Infrastructure consulting · Azure Local
Consulting services
Every service the practice offers, grouped by layer. Each one is scoped by Keith, designed and delivered by Gus, and billed at $150.00 per hour.
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.
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