Azure Local consulting practice · New York
Azure Local, done by people who run it.
A New York consulting practice for every part of Azure Local: the cluster, the network under it and the workloads on it. Azure Virtual Desktop, AKS, AI on GPUs, Hyper-V, Dell switches, FortiGate, Windows Server and Linux. One rate, $150.00 per hour.
The practice
Every layer, one engineer.
Most Azure Local projects stall between teams: the server vendor, the network team, the Azure team and the application owner. We cover the whole stack, so the design holds together from the switch port to the workload.
I
Platform
Azure Local clusters
Assessment, design, deployment, upgrade, operations and repair, from two-node switchless sites to multi-node clusters.
II
Workloads
AVD, AKS and AI
Azure Virtual Desktop session hosts, AKS enabled by Azure Arc, GPU inference and private language models on your own hardware.
III
Foundation
Network, servers, identity
Dell PowerSwitch and PowerEdge, FortiGate routing and VPN, Hyper-V, Windows Server, Active Directory and Linux.
Why us
We operate what we recommend.
Our own production platform runs on Azure Local: an AKS cluster enabled by Azure Arc with separate node pools for gateway, data, database and GPU inference, PostgreSQL on Kubernetes, and two-node switchless clusters built on Dell PowerEdge servers. The runbooks we hand you were written from that work.
- DeployBare metal through iDRAC to a registered, validated cluster. The deployment factory is public on GitHub.
- RunUpdates, monitoring, backup and incident repair, with the failure modes written down.
- MoveHyper-V and VMware to Azure Local, and workloads between Azure and Azure Local in both directions.
- TeachThe Azure Local Consultant Academy trains your engineers on the same material.
01 · 20 services
Azure Local
Azure Local consultingIndependent Azure Local consulting. Assessment, design, deployment, migration and operations for Azure Local clusters at $150.00 per hour.Readiness assessmentA written readiness assessment for Azure Local: hardware, network, identity, Azure subscription and workloads checked before you buy or deploy.Architecture and designAzure Local architecture and design by a hands-on engineer: cluster size, storage resiliency, network intents, identity and Azure landing zone, in writing.DeploymentAzure Local deployment from bare metal to a validated cluster: OS install, Azure Arc registration, validation, cloud deployment and post-deployment checks.Two-node switchless clustersDesign and deployment of two-node switchless Azure Local clusters for branch and edge sites: direct storage cabling, cloud witness and remote install.Migration to Azure LocalPlan and run migrations to Azure Local from Hyper-V, VMware or older clusters: discovery, replication, test cutover, cutover windows and rollback.Version upgradesUpgrade older Azure Stack HCI clusters to current Azure Local: readiness checks, operating system upgrade, solution upgrade and post-upgrade validation.Operations supportHourly operations support for Azure Local: monthly updates, monitoring review, capacity checks, incident repair and runbooks, by an engineer who knows it.Health checkA defined-scope health check for an existing Azure Local cluster: updates, storage, network, Azure Arc, security baseline and backup, with a written report.TroubleshootingHands-on troubleshooting for Azure Local: failed validation or deployment, stuck updates, storage faults, Azure Arc disconnects and network problems.Security hardeningSecurity review and hardening for Azure Local: security baseline, application control, BitLocker, secrets in Key Vault, admin access and network segmentation.Backup and disaster recoveryBackup and disaster recovery design for Azure Local: recovery objectives, backup of VMs and AKS, replication to a second site or Azure, tested restores.NetworkingAzure Local network design and repair: Network ATC intents, RDMA, VLANs, logical networks, switch configuration, firewall and proxy rules.StorageAzure Local storage consulting: Storage Spaces Direct sizing, resiliency choice, volume layout, performance testing, drive failures and capacity expansion.Licensing and costUnderstand what Azure Local costs: per-core host fee, Windows Server guest licensing, Azure Hybrid Benefit, AVD and AKS charges, compared against Azure.MonitoringMonitoring for Azure Local with Azure Monitor: cluster insights, health alerts, log collection, workload metrics and alert routing that reaches a person.Update managementKeep Azure Local current and supported: update readiness checks, monthly solution updates, vendor firmware packages, maintenance windows and rollback plans.Team trainingHands-on Azure Local training for administrators and consultants: architecture, deployment, operations and troubleshooting, based on our academy material.Edge and branch sitesAzure Local at branch offices, plants and stores: small clusters, remote deployment, central management through Azure Arc and a repeatable site template.Azure Local in New YorkOn-site and remote Azure Local consulting for organizations in New York City and the tri-state area: design workshops, deployment and operations.
