Scaling Hospitality IT with CentreStack: From On-Prem File Servers to the Cloud

In hospitality, growth is exciting—new properties, new brands, new guest experiences. But behind the scenes, expansion often multiplies IT complexity: more locations, more users, more data, and more pressure to keep everything secure and compliant.

For many hospitality groups, the tipping point comes when the “good enough” on-premises setup starts slowing down operations. File access becomes inconsistent between sites, collaboration gets messy, governance becomes harder to enforce, and IT teams spend more time maintaining infrastructure than enabling the business.

This is the story of a hospitality management group (we’ll call them “the client”) that reached that tipping point—and used a cloud-based approach to simplify operations across a growing multi-property portfolio.

The Challenge: Multi-Location Operations on a Single-Location IT Mindset

The client managed a diverse hospitality portfolio—operational properties and development initiatives—across multiple locations. Their IT environment had to support:

• A growing number of users (200+ and climbing)

• Multiple organizational units with different access needs

• Secure file sharing across properties and departments

• Consistent governance and visibility into data access

• Compliance requirements (including GDPR considerations)

• A strong preference for US-based data residency and sovereignty

Their existing on-premises infrastructure wasn’t “broken,” but it wasn’t built for scale. Maintaining physical servers, expanding storage, and managing access across many sites became a recurring burden. Collaboration also suffered: teams needed reliable, secure access to shared files without complicated workarounds.

The Turning Point: Trading Server Maintenance for Operational Agility

During discovery, the client realized their real goal wasn’t just “moving to the cloud.” It was reducing operational friction—especially the IT overhead that came with growth.

They wanted a modern infrastructure approach that could:

• Scale without constant hardware upgrades

• Standardize access policies across properties

• Improve governance without adding complexity

• Support future expansion without re-architecting every year

They also wanted a solution that could fit into their existing environment—rather than forcing a complete overhaul.

The Solution: Cloud File Services Built for Governance and Growth

The client adopted CentreStack to modernize file access and management across their hospitality portfolio—without sacrificing control.

With CentreStack, they implemented a cloud-based file management system designed for multi-location operations, including:

• Multi-tenancy / segmentation to separate business units, properties, or teams while keeping centralized control

• Secure file sharing for internal collaboration and controlled external access

• Active Directory integration to streamline identity, authentication, and permission management

• S3-backed storage support for scalable, cloud-based data growth

• Centralized governance to improve visibility and policy enforcement

• Compliance alignment, including GDPR-related considerations and US-based data sovereignty requirements

The result was a platform that supported everyday hospitality workflows—while making IT administration far more manageable.

The Results: Less IT Busywork, More Focus on the Business

After transitioning, the client saw meaningful operational improvements:

• Simplified IT administration: User access and file sharing became easier to manage across properties and teams

• Better governance: Improved oversight, reduced risk, and made policies easier to enforce consistently

• Scalability for growth: Adding users, sites, and storage no longer requires constant infrastructure projects

• Improved collaboration: Teams gained dependable access to shared files across locations—supporting smoother operations

Most importantly, the IT team regained time and capacity to focus on strategic initiatives instead of maintenance work.

Why This Matters for Hospitality Leaders

Hospitality success depends on seamless experiences—for guests and for internal teams. As brands expand, the operational systems behind the scenes must keep up. Cloud-based file services aren’t just a technology upgrade; they’re an operational advantage when they deliver:

• Secure, reliable access across multiple locations

• Centralized governance and visibility

• Easier onboarding and access management

• Scalable storage without constant infrastructure churn

Call to Action

If your hospitality organization is expanding—and your on-premises file infrastructure is starting to slow you down—CentreStack can help you modernize file access, improve governance, and scale confidently across multiple locations.

Reach out to see how a cloud-based file management approach can fit your environment while supporting growth, compliance, and data sovereignty.