There is nothing new about the debate relating to how much of your IT application architecture and data should be stored on your local PCs versus a big central location ‘somewhere else’.
That debate had its origins in the early 1980s and continues today, although we tend to talk about ‘The Cloud’ as that big central location as opposed to ‘the mainframe computer’ in times past.
So, what are the pros and cons of putting your applications on a platform that is actually not physically on your premises?
Pros
1. You won’t have to worry about things such as backups, upgrading your systems to cope with growing volumes, disaster recovery and so on. Your provider should do all that for you.
2. You may see significant cost advantages arising as a result of the reduced amount of IT equipment you might need to maintain on your own premises.
3. Your business equipment insurance issues may be simplified.
4. You will benefit from expert technical support (e.g. IT consulting) from your cloud backup services provider rather than needing to try and develop some of those skills within your own company.
Cons
1. To some extent, you may be reliant upon a third party for the provision of an environment that allows you to continue your day to day business.
2. You may have some understandable concerns relating to data confidentiality and access control –including legislative constraints. That last point may be a particular issue if you are considering using an offshore provider.
3. In some situations there might be a risk of escalating costs in future, though that can be mitigated with appropriate contract provisions.
Deciding upon the shape and location of your IT infrastructure is something that isn’t easy and that is why we at Server Sentry recommend that you allow us to assist with your analysis and decision-making processes. It just might help you to ensure you make the right decision.
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