02 · 3 services
Azure Virtual Desktop
AVD on Azure LocalDesign and deploy Azure Virtual Desktop on Azure Local: session hosts on your own hardware, host pools, images, profiles, identity and user access.GPU desktops for AVDGPU-accelerated Azure Virtual Desktop on Azure Local for design, engineering and imaging: GPU partitioning, drivers, sizing and protocol tuning.FSLogix profilesFSLogix profile container design for Azure Virtual Desktop on Azure Local: storage placement, sizing, redundancy, exclusions and sign-in performance.
03 · 4 services
AKS and Kubernetes
AKS on Azure LocalAKS enabled by Azure Arc on Azure Local: logical networks, cluster design, node pools, load balancing, storage, identity and upgrades, from people who run it.GPU node pools for AKSAdd GPU node pools to AKS on Azure Local: supported GPUs, host preparation, node pool creation, scheduling, taints and capacity for model serving.Kubernetes platform engineeringTurn AKS on Azure Local into a platform: GitOps, container registry, CI runners, secrets, ingress, policies and namespaces that teams can use safely.PostgreSQL on KubernetesRun PostgreSQL on AKS on Azure Local with an operator: replicas, failover, connection pooling, backup, restore tests and dedicated database node pools.
04 · 4 services
AI and GPU
AI on Azure LocalRun AI on your own hardware with Azure Local: GPU sizing, model serving on AKS, private language models, retrieval over your documents and governance.GPU inferenceBuild GPU inference on Azure Local: GPU selection, host and driver setup, model servers on AKS, autoscaling, monitoring and throughput testing.Private language modelsDeploy open language models on your own Azure Local hardware: model selection, serving, an API your applications can call, access control and audit logs.Retrieval over your documentsBuild retrieval-augmented generation on Azure Local: ingest your documents, index them on site, enforce permissions and answer with citations.
05 · 3 services
Sovereign and compliance
Sovereign cloudDesign a sovereign private cloud on Azure Local: data location, operational control, encryption keys you hold, access governance and auditable operations.Disconnected operationsPlan Azure Local for sites with no or limited connection to Azure: eligibility, the local control plane, extra hardware, identity, updates and limits.Data residency and complianceMeet data residency and compliance requirements with Azure Local: control mapping, encryption, access logging, retention and evidence for auditors.
06 · 5 services
Hyper-V and virtualization
Hyper-V consultingHyper-V consulting for Windows Server: cluster design, storage, networking, live migration, backup and the decision between Hyper-V and Azure Local.Hyper-V to Azure LocalMigrate Hyper-V virtual machines to Azure Local with Azure Migrate: prerequisites, replication, test migration, cutover waves and rollback.VMware to Azure LocalMove from VMware vSphere to Azure Local: assessment, sizing, Azure Migrate replication, driver and tools changes, test migration and cutover waves.Failover clusteringFailover cluster design and repair for Hyper-V and file services: quorum and witness, cluster networks, shared volumes, validation and cluster-aware updates.Storage Spaces DirectStorage Spaces Direct design and repair on Windows Server and Azure Local: pool health, resiliency, cache, drive replacement and performance testing.
07 · 3 services
Dell servers and switches
Dell servers for Azure LocalAzure Local on Dell PowerEdge and AX nodes: configuration review, firmware and BIOS baseline, drive and adapter layout, and lifecycle updates.Dell PowerSwitch OS10Dell PowerSwitch OS10 configuration for Azure Local and Hyper-V: VLT pairs, VLANs, data center bridging for RDMA, uplinks, management and backups.iDRAC and Redfish automationAutomate Dell servers through iDRAC and the Redfish API: remote OS install over virtual media, BIOS and firmware settings, inventory and power control.
08 · 3 services
FortiGate and networking
FortiGate for Azure LocalFortiGate firewall and routing design for Azure Local: required outbound endpoints, inspection exclusions, segmentation, routing and logging.FortiGate VPN to AzureConnect your data center to Azure with FortiGate: IPsec site-to-site VPN, BGP routing, redundant tunnels, address planning and failover testing.FortiGate SD-WANFortiGate SD-WAN design for branch sites running Azure Local: dual links, application steering, hub-and-spoke tunnels, central policy and monitoring.
