Projects don't fail from bad technology. They fail from bad process.
PMaaS is a repeatable delivery framework for IT migrations. Every engagement — firewall, SD-WAN, M365, backup, application — follows the same five-phase process with defined scope, signed acceptance criteria, and change control built in.
Each migration is also a step toward AI readiness — building the foundation your business needs to actually use AI tools effectively.
Before it runs over
Is your migration scope locked in a signed statement of work before any configuration begins?
Are your acceptance criteria defined per phase, or will you know success when you see it?
Are your rollback procedures explicitly tested in a staging environment, not just written down and assumed?
Do you have a change control process so scope changes require written approval before work proceeds?
The Migration Stack
You can't build a penthouse on a swamp.
Every migration Zent delivers is a step in this stack. Each layer supports the weight of everything above it. AI readiness isn't a separate initiative — it's what you get when the foundation is right.
Security & Perimeter
Firewall migration, NGFW deployment, VPN restructuring
Why it matters for AI
AI tools can't leak sensitive data through an unsecured network. The perimeter is permission to play.
Network Fabric
LAN switch migration, SD-WAN / edge network migration
Why it matters for AI
AI tools lag and get abandoned on slow, unstable networks. The fabric determines the speed of everything above it.
Data Protection
Backup & storage migration, disaster recovery setup
Why it matters for AI
AI is only as good as the data it can access. If data isn't backed up, clean, and retrievable — the AI hallucinates or fails.
Cloud Collaboration
Microsoft 365 migration, Google Workspace migration
Why it matters for AI
This is where AI tools like Copilot and Gemini actually live. If your data isn't in a structured cloud environment, AI can't see it.
Workload Migration
Application migration, server workload to cloud
Why it matters for AI
Get the business logic out of the server closet. Cloud-hosted workloads connect to AI tools — on-prem silos don't.
AI Readiness
Data foundation assessment, AI tool deployment
Why it matters for AI
The payoff. Copilot works. Automation runs. Workflows are intelligent. Every migration below was a step to get here.
Note: You don't have to complete all six before touching AI. We can run migrations in parallel — while modernizing your network fabric, we simultaneously prep your data foundation so the moment the pipes are ready, the AI is live.
The Delivery Framework
Five phases. Every migration. No exceptions.
Every PMaaS engagement — regardless of migration type — follows this framework. The deliverables change. The process doesn't.
Discovery & Scoping
Stakeholder interviews, current state assessment, gap analysis, and risk identification. We define what's in scope, what's not, and what requires a change order before any work begins.
Deliverables
Signed Statement of Work
Project plan and timeline
Risk register
Design & Architecture
Solution design, RACI matrix, communication plan, and UAT criteria established. Success is defined before build starts — not after.
Deliverables
Technical design document
Runbook draft
Acceptance criteria per phase
Build & Configuration
Environment provisioned, configured, and tested against the design. Security hardening and quality gates at every step. Your team keeps running on existing systems throughout.
Deliverables
Configured environment
Quality gate sign-off
Ready for UAT
Testing & Validation
User acceptance testing, performance benchmarking, and rollback validation. Rollback procedures are explicitly tested — not assumed. Go/no-go is a formal decision, not a gut call.
Deliverables
UAT completion
Go-live approval
Cutover plan with rollback path
Deployment & Handoff
Production cutover executed in a planned maintenance window. Documentation and runbooks delivered. Your team is trained on what was built before the engagement closes.
Deliverables
Go-live executed
Runbooks and documentation
Lessons learned report
By Business Size
Same framework. Sized to where you are.
The path to AI readiness looks different at 20 people than it does at 500. PMaaS scales to your situation.
Micro-SMB
1–50 employees
The Professionalization Path
Moving from legacy and improvised infrastructure to a clean, cloud-ready environment. Each migration removes a bottleneck that would otherwise prevent AI tools from working.
Typical migrations
Firewall replacement
M365 migration
Backup & recovery setup
Pricing model
Fixed-fee — defined scope, predictable delivery
Typical timeline
2–6 weeks per engagement
SMB
50–200 employees
Building the Foundation
Multi-system migrations with cross-functional dependencies. You want to use AI tools but your infrastructure is 5–10 years behind. We close that gap systematically.
