Tip of the Week: Choosing the Right Storage for Your Business

Regardless of where it is kept, your data’s security is of paramount importance. However, this doesn’t mean that the decision between leveraging the cloud or an on-premise server for your data storage needs isn’t an important one. For this week’s tip, we’ll weigh these options against each other to help you establish which is the better option for your business’ needs.

Cloud
The cloud offers quite a few advantages to those who utilize it as a data backup or storage solution. A major one is how cost-effective a cloud platform is, as the costs of maintenance and utility requirements are bundled into the service, and the only costs left are for storage space and the services that the cloud provider offers.

In addition, the cloud offers fully customizable scalability to your needs. Unlike an in-house platform, the space and computing resources available to you are fully adjustable. All you need to do is inform your provider, and they will adjust your service to best fit your requirements. Furthermore, the cloud also provides improved accessibility. Cloud-based storage allows you to access the data stored in your provider’s facility via most Internet-connected devices through either a browser or an app, providing you anytime access.

There are a few disadvantages to cloud storage, but your particular business needs may cause them to not factor in quite so strongly. However, speed can be a consideration, given your circumstances. If, for instance, you have a considerable amount of large files, or your Internet connection isn’t quite up to the task, working with the data you have in the cloud may not be efficient enough for business purposes.

Local Storage
Local storage allows you to access your data at increased speeds, but there are other advantages to it as well. A business that leverages an in-house infrastructure has increased control over their solutions, and as a result, more options.

This increased control enables you to design and manage your infrastructure in a way that saves money for your business. For instance, a single server can host multiple virtual machines, and your information can be protected by redundancy.

However, the initial costs are considerable because of the need to procure the requisite hardware and software, and scalability becomes a bigger concern. What’s worse, keeping all of your data in one place leaves you vulnerable. If a disaster were to strike, you could lose access to your data, assuming that your data survives. It’s also important to consider the fact that every several years, your infrastructure will need to be refreshed and upgraded, which would require another upfront payment to deploy the same platform.

The Hybrid
Many companies find both on-premise IT infrastructure and cloud hosting to have their own pros and cons. In cases like this they might use a hybrid of both. For example, hosting your email in the cloud but your line of business app in-house might be the best solution for your business. Your IT requirements, security compliances, and broadband speeds are all factors that come into play when making decisions about where your infrastructure should go.

Washington Works can help you to make these important decisions regarding your business technology. Give us a call at 301-571-5040 for assistance.