business needs.

There's a better way.

Our Approach: Assessment-First Solutions

Orion Systems and Networks takes a consultative approach to IT infrastructure. We assess your current systems, understand your business requirements, and recommend solutions that make sense for your specific situation - whether that's proprietary, open source, or a hybrid approach.

💰 Cost Optimization

We identify where you're overpaying and recommend alternatives. In areas like collaboration, cloud, and phone systems, open source can reduce costs by 60-80% while maintaining functionality.

🔍 Honest Assessment

If proprietary makes sense for your use case, we'll tell you. If open source can save you significant money without compromising quality, we'll show you how.

🇨🇦 Data Control Options

Choose self-hosted solutions on your infrastructure or Canadian data centers. You maintain control over your data and compliance requirements.

🏢 Enterprise Quality Implementation

We've managed both proprietary and open source systems for 10,000+ user environments. Professional deployment with enterprise-grade reliability.

Solution Areas We Evaluate

Collaboration & Productivity

Assessment: Can NextCloud + OnlyOffice replace your Microsoft 365 file storage and document editing?

  • File sharing, collaboration, calendar, contacts
  • Real-time document co-editing
  • We compare features, costs, and migration complexity

Note: Email typically remains separate - most clients keep existing email or migrate to specialized solutions.

Phone Systems

Assessment: Would 3CX or FreePBX reduce your telecom costs?

  • VoIP infrastructure
  • On-premise or cloud-hosted
  • Feature comparison with your current system
  • Cost-benefit analysis

Networking & Security

Assessment: Can OpnSense/PFSense reduce firewall licensing costs?

  • Open source NGFW (Snort, Squid, PFBlocker NG)
  • Compare to Cisco, Fortinet, Palo Alto costs
  • Security posture analysis
  • Professional implementation

Cloud Infrastructure

Assessment: Self-hosted vs. SaaS - what makes sense for you?

  • NextCloud-based solutions
  • Data sovereignty requirements
  • Hybrid approaches
  • Canadian data center options

Why Choose OSN for Your Migration

1. Proven Enterprise Experience

We've managed both proprietary and open source platforms for 10,000+ user environments. This isn't theory - we've implemented these systems at scale and know they work.

2. Phased Migration Approach

Start small, prove ROI, then expand. Migrate one system at a time to minimize disruption and risk. Most clients start with file storage, validate the savings, then expand to other systems.

3. Professional Implementation

This isn't a "download free software and figure it out" approach. We provide enterprise-grade infrastructure setup, security hardening, data migration and validation, and professional documentation.

4. Local Western Manitoba Service

We're based in Western Manitoba, not a national call center. On-site service when needed, fast response times, and we understand local business contexts.

5. Ongoing Support & Management

Open source doesn't mean unsupported. We provide 24/7 monitoring and proactive maintenance, regular updates and security patches, phone/email/on-site support, and continuous optimization.

Our Assessment & Implementation Process

1

Discovery & Assessment (Free)

Inventory your current software licenses and infrastructure, calculate annual costs and 5-year TCO, understand your business requirements and workflows, identify potential solutions (proprietary, open source, or hybrid), and discuss concerns, compliance needs, and priorities.

Timeline: ~1 month | No obligation - honest assessment of what makes sense for you

2

Recommendations & Planning

Present assessment findings and recommendations, discuss pros/cons of each solution option, design infrastructure architecture if proceeding, create phased implementation roadmap, and provide case-by-case pricing based on your specific needs.

You decide if recommendations make sense for your business

3

Pilot Phase (If Proceeding)

Deploy for small test group (5-10 users), validate functionality meets your requirements, gather feedback and adjust configuration, and train power users.

Prove the solution works before full deployment

4

Implementation & Deployment

Phased rollout to remaining users, data migration with validation, user training and documentation, parallel run period when appropriate, and final cutover when you're confident.

5

Ongoing Support

Proactive monitoring and maintenance, regular updates and security patches, user support (phone, email, on-site), quarterly reviews and optimization, and continuous assessment of new opportunities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is open source as reliable as Microsoft/Adobe/etc.?

A: Yes - and often more reliable. Fortune 500 companies run open source at massive scale. Google, Amazon, and Microsoft themselves use open source internally. The difference is implementation quality. When OSN deploys NextCloud, we use the same enterprise-grade infrastructure design we used for 10,000+ user proprietary systems. Professional implementation + proven software = enterprise reliability.

Q: What happens when something breaks? Who do I call?

A: You call us - same as you would with any IT provider. Open source doesn't mean unsupported. OSN provides enterprise-grade support: phone and email support during business hours, emergency on-site service when needed, 24/7 monitoring with proactive issue detection, regular maintenance and updates, and clear SLAs and response times. This is professionally-managed infrastructure, not "free software you're on your own with."

Q: Can we migrate gradually, or does it have to be all-at-once?

A: Gradual is our recommended approach. Most clients start with file storage (NextCloud) - easiest, fastest ROI, then add collaboration tools once comfortable. This phased approach minimizes business disruption, allows you to validate savings before full commitment, spreads migration costs over time, and builds team confidence with early wins.

Q: How long until we see ROI?

A: Most clients achieve ROI in 6-12 months. The typical pattern: Month 1 has migration costs (one-time), Months 2-12 show lower monthly costs and accumulated savings, Month 6-12 hits break-even point (savings = migration cost), and Year 2+ brings pure savings (no more vendor licensing).

Ready to Assess Your IT Infrastructure?

Get a free assessment of your current IT infrastructure and see where you might reduce costs. No obligation. No sales pressure. Just an honest analysis of your systems and opportunities for improvement.

Schedule Your Free IT Assessment Learn About Our Approach

Phone: 431.504.0036 (call or text) | Email: hi@orionsn.xyz

Service Area: Western Manitoba (Ste Rose, Dauphin, Minnedosa, Brandon, and surrounding Parkland communities)