Typical migrations
LAN switch migration
SD-WAN deployment
M365 + cloud migration
Pricing model
Fixed-fee for defined scope — T&M when routing or VPN complexity is discovered
Typical timeline
4–12 weeks per engagement
Mid-Market
200–1,000 employees
De-Risking the Future
You have technical debt, multi-site infrastructure, and AI ambitions. We prevent you from wasting budget on AI tools that won't work because the foundation is a decade old.
Typical migrations
Multi-site network modernization
Workload migration
AI Readiness assessment
Pricing model
T&M for complex, dependency-driven migrations — fixed-fee where scope can be defined
Typical timeline
Phased — confirmed after discovery
Who This Is For
Real migrations. Real businesses. Real path to AI.
If any of these sound like your situation, PMaaS is the framework for what comes next.
Medical / Dental Practice
Aging firewall with expired subscriptions, staff using personal email for patient communication, no backup
Firewall migration to NGFW. M365 migration so staff use business email. Cloud backup with defined retention. Each step removes a compliance risk and moves them toward Copilot-ready infrastructure.
Professional Services Firm
Files on a local server, no cloud storage, unreliable internet — Copilot won't work until data is accessible in the cloud
M365 migration to move files to SharePoint. Backup & storage migration to replace local server. Once data is in the cloud and protected, Copilot can see it and use it.
Multi-Location Retail
Inconsistent network across stores, legacy firewalls, POS data siloed by location — no central visibility
LAN switch migration standardizes the fabric across all locations. Firewall migration secures each site. M365 centralizes data. One consistent foundation across every store.
Manufacturing with ERP
ERP on-prem, unreliable WAN connectivity between sites, no DR — wants AI for production forecasting but can't get there yet
SD-WAN migration connects sites reliably. Backup & storage migration protects the ERP data. Application migration moves what's cloud-ready. ERP migrated when the foundation supports it.
Financial Services Firm
5 offices, fragmented infrastructure, compliance exposure — wants AI for client insights but has a 10-year-old technical foundation
Multi-site network modernization secures and connects all offices. M365 migration centralizes collaboration. Workload migration moves servers to cloud. AI Readiness assessment identifies what's left.
Healthcare Organization
Multiple campuses, HIPAA requirements, legacy applications, no unified identity — AI adoption blocked at every layer
Phased migration starting with security and network fabric. M365 with HIPAA-aligned configuration. Application migration with compliance validation at every step. AI Readiness when the foundation is solid.
Responsibility Model
We execute. You approve.
Ownership is defined before any work starts — confirmed during the discovery session.
Zent
We own and execute
Shared
Both teams involved
Customer
You own or provide
Discovery & Design
Scoping, assessment, and solution design.
Stakeholder interviews and current state audit
We assess what exists and what's in scope
Solution design and technical documentation
Architecture and phased plan produced by Zent
Business requirements and priorities
You define success and what's acceptable risk
Scope confirmation and SOW sign-off
Agreed before any procurement or configuration
Build & Testing
Configuration, UAT, and rollback validation.
Environment configuration and migration execution
Zent executes against the signed design
Quality gates and testing at each phase
Nothing moves forward without passing acceptance criteria
User acceptance testing
Your team validates real workflows in the new environment
Change approval and maintenance windows
You approve cutovers — we execute in agreed windows
Cutover & Handoff
Go-live, documentation, and post-project options.
Production cutover and go-live execution
Planned window with rollback path tested
Documentation, runbooks, and knowledge transfer
Your team receives everything needed to operate
Post-go-live operational ownership
Your team operates the environment after handoff
Post-go-live support (if purchased)
Hypercare available as a separate engagement
Common Questions
Before you ask — we've answered it.
Every migration is a step. Let's take the first one.
Tell us where you are and where you need to get to. We'll scope the right migration, price it honestly, and deliver it with a process that won't surprise you.
Fixed-fee where scope is defined. T&M where complexity is discovered.