On-Premise Storage Is Here To Stay

Businesses today rely heavily on data to conduct their daily operations. This brings forth an important question: what’s the best way to store this business-critical data?

Here are the two primary data storage options available for businesses:

• Migration to cloud
• On-premise storage

While the cloud has emerged as a favorable option for most businesses, it’s important to deeply check whether your company really needs it. You must assess the requirements carefully and consider the pros and cons of cloud migration.

Remember, there are many other data backup and storage options available in the market besides the cloud - an obvious point, but it needs to be reiterated.

A good example is that of on-premise data storage. Your business can unlock key advantages by investing in on-premise data storage. But how? Let’s take a look.

Keeping an Open Mind: Pros of On-Premise Storage

Before diving into the benefits of on-premise data storage, let's understand what it means.

On-premise storage refers to storing business-critical data on local hardware. This hardware is hosted within an organization's physical infrastructure. The external hardware includes servers, computers, and other storage devices. The entire data storage equipment resides within a company's premises. Hence, it's known as "on-premise" storage. This form of data storage is handled, maintained, and controlled by either a company's in-house IT admins or an external partner.

Let's now take a look at the key benefits of investing in on-premise data storage.

• Robust Security: Data breaches have become very common. You must ensure your business data is protected at all times. One of the most significant benefits of on-premise data storage is that it's more secure than the cloud.

As per statistics, 27% of enterprises experienced a security issue in their public cloud infrastructure within a period of 12 months. Out of these incidents, 23% were a result of security misconfigurations in the cloud. On-premise offers a higher level of security as all the data resides within the company's own in-house servers. Also, no third party is given access to data stored in on-premise servers, making it hard for cybercriminals to attack the data.

• Reduced TCO: The total cost of ownership in the case of on-premise storage is lower than the cloud's recurring payments spread over the systems' entire lifecycle. On-premise storage is controlled by a company's in-house IT staff, and there's no need to renew contracts.
• No Internet-related Interruptions: Another significant benefit of on-premise storage is that it provides offline data access. In the case of cloud storage, fast and reliable internet access is key to staying productive at all times. An unstable internet connection can lead to major downtime and business disruption. On-premise storage depends on an internally created network that can be seamlessly accessed offline.
• Complete Control: With on-premise storage, companies have full control and ownership of the data storage hardware and systems. Hardware updates and configurations are not made without the discretion of the company's IT staff, thus ensuring privacy.

Evaluating Business Requirements

When considering the shift to the cloud, you must consider the current scenario of your business. Why would you unnecessarily move to the cloud if the traditional on-premise data storage is performing well and providing good service?

Let’s not forget cloud migration is not an easy affair. Several factors must be taken care of before migration: Some of these include:

• evaluating the costs and resources required
• finding the right cloud provider
• figuring out how cloud migration will impact operations to preserve business continuity
• developing purpose-built plan and migration strategy
• creating an employee training plan for seamless adoption

Don’t make rushed decisions when migrating to the cloud without careful planning and organizing. This can lead to increased CapEx costs, resources, and unnecessary business disruption.

Powerful Alternatives to Cloud Storage

So, what are some other data storage options in the market that your business can leverage? Check these out:

1. External Hard Drive: An external hard drive is a powerful yet simple alternative to cloud storage. In fact, external hard drives were the go-to option for companies before the emergence of the cloud. They are an effective way to increase storage space and are portable, accessible, and secure.

Your company can use external hard drives to back up data locally quickly, hold essential business documents and media, store file copies, and more. You can choose from many high-quality external hard drives available in the market depending on your business needs.

2. Network-Attached Storage (NAS): Another great alternative to cloud storage is network-attached storage (NAS). It's a file-dedicated storage device that centrally stores and shares data for multiple computers. Hence, it allows many authorized users and client devices to access data remotely. As a scalable, efficient, and affordable data storage option, NAS devices are used across small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). They are simple to use, provide quick and easy data backup, and support varied applications.

Summing it up, while cloud storage has gained massive momentum, on-premise data storage also comes with its own set of core advantages. It’s an effective, secure, and cost-effective data storage solution. Don’t force your business to transition to cloud storage just because it’s become the trend. There are several on-premise options available that your company can choose from for efficient data backup and recovery.