Businesses rely heavily on cloud storage provided by third parties, such as Microsoft, when storing protective data and other technical resources. Keeping and storing business information helps companies optimize and enhance profitability because of its security, reliability, and integration capacity.
However, there have been debates on whether cloud-based servers are the best solution for storing business information. There are also on-premise servers and, sometimes, hybrid solutions. Let’s look at the differences between on-premise and cloud-based servers to understand better how they operate.
Difference Between On-premise vs. Cloud-Based Servers
When a company uses on-premise storage, its server is hosted within its IT infrastructure. Often, this infrastructure is physically on-site, and the local network allows data and information sharing between computers. The company’s in-house IT team or partner controls this server. They administer, procure, and maintain this for their client company.
Meanwhile, storage through cloud servers uses an outside provider to host a company’s data or information. An example would be the Microsoft 365 cloud server. The company can access and maintain its cloud account through personal computers, browsers, or mobiles. However, instead of the company’s in-house IT team, the cloud provider takes responsibility for installing and maintaining the software, hardware, and other cloud-supporting infrastructures from their data centers.
Security
When deciding where to store their data, companies always prioritize security. Because of this, most of them still prefer on-premise over cloud-based servers. They believe that fewer people (no third-party provider) having access to data means more security and control over it. They often forget, however, the high level of security system they need to build on their own. Suppose they do; the company must invest expertise, money, and time in building a solid firewall, access control securities, and other security tools.
With cloud-based servers, companies have fewer worries about security. Cybersecurity experts build and maintain multi-layered security on cloud servers. Its security features include physical data center security, access control systems, suspicious login and activity monitoring, network protection, continual threat monitoring, encryption for data in transit and at rest, continuous validation, and other similar features.
Scalability
Business operations and information expand as time passes, hence the need for scaling up. Both on-premise and cloud servers have scalability, but one offers more convenience. On-premise servers scale up by increasing memory and computing power and adding new software and hardware. Thus, if demand for increased scale arrives because of increased workload, it might cost the company more time and money.
So how do cloud servers work on scalability? When company workloads change or expand, they can quickly scale up in a few clicks because of cloud storage’s built-in features. They can also scale down when needed or choose an auto-scale for more flexibility.
Backup
Information is almost always at risk of disaster or data loss. Many on-premise servers ensure data protection with an off-site backup service. Despite choosing on-premise over cloud storage, they still resort to the latter for backup and more secure data protection when data safety is at stake.
This decision is because cloud servers have built-in features protecting information from data loss. These features enable faster recovery times, reducing the risk of losing data. These features include monitoring, automatic logging, failover, and backup.
Accessibility
Information stored should be accessible at all times possible for the company. On-premise servers are easily accessible for workers who work primarily in the office. Most of the information is readily available for download and upload, which takes less time. However, there could be some difficulty accessing them when workers abruptly shift to remote work because it might overload the system.
Cloud servers, on the other hand, are perfect for remote working. As long as there is internet available, information stored is always accessible. Furthermore, the cloud allows for real-time sharing and collaboration, making work even more convenient.
The Edge of Using a Migration Tool
Transferring data to the cloud requires cloud migration tools. Cloud migration is crucial and complex, hence the importance of choosing the right migration tool. This tool should not add more hassle to the process and must handle the migration efficiently.
The transfer must be fast and sync data quickly and securely to ensure efficiency. There should also be no downtime, as time is of the essence in business. Most importantly, it must be reliable, low-risk, and result in greater productivity rather than causing data loss and causing more issues.