09 · 5 services
Windows Server and Linux
Windows Server consultingWindows Server consulting: Active Directory, file services, DNS and DHCP, clustering, patching, hardening and hybrid management through Azure Arc.Windows Server 2025 upgradePlan and carry out upgrades to Windows Server 2025: application compatibility, in-place upgrade or migration, domain controllers, clusters and rollback.Active Directory and identityPrepare Active Directory and Microsoft Entra ID for Azure Local: organizational unit, deployment account, DNS, permissions, hybrid identity and admin tiering.Linux on Azure LocalRun Linux on Azure Local: virtual machine images, Azure Arc onboarding, patching, configuration management, containers and AKS Linux node pools.Linux server consultingLinux server consulting for hybrid estates: builds, hardening, patching, automation, containers, databases and integration with Active Directory and Azure.
10 · 6 services
Azure and hybrid
Azure ArcAzure Arc consulting: onboard servers and Kubernetes at scale, apply Azure Policy, manage updates, enable monitoring and Defender across hybrid estates.Azure landing zonesAzure landing zone design for organizations running Azure Local: management groups, identity, network topology, policy, logging and subscriptions.Azure to Azure LocalRepatriate workloads from Azure to Azure Local where it makes sense: cost and risk analysis, target sizing, data transfer, cutover and rollback.Azure Local to AzureMove virtual machines from Azure Local to Azure: assessment, target sizing, network and identity preparation, replication, test and cutover.Azure Stack HubAzure Stack Hub consulting: operations, updates and capacity for existing stamps, and planning the move to Azure Local or Azure when the time comes.Infrastructure as codeDeploy and manage Azure Local with Bicep, Terraform and pipelines: cluster deployment templates, logical networks, virtual machines, AKS and policy as code.
11 · 2 services
Ways to engage
Proof of conceptA guided Azure Local proof of concept: success criteria agreed up front, a small cluster or lab, your own workloads tested and a written result.Engineer by the hourAdd an experienced Azure Local engineer to your team by the hour: design reviews, build support, troubleshooting and second opinions at $150.00 per hour.
Architecture
Reference architectures.
Designs we build from, each with its layers and the checks we run first.
Two-node switchlessReference architecture for a two-node switchless Azure Local cluster: direct storage links, top-of-rack pair, witness, Azure Arc and workload networks.AVD on Azure LocalReference architecture for Azure Virtual Desktop on Azure Local: Azure control plane, session hosts on premises, profile storage, identity and client access.AKS platform with GPUsReference architecture for an AKS platform on Azure Local with GPU inference: node pools by purpose, ingress, registry, database and observability.Hybrid network with FortiGateReference architecture for the network around Azure Local: FortiGate edge, Dell PowerSwitch pair, segmented VLANs, VPN to Azure and out-of-band management.Sovereign landing zoneReference architecture for a sovereign landing zone: governed Azure subscription, policy, customer-held keys, on-premises data plane and audited access.
Codex
Our codex, as an offer.
More than 400 written blueprints, playbooks and runbooks from our own operations, many of them specific to Azure Local. We adapt them to your estate.
BlueprintsBlueprints from our operations codex: written, rebuildable designs for clusters, networks and platforms, adapted to your Azure Local estate.PlaybooksPlaybooks from our operations codex: step-by-step procedures for planned work such as deployments, updates and migrations, adapted to your team.RunbooksRunbooks from our operations codex: the failure modes we have seen in the field, the exact error text and the documented repair for each.
News
Latest from the practice.
The Azure Local Consultant Academy gets its own address2026-11-10 · The Azure Local Consultant Academy is published at academy.gusitllc.com, next to the consulting practice it supports.Azure Local consulting is now part of Gus IT LLC infrastructure consulting2026-11-10 · The site now covers every part of Azure Local consulting, with one rate of $150.00 per hour and two named contacts.
Rate and contacts
One rate. Two people.
Consulting is billed at $150.00 per hour. Keith runs sales, project management and your account. Gus does the architecture, the design and the implementation.
Hourly rate
$150.00
per consulting hour, for every consulting service