In recent years, we have witnessed an interesting trend: companies that previously migrated to the cloud are now repatriating their data and services back to on-premises infrastructures. What drives this shift in direction? Let’s explore the reasons and highlight the advantages of keeping local servers while using the cloud exclusively for secure backups.
Total Control and Security
Maintaining on-premises servers provides companies with complete control over their infrastructure. This is especially crucial for regulated or sensitive sectors such as healthcare and finance. When data resides locally, the company’s IT team can directly oversee data security and compliance. Furthermore, data security is enhanced when servers are under direct supervision.
Performance and Latency
Business-critical applications can benefit from lower latency and improved performance when run locally. The physical proximity of servers to users reduces latency and enhances the user experience. This is particularly relevant for companies relying on time-sensitive applications, such as financial transactions or customer service.
Cost-Effectiveness
Investing in on-premises servers is more cost-effective in the long term. While the cloud offers scalability and flexibility, cloud storage can be expensive. Costs associated with data transfer, storage, and ongoing usage can add up quickly. Additionally, cloud service quality can vary, and hidden costs may catch companies off guard. Well-managed local servers provide a more affordable and predictable alternative.
Secure Cloud Backups
Rather than fully migrating to the cloud, many companies are choosing to maintain their on-premises servers and use the cloud solely for backups and disaster recovery. This approach combines the best of both worlds: local control and cloud security. Cloud backups offer an additional layer of protection, ensuring that data remains available even in the event of local server failure. Moreover, data recovery from cloud backups is swift and doesn’t require physical equipment.
Conclusion
In summary, the strategy of maintaining on-premises servers and strategically utilizing the cloud can be the most efficient approach for many organizations. The combination of control, performance, cost, and security makes this approach appealing to companies seeking to balance cloud advantages with practical realities and associated costs .