In-house vs. Cloud Storage: Which Is Right for Your Business?

Your method of storing information for your business depends on a variety of factors, and these storage technologies are always changing.

The emergence of big data means that more data is being collected and analyzed than ever before. Companies across industries are looking for data storage solutions that can keep up, not to mention provide necessary security and ease of access.

 

Enterprises must decide whether to store data in-house and on-premise, or to move everything to the cloud.

 

Gartner has predicted that the cloud services industry will expand exponentially through 2022, growing 17.5 percent in 2019 to reach $214.3 billion. Over a third of organizations reported that the cloud was a top-three investment priority.

 

A survey from the Cloud Security Alliance showed that almost 70 percent of organizations are now migrating their data for enterprise resource planning (ERP) to the cloud.

 

But is the cloud always the right answer? How do you decide what’s best for your business and customer data?

Types of data being stored

The first factor to consider is the type of data being stored. How sensitive is your data? For example, organizations storing medical records will have different security and privacy considerations than those storing video surveillance footage or financial records.

 

Another consideration is how quickly your data is growing. Cloud solutions allow you to easily add storage to your plan, which can be an instant increase. The most common pricing model for cloud computing is to “pay for what you use.”

 

However, an in-house IT infrastructure can be better for companies looking for more flexibility, processing large amounts of data, and that have constantly growing data needs. With the cloud, these companies won’t have to continuously upgrade their in-house storage hardware.

 

Sometimes the cloud is a solid backup option in addition to an in-house storage solution. Depending on the type of data you’re storing, this could be a requirement, and the cloud can make backing data up automatic and simple.

Costs of implementing an in-house storage solution

Two major benefits of cloud storage are that it requires less time to implement new software and the learning curve is easier across the organization. With in-house storage, you have to deal with costly upgrades and employ staff to manage the system. You’re basically dealing with both the storage hardware and the infrastructure to keep it running.

 

Cloud technology generally helps businesses save money and resources on storage. There isn’t a lengthy period of implementation, and employees across the company can use the cloud solution right away. Any upgrades are installed automatically and seamlessly outside of working hours.

Drawbacks of cloud storage

As with any major decision for your business, there are pros and cons of each direction. What are the drawbacks of cloud storage?

 

Some organizations worry that cloud storage isn’t as secure as on-premise storage. Cybersecurity and maintaining total control over your company’s sensitive data are not small considerations. While the security features of most cloud solutions are reliable and being enhanced all the time, many companies still prefer to have more control over their information. With most cloud solutions, you allow the cloud provider to configure cybersecurity settings. Also, third-party providers may have access to the data, whereas in-house solutions ensure that isn’t the case.

 

However, data stored onsite could be more easily lost in the event of a disaster. In this way, cloud solutions can often be safer and smarter for your disaster recovery plan.

 

Another point, which is both a pro and a potential con, is that you won’t have access to the cloud should you lose internet service for a time. But the pro here is that data is accessible from anywhere you do have a connection, so employees can be more mobile and access information when they’re traveling or working offsite.

 

Generally, a public cloud solution is best for companies with limited budgets. The cloud allows them to save on the in-house server, database and software costs that would be necessary to set up the storage infrastructure. On the other hand, larger companies with more data that want more control over that data may be better off with investing in their own storage equipment and software.

 

There does not have to be one right answer to the cloud versus in-house storage question. Many companies have implemented systems that include both, whether for backups or to allow for capacity overflow. Because some types of data are more sensitive than others within an enterprise, different security and cost considerations may lead you to implement a multi-system storage plan.

 

Unisol International specializes in electronic security, telecommunications, and professional audio/video distribution, and we can ship the solutions we carry anywhere across the globe. We’re compliant with all trade regulations, export licenses, and regulatory issues within the industry. Contact our team today to learn more about our turnkey project deployment services.