Pepsi or Coca Cola? Xbox or Playstation? Red Sox or Yankees? On-premises storage or cloud storage?

Your company may be in a position wondering if it’s worth it to phase out on-premises technology or go fully to the cloud.

To choose which option is right for your company, you need to be aware of the differences between on-premises and cloud-based services and infrastructure. In comparing the two different infrastructures it is important to know the overall needs of your business.

There are several factors that go into on-premises and cloud systems. Narrowing it down, you should focus on the differences between two core elements to your solution: storage and software. Both storage and software are vital to a company’s day-to-day operations. As such, there are several cloud and on-premises offerings for storage and software applications.

And tonight’s main event! – Cloud Storage vs. On-Premise Storage

One of the primary ways the cloud interacts with your company is in the way it stores data.

A primary function of any business is the ability to store data in servers. Servers store your information, connect your employees and allow you to connect with other companies/individuals around the world.

Cloud storage is a great option for many companies, as it provides cost-saving benefits along with functional ones like regular data backups and the ability to scale easily.

Here is a general breakdown of why cloud storage is so great:

• Reduce IT staff’s responsibilities: Your cloud storage will be managed and maintained by another company.
• Eliminate capital expenses: While on-premises storage is considered a capital expense, cloud storage is considered an operational expense. On-premises storage requires a large initial investment to purchase equipment and install it in the office. Whereas, cloud storage does not require that.
• Adjust to your budget: If your company is scaling up or scaling down, most cloud-based storage companies can adjust their prices to meet your budget.
• Perform regular data backups: The cloud offers easier data backup than on-premises servers ever could. Cloud-based servers enable your company to retrieve lost data a whole lot easier and more efficient.
• Adjust to your company’s needs: Cloud-based storage is built to scale. Need a few extra terabytes of data to store more data? Simply upgrade your plan with a click or two without the need to purchase more beefed up equipment to meet your company’s new demands.

• Long term costs: One of the major drawbacks of cloud storage is that in the long-term, subscription costs can end up costing more in total than if a company would have paid for a licensing fee from the very beginning.
• Less flexibility: Your cloud managed services provider may not include widely customizable options that can best suit your company needs 100%. All consumers are provided the same off the shelf application.
• Security concerns: Like the security issues that affect cloud storage, cloud software also has comparable problems with security. Though security is getting better with the cloud as each year passes on.  Seek a cloud provider that has two-factor authentication or even multi-factor authentication in place.

• Operate without internet: One of the major upsides to on-premises storage is that it doesn’t require users to have an internet connection to access data. Compared to cloud storage which always requires internet connectivity.
• Provide greater security: Unlike cloud-storage, which is more vulnerable to third parties and prying eyes, on-premises storage is completely restricted from anyone other than authorized personnel. Because your on-prem storage is in the most secure location, your company should be fully-secured with all its’ other assets to begin with. On-premises servers are not accessible to those outside the network, as they are not storing the data online.
• Offer control over server hardware: Some companies enjoy having dedicated servers within their building to handle all their needs. Instead of having to ask a cloud storage company to upgrade their storage plan or add new features, the company can simply do the upgrades themselves. And the company themselves can be in full-control of upgrading needs and costs to every dime instead of relying on a third-party to suggest the best ‘fitting’ plan.

• Long deployment times: One major issue affecting companies that use on-premises software is it takes far too long to be deployed. Let’s say you purchase a new piece of software, hardware associate with that software will have to be upgraded or configured. This can be incredibly time consuming and can put you at a disadvantage.
• Scalability: Another common issue with on-premises software is that it doesn’t scale as well as cloud-based software does. Your company growing? Guess what? You will have to install and configure new software for each new employee brought on to the organization.
• Remote offices and mobile workforce: If your company has multiple offices or a large mobile workforce (remote workers for example), on-premise software can introduce new challenges in providing access to these remote employees.
• Upfront costs: When you decide to purchase software and integrate it into your on-premises system, the cost will always be higher to implement that software. While these costs may even out over time, it’s likely that new, updated programs will hit the market, meaning you are left with an outdated piece of software that has no company use. If money or capital is a little tighter, the cloud might be a better fit.

One major trend in a variety of industries is the use of what is called hybrid storage that utilizes both cloud and on-premises solutions. What this means if you do not have to be exclusive with your usage of on-premises or cloud storage. This rule of hybrid storage also applies to company systems too, otherwise known as hybrid systems. You can use the best storage system for the appropriate needs.

We will cover on-premises systems to cloud systems soon.

Def-Logix does offer free consultation services for you, so you can make sure your place of business is running as smoothly as possible. Contact us today at info@def-logix.com.

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Your business matters. Protect it.