Cloud Computing, On-Site, or Both? SMBs Have Choices

By the DynaSis Team

With all the news about the wonders of cloud computing, many small and midsized business (SMB) owners may wonder if they are making a mistake by not adopting cloud technology. Yet, they also have concerns, ranging from security issues to availability of offsite resources if Internet connections go down.

Depending on the SMB’s business model, location, and level of technological sophistication, these may be valid concerns. Yet, there is no doubt that cloud computing provides big benefits, and SMB adoption is accelerating. In a round-up of cloud computing “facts and figures,” Forbes noted that the cloud market for SMBs will double between 2015 and 2020, from 37 percent of U.S. SMBs to 78 percent.

The good news is that decision makers don’t need to choose between an off-site cloud and their current on-site systems. With a hybrid setup, they can have both—and they can selectively choose which resources to run in the off-site cloud. With this approach, often called a hybrid cloud, some data and other business assets remain hosted on company servers while others are run and accessed remotely.

The two sets of resources are tied together so that they run as a single, cloud-supported solution, with their on-site resources essentially serving as a “corporate” cloud. Yet each of the components can be configured differently to meet designated security, backup, and other requirements.

To determine if a hybrid cloud is the right approach, SMB owners must evaluate their current needs and future plans, as well as their ability to support on-premise systems. Such an evaluation is often difficult and time-consuming for business owners, who may benefit from the help of an objective, qualified outsider such as an IT solutions or IT consulting company.

If you are currently evaluating your resources for a new or expanded cloud deployment, consider these factors:

All Cloud Solution

• Most cloud-hosted services include updates, backups, monitoring and upgrades at no additional charge, reducing the need for IT staff.
• Cloud solutions generally have lower upfront costs, reduced hardware requirements and less overall maintenance than on-site equipment.
• Cloud-hosted products provide on-demand remote access to all authorized individuals with an Internet connection.
• Clouds are highly scalable (storage can be increased quickly and easily).

All On-Site Solution

• If the firm has a custom setup, such as a database resource that supports a customized application, on-site storage is likely the best solution.
• If the company operates under strict compliance requirements that require sensitive data to be hosted behind a local firewall, on-site may be the only option for those resources.
• If the organization runs software or services that interact with systems not connected to the Internet, the cloud may not work.
• If the company already has a large IT services department with professionals trained in varied roles, the cloud is less attractive.

Hybrid Solutions

If you like the benefits listed under All Cloud but some of the All On-Site criteria apply to your organization, a hybrid storage and delivery model could be the perfect option. With hybrid delivery, for example:

• You can store the majority of your assets securely in the cloud but meet compliance requirements with a secure on-site server.
• If you have a mix of out-of-the-box and customized applications, you can optimize delivery of the “standard” applications through the cloud but maintain your custom ones on-site.

A hybrid solution also allows you the flexibility to test a variety of cloud delivery and storage approaches to find the perfect mix for your firm.

Reputable managed services providers can help you evaluate and make these decisions and can also help you move resources to the cloud safely and securely. Some managed services companies offer ready-made hybrid solutions that include ongoing IT support.

Specializing in managed IT services and network security, Atlanta based DynaSis has been supporting small to midsized business for almost a quarter century. Among the services we provide are cloud computing through the DynaSis Business Cloud, 24 x 7 x 365 helpdesk support, and real-time monitoring enabling us to deal with “issues” before they become problems. For more information, please call DynaSis at 678.218.1769 or visit www.DynaSis.com.