Top 12 Reasons for Hosting on the Cloud over On-Premises
As the modern workspace continues to evolve rapidly, business owners have to figure out how best they can stay relevant by applying technology to the way they work. Traditionally, businesses would run programs or applications from a physical server or computer within their buildings. But thanks to cloud computing, you can access the same applications over the internet from anywhere, at anytime.
Typical of any hosting platform, the cloud also has its inherent attributes, advantages, and setbacks. Before making the crucial decision on whether to change from the traditional hosting within the premise, you must understand all the benefits and drawbacks in equal measure.
This quick read should help you make an informed choice regarding the hosting for your company website.
Difference between on-premise vs cloud hosting
It is no surprise that cloud hosting is now more popular than ever, and its promise and allure offer newfound flexibility for companies. From cutting down on the burden of maintenance for your IT team to improving scalability and agility, there is no limit to the benefits it offers.
On-premise hosting, on the other hand, has for long served as the only available offering, and it can adequately address all the needs of your business. Moreover, such applications are secure, reliable, and allow you to maintain a high degree of control which the cloud cannot offer.
Regardless, IT decision-makers should look to leverage the cloud to achieve the organisation’s goals.
How you will benefit from cloud hosting
Here is why you should opt for cloud hosting Australia:
- Enabling your staff – with the cloud, your staff can access applications and data from anywhere, at anytime. Whether you have staff working on the road or just want to provide your employees the options to work out of the office every now and then, more flexibility is one of the most sought after benefits for your employees.
- Future proof – Most businesses still rely on old systems that cannot stand the test of time. However, cloud data is stored in secure servers that are updated regularly to ensure that crucial business data is safely kept for as long as you or your company require it.
- Predictable costs – Cloud hosting is offered in the form of subscriptions that are paid monthly or annually. Also, Cloud hosting has a flexible billing process where you can adjust your subscriptions to match your company’s needs. This predictability makes it much friendlier to your cash flow.
- Minimal setup costs – Hefty setup costs are a struggle for anyone running a business. With cloud hosting, however, you are not required to purchase or install servers or hardware. You will only pay for the monthly or annual subscriptions.
- Highly scalable – Cloud hosting is flexible and can be effective even with fluctuating staff employee numbers. Your tailored cloud solution is able to support your business by growing as your business grows.
- Saves on time – Time is a luxury that very few people have, but cloud hosting offers your staff more time to ensure increased productivity. Your IT team no longer need to worry about maintaining and replacing internally managed servers and technology, freeing up their time for high-value activities.
- Data security – In terms of data safety, cloud hosting is generally superior since it has in-built security compliance. However, it is crucial that you perform your due diligence and choose a reputable provider to help find the appropriate solution for your business.
- Greater uptime guarantees – Cloud hosting providers provide a minimum uptime guarantee as well as redundancy in place to mitigate the impacts of downtime, so you can be sure that your system will remain available and active around the clock, every day of the year.
- Greater support levels – You do not have to rely on your IT manager alone for assistance. Instead, your provider will offer local support around the clock.
- Continuous updates – The beauty of cloud hosting is that your supplier ensures all programs and apps are up to date, and you are always working with the best possible system suited to your business needs.
- Fast and smooth rollout – Cloud computing ensures faster deployment and seamless integration without changing your current IT system architecture.
- The provider handles the installation of new features – Who has time to focus on continuous improvement when there’s a business to run? Your supplier will take care of your servers while rolling out regular new features like security updates.
- Cloud hosting – All your data is on the cloud, so you can access it even when outside the premises. This increases productivity while better enables your staff.
The pros & cons of on-premise hosting
Still, there are several reasons why small to medium businesses may choose an on-premise system. First, you enjoy more control of your site and tasks roles such as security and updates remains an internal responsibility. Since you have physical control, you have the power to customise your system, choose your upgrades and set your own timelines. You may also incur lower long-term costs, and this could help raise your bottom line.
The disadvantages of on premise hosting make it a less than ideal option. For instance, you require significant upfront investment on computers and servers. Also, you rely on your internal IT team for the management and maintenance of the system and for system upgrades. Therefore, lacking a dedicated, skilled, and experienced team could potentially lead to security breaches, data loss, or downtime.
With data inside the premises, it becomes susceptible to theft and natural disasters. The system also lacks the scalability and agility of the cloud, and cannot be scaled up or down to meet high demand periods or adjusting to accommodate influxes of new staff and an increasing employment.
Reliable solution to the risks of cloud hosting
Similar to on premise, cloud hosting can also be disadvantageous if you partner with the wrong service provider. Your systems could be more easily targeted by hackers and your business data could be accessed by third parties. The associated costs can also escalate if not well managed.
Forum Group is the ideal provider for cloud hosting in Australia, and we have mitigated the risks in many ways. Our private cloud solution uses a secure firewall that also has the best-practice security procedures and policies. This way, we minimise attack surfaces and ensure a secure and fully patched infrastructure. To add to this, you can also access your information and apps over secure and private internet service.
Forum Group can help determine the best hosting solution for your business. For more information, let’s talk.
Here article Top 12 Reasons for Hosting on the Cloud over On-Premises was originally published on Forum Group
