A business dilemma - keeping data in the Cloud vs. on-site

The Cloud is one of the biggest IT trends in business right now and many businesses are beginning to recognise the benefits of hosting their existing and new data in a virtualised environment.

However, deciding whether to move your data to the Cloud can be a very significant decision - more so because many companies still aren’t completely clear on the advantages of moving to the Cloud. Equally they may not be aware of the growing disadvantages of keeping data on-site.

We’ve outlined the top five reasons for taking the plunge and moving your system to the Cloud, and why on-site systems simply no longer cut the mustard:

1. Security
Security is often the most common reason for hesitation in making the switch. However, modern systems for securing and controlling access to your data on the cloud, offer high resilience and the very highest level of protection.

2. Cost
Replacing your server may seem like the cheaper option in the short-term. But investing in a Cloud system now will save your company more in the long-term. The Cloud means there is no more need to build in overhead or buffer as you do with your own hardware - you only buy what you need, it means you are never spending money on capacity you don’t need.

3. Storage
Leave your worries about running out of storage behind – the Cloud is effectively limitless! On-site devices need backing-up and archiving often, taking up precious time - with the Cloud this is all done for you.

4. Space
The Cloud is ‘invisible’, which unlike an on-site system, means no bulky equipment and wires taking up useful space in your office.

5. Disaster recovery
Of course it’s worth stressing that your data in the Cloud is always backed up to a physical server. So if a fault does occur, the Cloud will have backed up all of your original files, meaning that you can get back on track with minimal pause or downtime in your business. This is especially useful when logging data remotely - such as with a Cloud-based FilesThruTheAir™ temperature and humidity sensor, because you can pinpoint where your system crashed.

Zach Donohue - Product Design Engineer, Corintech Ltd