Before the cloud, on-premises solutions or those in a data centre were the only options available to businesses. With the fast-paced growth of the internet, it has become possible to host your data elsewhere and access it remotely. With more users looking to stray away from traditional office-based models, cloud services have become more affordable and desirable. Thousands of companies are now adopting a ‘cloud-first’ attitude.
If you still believe an on-premises solution is right for you, you may want to consider the following:
Scalability
If you want to increase the number of resources for an upcoming project, incremental business growth, or even acquisitions, you may demand more from your solution. With a cloud-based solution, you can simply increase your server resources for a revised monthly fee. This means no costly upfront purchases of hardware or migration projects. Scalability works both ways, you can even scale them down and reduce your monthly expenditure.
Capital Investment
On-premises solutions have a significant up-front installation cost along with ongoing costs. With a cloud-based solution, you pay for what you use on a metered basis. You also do not need to refresh your hardware every 3-5 years when warranties expire, or hardware begins to slow or fail.
Security
“Cloud-based” just means it is on the internet and not in your office. Businesses feel secure in the knowledge that their server is in their office and do not want their data in the cloud. The reality is, that all your servers are connected to the internet either way, meaning that they are already exposed to the same threats a cloud-based server is. Microsoft’s data centres are going to be more secure than the protection a small business can afford.
Physical Security
Apart from a cyberattack, when you have physical servers in your office, you take on ‘real-world’ risks. This includes fire, water damage, theft or simply hardware ‘wear and tear’ caused by things like dust or power cuts. If you want to de-risk your hardware, consider a cloud-based solution.
Helping you transform your business with Cloud Migration
Microsoft Azure is a cloud-based service specifically designed for businesses. Organisations have the option to go fully cloud or transition via a hybrid approach. We have a proven record and impressive portfolio of cloud-based migration projects here at Impact IT. Find out more about our Digital & Cloud Transformation Services.
