CTS Computers delivers enterprise-grade cloud infrastructure for Charleston businesses with 30+ years managing central Illinois technology systems and 24/7 live support.
Hear from Our Customers
You’re not scrambling when thunderstorms knock out power along Lincoln Avenue. Your data stays protected in redundant off-site locations, and your team keeps working through weather events that used to shut down operations for hours.
Faculty managing research data, property managers overseeing student rentals near campus, and downtown businesses serving the EIU community all need systems that scale with Charleston’s academic calendar. September’s rush doesn’t crash your systems, and summer slowdowns don’t leave you paying for capacity you’re not using.
Your employees access files securely whether they’re at the office on 4th Street, working from home during winter weather, or meeting clients across Coles County. Collaboration happens in real-time without version control nightmares or wondering who has the latest file. When your internet connection drops, local cached copies keep critical work moving until connectivity returns.
Since 1991, we’ve helped hundreds of small and medium businesses across central Illinois move from aging on-premise servers to reliable cloud infrastructure. We’ve migrated everything from single-office professional practices to multi-location operations spanning Coles County and beyond.
We understand Charleston’s business environment. We know property management companies need cloud-based monitoring for dozens of rental units. We’ve worked with businesses that serve Eastern Illinois University’s 7,000 students and need systems that handle peak academic year traffic. We’ve helped manufacturers protect operational data and healthcare practices maintain HIPAA compliance without the complexity of managing their own servers.
You’re working with technicians who’ve been managing central Illinois networks since before cloud computing existed. We’ve seen every migration challenge, every compatibility issue, and every security concern. Our team responds to your calls directly—not a call center in another state—and we can be on-site when remote support isn’t enough.
We start by documenting your current infrastructure—every application, every data source, every workflow your team depends on. This assessment typically takes 3-5 days and happens without disrupting your operations. We identify which systems move to the cloud immediately, which need preparation, and which might stay local in a hybrid approach.
Next comes planning and testing. We build your cloud environment using platforms like Microsoft Azure or AWS, configure security settings, and test everything with sample data before touching your live systems. This phase takes 1-2 weeks depending on complexity. You’ll see exactly how the new system works and approve it before migration begins.
The actual migration happens during your off-hours—evenings, weekends, or whenever your business is least active. We move data in phases, test each component, and keep your old systems running until we’ve verified everything works correctly. Most Charleston businesses complete migration in 2-4 weeks total. We provide training for your team, document everything, and stay available for questions as everyone adjusts to the new system.
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Our managed cloud services include everything you need to run your business without maintaining physical servers:
We handle compliance requirements for businesses in regulated industries. Healthcare practices get HIPAA-compliant cloud infrastructure with proper encryption and access controls. Retail businesses processing credit cards get PCI-DSS compliance support. Professional services firms get secure client data management that meets industry standards.
Your cloud infrastructure includes disaster recovery planning specifically designed for central Illinois weather patterns. When severe thunderstorms or winter weather threaten local power and connectivity, your data remains accessible from redundant locations. We test recovery procedures quarterly so you know exactly what happens if you need to restore operations after an outage.
We provide complete managed cloud services for Charleston businesses including secure data storage, cloud-based applications, email hosting through Microsoft 365, automated backup and disaster recovery, and virtual desktop infrastructure. Our services work with businesses from 5 to 50+ employees across industries including professional services, retail, property management, healthcare, and manufacturing.
We support both public cloud platforms like Microsoft Azure and AWS, and hybrid approaches that keep some data local while moving other systems to the cloud. Most Charleston businesses start with email and file storage migration, then expand to cloud-based applications and collaboration tools as they see the benefits. We customize solutions based on your specific needs rather than forcing one-size-fits-all packages.
Most small businesses in Coles County invest $150-400 per user monthly for comprehensive managed cloud services including storage, applications, security, backup, and support. A 10-person business typically spends $1,500-4,000 monthly depending on data volume and specific applications needed. This replaces the cost of buying and maintaining physical servers, which often runs $15,000-30,000 upfront plus $500-1,000 monthly for maintenance.
Migration costs range from $3,000-15,000 depending on complexity, data volume, and how many applications need configuration. We provide detailed cost estimates after assessing your current setup. Most businesses see positive ROI within 12-18 months when factoring in eliminated hardware costs, reduced downtime, and lower maintenance expenses. We offer predictable monthly billing so you can budget accurately without surprise repair bills.
Cloud computing eliminates the cost and hassle of maintaining physical servers while providing better reliability and security than most small businesses can achieve on their own. Your team accesses files and applications from anywhere—critical for businesses dealing with Charleston’s winter weather or supporting remote employees. Data backup happens automatically with off-site redundancy that protects against local disasters.
You scale resources up during busy periods like September when EIU students return, then scale down during summer without paying for unused capacity. Cloud infrastructure typically costs 30-50% less than maintaining equivalent on-premise systems when you factor in hardware, maintenance, power, and IT staff time. Security updates happen automatically, and you get enterprise-grade protection including encryption, firewalls, and threat monitoring that would be too expensive to implement yourself.
Migration starts with a thorough assessment of your current systems, applications, and data. We document everything, identify potential compatibility issues, and create a detailed migration plan showing exactly what moves when. This planning phase takes 1-2 weeks and ensures we understand your business operations before touching any live systems.
The actual migration happens in phases during your off-hours to minimize disruption. We typically start with non-critical data to test the process, then move essential systems once we’ve verified everything works correctly. Most Charleston small businesses complete migration in 2-4 weeks total. We keep your old systems running in parallel until you’re confident the cloud environment works properly. Our team provides training for your employees and stays available to answer questions as everyone adjusts to the new system.
Public cloud services like Microsoft Azure and AWS provide shared infrastructure where multiple businesses use the same physical servers with strong security separating each customer’s data. This offers excellent cost efficiency, reliability, and scalability. Private cloud dedicates physical infrastructure exclusively to your business, providing more control and customization but at significantly higher cost.
For most Charleston small businesses, public cloud makes the most sense. You get enterprise-grade security, 99.9%+ uptime guarantees, and automatic scaling at a fraction of private cloud costs. Hybrid cloud combines both approaches—keeping sensitive data in private infrastructure while using public cloud for less critical systems. We help you determine which approach fits your security requirements, budget, and compliance needs. Very few small businesses actually need private cloud’s extra cost and complexity.
Cloud services provide significantly stronger security than most small businesses can implement on their own. Your data is encrypted both during transfer and while stored, meaning it’s protected even if someone intercepts network traffic or gains physical access to servers. Major cloud platforms use multi-factor authentication, advanced firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and 24/7 security monitoring that would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to implement yourself.
Data centers have physical security including biometric access controls, video surveillance, and redundant systems that prevent single points of failure. We configure security settings specifically for your business, manage access controls so employees only see data they need, and provide regular security reports. For businesses with compliance requirements like HIPAA or PCI-DSS, we ensure your cloud infrastructure meets all regulatory standards with proper documentation and audit trails.
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