Cloud vs Data Centre: Which option is Better for Your Business?
Businesses use data in almost every aspect of their operations. Access to real-time data is critical for decision-making, behaviour pattern identification, root cause analysis, and other tasks in any industry. As a result, as a business executive, you must consider where all this data will be stored: in the cloud or on-premises. There are advantages and disadvantages to both options. Only by weighing the pros and cons can you determine which option is best for your specific situation.
Fundamentals of Cloud vs. Data Centre.
The main distinction between a data centre and a public cloud is the location of data storage. Data is typically kept in a data centre on the premises of your business. Some collocated data centres are situated in buildings that are not owned by your company.
An on-premises data centre is a server, or a collection of servers, that you purchase and keep on site to meet your data storage needs. Some people consider it a disadvantage that you must buy networking hardware in addition to server hardware. Like all technology, it will eventually need to be replaced as it gets older. In addition to the cost of purchasing all of this equipment, you will need to hire people to configure, customize, manage, maintain, and secure it. These employees must be well-trained and keep their skills up to date.
Finally, some people believe that this model is limited in terms of scalability. Sure, you can always buy more hardware, but bringing additional servers online takes time, and that time lost may have an impact on your business.
There are several advantages to relying on a data center. First, you have full control of your data and equipment. No one will be able to access it except those you authorize. You control exactly what hardware and software you use because you own the equipment, making customizations much easier because you don’t need permission from a vendor. Finally, if you have any legacy systems, you can create an environment that will support these solutions. This gives you the freedom to migrate to a newer system on your own terms.
The Cloud
In a cloud-based solution, your data is stored on the hardware and infrastructure of someone else. Many people are concerned about handing over so much power. Even though employees at reputable cloud hosting providers are subjected to background checks, some businesses are simply not comfortable with someone else handling and potentially accessing their data.
The cloud-based option also raises security concerns. Even if your vendor stores your data, you are ultimately responsible for its security. If your data is compromised, you will be the one who pays the price. There is also the issue of accessibility. If your internet connection fails, you will be unable to access your remote data stores, which can be a major issue for some.
Security, ironically, is also seen as a benefit of cloud-based hosts. Reputable vendors employ highly trained, experienced personnel to ensure that everything is properly configured, constantly maintained, and adequately secured.
Cost and scalability are two other advantages of cloud-based data. You save money right away because there are no upfront costs for purchasing obsolete hardware and infrastructure. Furthermore, with cloud computing vendors, you only pay for what you use. When you require more space, it is easily accessible. It may be more expensive, but it is there when you need it. Similarly, if your data storage needs scale back, your usage costs will be reduced.
Cloud vs. Data Centre: the most popular myths
1. The cloud is not secure
This is one of the most prevalent cloud myths, and it was one of the most significant barriers to cloud adoption in the early days. People incorrectly assumed that because data or services were moved to the cloud, the cloud was less secure because others could access it. Nowadays, most people understand that this isn’t always true. When it comes to security, most cloud providers actually outperform data centres because they have experts who handle the security, management, and maintenance of the servers and infrastructure used.
2. Data centres are too expensive to run
The cloud has the potential to be less expensive and more efficient, but this is not always the case. You will not always receive the same level of service from one vendor as from another. Furthermore, the cost of using cloud services varies depending on the time of day, usage, and other factors. So, while moving to the cloud may be cost-effective for some businesses, it may incur additional costs for others, especially if the migration is not properly planned or if they require a large amount of bandwidth.
3. Cloud migrations and data consolidation are challenging
Migrating to the cloud involves numerous moving parts, so many that many people believe this type of move is extremely difficult. However, this is another myth that is not entirely true. Many of the issues that arise could have been avoided if the organization had taken the necessary steps to properly plan the migration.
4. All mission-critical applications need to run in a data centre.
Some people still believe that all mission-critical applications require a dedicated administrator on-site to ensure availability and security. True, uptime is critical for
these solutions, but you must consider whether your team can provide the same level of service as your cloud provider.
A reliable cloud partner will provide a service-level agreement that will likely meet or exceed what an internal team can provide. So, there are numerous reasons to keep mission-critical applications on-premises, but they are not necessarily any more secure than in the cloud.
So, which option is the right one for your business?
Unfortunately, there is no easy answer to this question. The best option is one that will help you achieve your business objectives while utilizing your available resources. This is a common issue for SMBs: they simply do not have an experienced internal IT team to handle comprehensive cloud migration or running an on-premises data center.
This is where a reputable managed services provider can help. You can rely on a team of well-trained, experienced professionals to assist you in determining the best solution for your organization and then in planning, implementing, training, managing, and supporting your project.
