Cloud Solutions Or On-Premise: What’s Right For You?

Cloud software deployments are increasingly common in big and small companies, and many cloud solutions are offered by companies who traditionally used on-premise models? How does a company make a choice when there are viable options in both categories?  Are there still reasons to choose one over the other? How does a company choose the best fit?

Twenty years ago, copier companies offered beginning cloud models, known then as “ASP” models. ASP stands for Application Service Provider and was the precursor of today’s cloud or SAAS, software as a service, products.  Many service providers didn’t take ASP models seriously, because the internet was new. While the cost of an ASP solution was lower, you needed a reliable high-speed internet connection. If you didn’t have that connection, and your Internet was down, you couldn’t get to your documents. Most businesses didn’t want to risk that kind of disruption.

Now, the landscape is different. We assume that companies have reliable high-speed Internet. Secure shared data storage through service providers like Amazon is reliable. Further, you’re more likely to lose a server than you are to lose data hosted in the cloud.  Even so, companies continue to sell on-premise systems in addition to cloud solutions. Some solution providers, like Laserfiche, offer both cloud and on-premise systems, or “self-hosted” systems. Both cloud solutions and self-hosted products are strong performers in the content management space, proving that there is a demand for each offering. Given this, how do you know which one is best for your company?

Cloud Solutions: Right For You?

You should consider cloud solutions if your company:

• Doesn’t have an existing setup to support the technical requirements needed to manage your system.
• Needs to provide access to documents to users inside and outside of your company.
• Needs to get your system up and running quickly.
• Has integration requirements currently supported out of the box.
• Wants to minimize upfront costs.
• Can predict storage requirements and understand how storage might impact the cost of the system.

These examples make Laserfiche Cloud a great fit for small to medium enterprises. It can be the ideal solution because the secure storage of files is a concern for businesses of all sizes. A secure environment is built into the cost so there is a slight premium for cloud systems. Even so, that premium is considerably less than setting up hardware, backups, and staff to manage those if you don’t already have them. Many companies don’t want to maintain that themselves, so cloud solutions are perfect for them.

Is An On-Premise Solution Right For You?

On the other hand, many companies already pay for an IT environment. Laserfiche On-Premise options can use that alongside other applications, which distributes the costs. Other companies may host their IT environment on an infrastructure platform, like Azure or AWS.  For this reason, rather than continue to call it “On-Premise”, Laserfiche now refers to On-Premise as “Self-Hosted.” Laserfiche in these environments would also be considered on-premise. On-premise Laserfiche systems include Laserfiche RIO, Laserfiche Avante, and Laserfiche subscription.

A Laserfiche On-Premise system might be right for you if your company:

• Needs multiple repositories.
• Has workflow and business process management needs that are complex.
• Needs complete control over your system architecture.
• Has a diverse user pool because on-premise systems often offer more license options and flexibility.

For straightforward requirements, both types of systems support storage and retrieval needs. You must understand your processes to determine the best option. A document study and analysis by an ECM expert can guide you through each consideration.

Deau offers document studies for companies of all sizes to ensure your solution fits your specific needs. If you are wondering which solution best works for you, a document study will identify your requirements to ensure that, whichever investment you make, it supports your business as it grows.

Even though cloud offerings offer a quick time to deploy, it’s still important to take the time to fully understand your requirements and expectations. Once you do this,  you can select the right option with confidence, and ensure the expected return.