Small Business Server Solutions
Are you a small to medium-sized business owner building a company that's growing quickly? Should you opt for Cloud-based services or On-Premise servers? Trying to figure out what's best for the foundational infrastructure of your business's technological capabilities is quite the challenge.
In today's modern world of progressive technology that is moving at an almost unfathomable pace, it's no mystery why it's difficult to know what the best option is.
This post is dedicated to finding out the differences, and which method is better for your business needs. We will look at the pros and cons of each, and do a comparison of Cloud vs On-Premise solutions for overall efficiency.
Blue Oak Technology Solutions can help put these facts in perspective for you, in a completely objective way. We believe in IT solutions that fit exactly what you need, and nothing you don't.
Foundational Needs
The first thing you need to know is what the infrastructure should consist of for your company or organization and its environment. Knowing this and planning for these factors ahead is the key to success, not to mention will potentially save you a lot of time and money. Things like scalability, workloads, resources, and capital, are important to your system's infrastructure.
One of the biggest advantages of analyzing these facts is that by choosing the right infrastructure, your company can grow, develop and prosper without encountering any substantial problems. When comparing cloud vs. on-premise systems, things that are important to consider are privacy and security, hardware and software, storage needs for company data, etc., internet connection and deployment, and of course, money - both upfront costs as well as the long-term cost of maintaining the system.
What is On-Premise? Cloud?
An on-premise server is a physical server that you own and that's usually on the same site as your business, or in another safe location that you control.
A cloud server is a hosted instance on a server owned by another company that allows you to use and access their hardware, via an Internet connection, for a monthly fee, often based upon how much storage you need. There is still a physical server somewhere, but you don't own it or have physical access to it.
Privacy and Security
Some businesses may prefer on-premise servers because they utilize a custom written program, or they use programs that are database driven or graphics intensive that just don't work well over an Internet connection, so maintaining the physical server in-house is the best option. In this case, the business is responsible for the security routine, including firewalls, secure passwords and offsite data backups.
With the cloud, your programs and data are maintained securely and separated from other businesses that also utilize the same server farm; the cloud computing company is then responsible for maintaining the security to their hardware. Keep in mind, though, that you access your server via the Internet and maintain your own passwords for your programs, so these elements of security will still fall on you to maintain.
Blue Oak Technology Solutions can help you choose which option makes more sense for your business and help you manage your IT network, providing top-quality technical support and security.
Internet Connection and Deployment
How fast your internet connection is (and needs to be) is a factor when comparing cloud vs. on-premise methods. With on-premise deployment, the organization can operate within its own network and does not rely on an internet connection to continue functioning.
With a hosted cloud solution, your server instance is only available when you have Internet access available to you to connect to it.
There are differences in the type of cloud computing you choose, as far as public cloud, private cloud, or even a mixture, a hybrid cloud. Business resources are hosted on the service provider's premises, with full access provided to your company at all times.
Data Storage and Data Recovery
This is an important consideration for businesses because as a general rule of thumb, most organizations have a considerable amount of data. With on-premise solutions, the company is responsible for all data security and storage needs, and again, has ultimate access and control over this. Use our data backup services so that, in the case of theft, fire, loss, or the need for disaster recovery, all of your data can be recovered.
Cloud-based solutions are backed up by the host provider and stored at an offsite location, so critical operations for your business are always accessible.
Blue Oak Technology Solutions can help you make the smartest decisions for your company's well-being possible. We understand how important these decisions are and how difficult they can be. Our professional expertise will guide you through, based on your personal business needs.
Software
On-premise software vs. cloud software is another factor to consider. This choice really comes down to cost and control issues. On-premise software is owned by your organization outright, and as such you are responsible for its maintenance. This includes patches, upgrades, and updates released by the software vendor via paid support plans must be installed by you.
Cloud solutions don't require the purchase of software as it is typically offered on a 'per user' basis on a monthly fee. With this arrangement, patches, upgrades and updates are generally included and installed by the vendor.
That's also what we do here at Blue Oak Technology Solutions, your IT department, providing all the maintenance and support you need. We'll work with your software vendors to install any ongoing updates released on their products. We're here whenever you need us, with quality, custom, personalized service.
Costs
When comparing the costs of on-premise vs. cloud services, there are a number of factors to consider. A cloud solution is usually a monthly fee for what you need, nothing extra. With cloud, there is usually little-to-no upfront cost for hardware, but there will be some costs for the migration and initial set up. The monthly costs can add up more quickly than you might expect, especially if you create and/or maintain a large volume of data. Your monthly costs for server hosting are typically expensed for tax purposes.
With on-premise servers, you invest upfront on the equipment, operating system and installation; this purchase is then typically depreciated by your tax expert. From there, you're responsible for the on-going maintenance of the device, including repairs or upgrades to the hardware and software. The typical lifespan of a server is generally expected to be 3-5 years before a replacement is warranted.
Scalability
Depending on how much additional storage you need, an on-premise solution would need added hardware and installation.
With a cloud-based solution, you'll likely be able to expand your storage with the click of a button - and a higher monthly fee.
Which is better?
Both cloud and on-premise systems have pros and cons, for certain. But it's more about what's best for your business; every organization has different needs.
When you're looking for technical solutions for your business, remember Blue Oak Tech is here to help you make sense of all your options. Contact us today to see how we can help you.
