Many companies are overwhelmed by all the stories that come at them about the cloud: being able to log in to the work environment anytime and anywhere, lower costs and more flexibility. Who doesn’t want that? It all seems so nice, but there are still many companies that run their software on their own servers and are satisfied with that. Why would they switch? We list its advantages and disadvantages.
Everything safe and secure in your own home
Do you have a stable company that provides products or services that hardly change over time? Has there been significant investment in the infrastructure recently and no major upgrades need to be done for the time being? Do you think it is important to keep full control over your IT environment and not to be dependent on an external provider? In that case, it is not obvious to place your environment in the cloud, but it is better to keep everything in-house.
The possibilities of the cloud
The cloud is particularly suitable for organizations that are constantly on the move and must be able to deal with changes flexibly. It is ideal for companies looking to grow as it gives the flexibility to easily scale up or add new features.
Cost aspects often play a major role when making a choice. With a move to the cloud, investments in hardware, licenses or server space are a thing of the past. ICT personnel costs are also often reduced because fewer internal ICT employees are needed to keep the environment running. Instead, you pay the provider an amount for the capacity you purchase. Although these costs generally always turn out lower on paper, it is always wise to make a good financial analysis in advance of what a switch means in practice.
The cloud also has its drawbacks
Of course, there are also downsides to a switch to the cloud: New security risks can arise from the use of the internet that need to be addressed. As a company, you no longer have full control over your IT environment. You hand over a large part of the responsibility: making backups, monitoring security, fine-tuning performance, updating software, etc. These tasks are now done behind the scenes by the provider while your own employees are involved. focus on the core business of your company.
The best of both worlds
In practice, the choice between outsourcing or keeping everything in your own hands is often not as black and white as it seems. All kinds of intermediate forms are possible, whereby certain applications remain in-house while others are housed in the cloud. In many cases this is a very sensible solution. Why would you immediately outsource a system that runs locally to full satisfaction and in which a lot has been invested in to an external party? You can manage certain applications in-house, while others are stored in the cloud.
Knowing more?
Which is the best choice for your company: on premise, the cloud or hybrid? To make this assessment, it is important to map out your business objectives and to choose a solution that matches them. Switching to the cloud is a complex process that requires the necessary IT knowledge. That is why it is wise to discuss the options for your company with a specialist. We at Cloud Avenue are happy to help you!