Has your IT project gone over budget and past its deadline?
The silver lining
We step in as programme lead, reset the plan with honest numbers and get it delivered. We did exactly that for a stalled Azure programme at a leading healthcare provider.
Fractional CTO and IT leadership for UK businesses
Every business hits a dark horizon. We’re the silver lining.
Senior IT leadership without the full-time salary, for UK businesses and the MSPs that serve them.
Can you see a dark horizon?
These are the moments we usually get the call.
Can your board navigate AI, modern ways of working and compliance?
The silver lining
We give your board a clear, plain-English view of the opportunities and risks, from Copilot and AI policy to compliance and the new products technology makes possible.
Has your team lost its leader?
The silver lining
An interim IT director keeps the team steady, security moving and the roadmap on track while you recruit the right permanent hire.
Is your IT director off sick, on leave or taking a break?
The silver lining
Short-notice cover from an interim IT director who picks up the reins quickly and hands back cleanly when they return.
Who we work with
Organisations big enough for technology to matter, but not yet ready for a full-time CTO.
Growing businesses with no senior IT lead
Where IT decisions land with the finance director or the founder by default.
Businesses that already have an MSP
We sit on your side of the table, set direction and check the work.
Boards facing a big decision
A migration, an acquisition or a cyber insurance form you can't answer honestly.
Managed service providers
An outside view on your stack, services and team. More below.
What we can take off your plate
Fractional CTO and IT director
A named, senior consultant who owns your technology strategy, joins leadership meetings and is accountable for the decisions. Part-time, on a predictable monthly retainer.
- IT strategy and a 12 to 36 month roadmap tied to business goals
- Budgets, licensing and supplier contracts
- Board-level reporting on risk and spend
- Leadership for in-house IT staff or your MSP
Fractional CISO and compliance
Security leadership on a part-time basis, plus Cyber Essentials, ISO 27001 readiness and cyber insurance questionnaires.
Microsoft 365 and Azure
Architecture reviews for Entra ID, Intune, Defender and Business Premium, so you use what you already pay for.
Programme recovery
Stalled projects and migrations brought back under control and over the line.
Supplier and MSP oversight
Independent review of your provider's work, SLAs and pricing, or help choosing a new one.
Technical due diligence
A plain-English assessment of a company's IT before you buy, invest or merge.
Team leadership and development
Building the next generation of IT leaders inside your business, so the improvements last after we step back.
Courses
Practical leadership and development courses for IT managers and team leads.
Coaching
One-to-one coaching for new or stretched IT leaders.
Mentoring
Ongoing mentoring for engineers and platform teams growing into bigger roles.
Dark horizons we’ve cleared
Our clients stay anonymous. Here's the storm they were in, what we did and the silver lining.
Leading UK utilities broker
CISO, fractional to ongoing
Ongoing
A fractional CISO role that became a permanent fixture
The situation
A leading utilities broker needed senior security leadership without hiring a full-time CISO.
What we did
Took on the CISO role on a fractional basis, owning security strategy, risk and compliance.
The silver lining
It worked well enough that the role is now ongoing and full time.
Alt net fibre provider, central London
Interim IT Director
9 months
Leading IT while the business recruited a permanent director
The situation
A fast-moving fibre network needed senior IT leadership while it hired a permanent IT Director.
What we did
Stepped in as interim IT Director. Course corrected the security posture, and mentored and engaged the internal IT and platform team.
The silver lining
A stronger security position and a more confident team, handed over in good shape to the permanent hire.
Leading healthcare provider
Programme Manager
9 months
Getting a stalled Azure programme delivered
The situation
A major Azure programme had stalled, and the project team had lost momentum.
What we did
Led the project management team. Deep Azure knowledge meant technical blockers were understood and resolved, not just escalated.
The silver lining
The programme got back on track and was delivered.
UK managed service provider
Platform rollout and team lead
12 months
Rolling out Halo PSA and NinjaOne, and getting the team behind it
The situation
An MSP moving to Halo PSA and NinjaOne RMM needed the rollout led and the team brought along with it.
What we did
Delivered both deployments, ran a skills check across the team, helped manage them day to day and advised the board on direction.
The silver lining
Both platforms live, a clear view of team skills and a board aligned on what came next.
We’ve bottled the lightning.
Hard-won experience from the platform projects we’ve delivered, ready to use on yours.
SolarWinds network monitoring
Reworking SolarWinds platforms so teams see what matters and get a better return on the product.
VMware migrations and improvements
Moving, upgrading and tidying VMware estates so they run efficiently and stay supported.
Azure migrations
Planning and leading moves to Azure, including programmes that had stalled.
PSA and RMM rollouts
Halo PSA, NinjaOne and the processes that make them stick.
Microsoft 365 and Intune
Tenant reviews, device management and security hardening for Business Premium.
For MSPs, from people who've run them
Our consultants have built and run UK managed service providers. We know where the margin leaks, which tools earn their keep and what breaks when you grow from five engineers to twenty.
MSP work is under NDA as standard, and we'll tell you up front about any potential conflict.
Book a callService design and packaging
Per-user bundles that cover cost and include security by default.
Security baseline
A standard Microsoft-first build you can roll out to every client.
PSA, RMM and tooling
Halo, NinjaOne and the rest. Cut overlap, cut cost, close gaps.
Team and skills
Skills checks, structure and ITIL that fits a small team.
Building a vCIO offer
Turning account reviews into a paid, repeatable service.
Partner programmes
CSP, NCE commitments and Microsoft partner benefits.
Ways to work with us
Fixed scopes and fixed monthly fees, agreed before any work starts.
| Engagement | Best for | What you get | Typical commitment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly retainer | Ongoing leadership from a fractional CTO or IT director. | Agreed days each month, a standing leadership slot and a direct line for decisions in between. | 2 to 4 days / month |
| Interim or project | Cover between hires, or a programme that needs a leader. | A senior consultant embedded with your team until the job is done or the permanent hire starts. | 3 to 9 months |
| Advisory session | One decision, one problem or a second opinion. | A focused half or full day, then a short written summary and next steps. | Half or full day |
Intro call
30 minutes, free, to see whether we're the right fit.
Review
A short look at your current setup, costs and risks.
Proposal
Scope, price and outcomes on one page.
Start
Usually within two weeks of agreeing the proposal.
A small team of senior consultants
Cloudburst is a team of experienced IT leaders who have run technology for SMEs, utilities, healthcare and managed service providers. Everyone who works with you has done the job themselves.
You get the same consultant throughout, advice that's independent of any product, and people who would rather tell you not to spend money than sell you something you don't need.
SC and DV cleared consultants. Our team holds UK security clearance and is used to working in secure, regulated and sensitive environments.
- Microsoft 365
- Entra ID
- Intune
- Defender
- Azure
- Cyber Essentials
- ISO 27001
- ITIL
- Halo PSA
- NinjaOne
- SolarWinds
- VMware
“Cloudburst were transformative for our business. We were adrift and they really course corrected with us to lead the business in the right direction!”
UK managed service provider
Sectors we've worked in
- Telecoms and fibre networks
- Healthcare
- Energy and utilities
- Managed service providers
- Professional services SMEs
Clouds gathering? Book a call.
Tell us a little about your business and what's on your mind. We reply personally, usually within one working day.
Email
hello@cloudburst.org.uk
Book directly
Book a call