FROM EMILIA-ROMAGNA TO THE WORLD
Technology is complex. Working well shouldn't be.
iHires helps businesses design and develop their IT systems. We integrate servers, networks, cloud services, email and applications, with a focus on security and business continuity. We start with your existing systems, the problems to solve and the constraints of your project to identify a sustainable way forward.
Infrastructure ✳ Cloud ✳ Security ✳ Integration ✳ AI
01 / OUR APPROACH
A system that needs updating. Business software that cannot stop. Services that do not talk to each other. We start with what holds your work back, then build a solution that moves it forward.
We do not start with a product catalogue. We assess constraints, alternatives and investment, choosing tools around your business. Integration, tailored to fit.
02 / WHAT WE DO
From migrations to business continuity. Technical expertise that supports day-to-day operations.
We design and integrate servers, networks and storage to support business applications and services. We assess physical and virtual environments, resource availability and growth requirements. For migrations, we review compatibility, dependencies and maintenance windows, including moves from VMware to Hyper-V and integration with NetApp storage. Our aim is to develop your infrastructure while making use of suitable existing hardware.
We support the move to Microsoft 365 and the integration of on-premises and cloud services. For Zimbra migrations, we assess mailboxes, calendars, contacts, sharing and the data to transfer, then plan validation and cutover activities. A migration involves more than copying email: it also requires preparing the destination environment and checking the functions people need in their day-to-day work.
We plan system protection, backup and recovery procedures together. We assess access controls, backup copies, environment separation and the recovery of critical services. Technical decisions should reflect how much data the business can afford to lose and how long it can operate without a service. Recovery testing is part of the process: having a backup does not, by itself, mean the business is ready to resume operations.
We connect applications, databases and services that need to exchange information. In legacy environments, we assess how to preserve useful functionality and address technical limitations without assuming that a complete rewrite is always necessary. Dependency analysis and integration help define a path that fits day-to-day operations and makes use of previous investments.
We help identify tasks where AI tools can be useful, defining objectives, access controls and evaluation criteria. The process includes tool configuration, user training and assessment of results, with human oversight. Integration with business documents or systems is designed around existing permissions and available data, without promising perfectly accurate answers or unmeasured savings.
TECHNOLOGIES WE WORK WITH
Platforms and tools we integrate around each project. Your needs always guide the choice.
03 / FROM PROBLEM TO SOLUTION
Migrations, virtualisation and integration. Practical experience, with its context and constraints.
Starting over is not always the answer.
iHires projects and experience. Every engagement calls for its own assessment.The implementation of NIS2 in Italy in 2024 led to the organisation being classified as an important entity, requiring it to meet the applicable requirements.
Deployment and configuration of software to address the requirements: Lansweeper for dynamic asset inventory and ticketing; Netwrix Auditor and Veeam ONE for auditing, alerting and reporting; Kaspersky MDR for endpoint protection; WatchGuard and UniFi Network for perimeter protection, VLAN segmentation and logging; and Veeam with QNAP/Synology for immutable backups and disaster recovery. The engagement also included taking on the role of CSIRT contact and preparing a documentation package for inspections.
Turning a legal obligation into an opportunity for significant improvement. Adopting the required measures strengthened the organisation's security and its readiness for inspections and cyberattacks.
The end of support for the Zextras module and changes to licensing terms made it necessary to rethink the email platform. Security, deliverability and service availability issues also needed to be addressed.
Migration from the on-premises Zimbra Collaboration Suite environment to Microsoft 365, using a framework developed with the help of ChatGPT/Codex. Transfers were prepared while users continued working in Zimbra, with a planned final cutover.
Transfer of email, folders, tags, rules, signatures, contacts, calendars, tasks, Briefcase files, aliases, distribution lists and sharing. Automatic archiving policies also made it possible to handle large mailboxes. Transfer and validation activities were organised by data category and migration phase.
Changes to licensing terms following Broadcom's acquisition of VMware prompted a review of alternatives. The environment comprised seven hyperconverged nodes across three clusters.
Reuse of the existing servers, introduction of NetApp SAN storage shared across the clusters, and adoption of Hyper-V on Windows Server 2025 Datacenter. Veeam Backup & Replication was used to migrate and convert VMs from ESXi to Hyper-V, with a new 25 Gbit/s SAN network using UniFi switches.
A reorganised infrastructure with shared storage, encryption and backup copy protection. The project made use of existing servers and supported the refresh of VM operating systems. The previous SAS drives were repurposed as immutable storage on dedicated hardware.
An online travel agency needed to reduce the cost of colocated servers and resolve problems with its email service.
Migrate the existing environment to Amazon EC2 and introduce Zimbra on Linux.
The existing applications were preserved in a cloud environment, alongside a reorganised email and collaboration service.
A COBOL application running on an unsupported RISC server. The options appeared to be an expensive migration or a complete replacement.
Move the software to virtualised Linux, preserving the existing application and integrating new functionality.
The existing software could evolve without a complete rewrite, through integration with Oracle, Java and a COBOL interpreter.
Six servers acquired over time and a hardware refresh to plan for a professional practice. The goal: make better use of the investment and improve service availability.
Consolidate the environment onto virtual infrastructure, with shared storage and virtual machine backups.
A more flexible foundation for new services, with centralised backup and recovery management.
04 / HOW WE WORK
A clear path, shared decisions. We work through the complexity together.
We listen to the people doing the work and assess systems, constraints and priorities.
We compare alternatives and define a sustainable way forward.
We plan the change and bring technologies together.
We verify the results and support your IT environment as it evolves.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
A few questions about migrations, backup and adopting artificial intelligence.
The migration plan can cover more than email. Versions, configurations, permissions and destination compatibility must be assessed first. Transferable data categories and exceptions should be defined within the project.
Not necessarily. Hardware, operating system support, storage, networking and VM workloads need to be assessed. Reusing servers is a project-specific decision, not a guaranteed outcome.
It helps protect backup copies, but the recovery plan must also address access controls, isolation, copy availability, dependencies and restore testing. Recovery times need to be validated for the services concerned.
Start with a specific process, the users involved, identified data and a way to evaluate results. Before expanding adoption, assess permissions, response quality, limitations and the need for human oversight.
THE NEXT STEP
Tell us which systems you use, what you want to change and your timing requirements. We will help identify the information needed to assess the project.