Should I store my company's data on a server or in the cloud?

26 Feb Should I store my company’s data on a server or in the cloud?

Posted at 02:47h in Blog by Elitech

One of the most common questions we get at Elitech Solutions, in working with companies in the Houston metro area to provide IT support, concerns where to store data. Some are convinced that data should be stored on physical servers maintained on site, whereas others are intrigued by what cloud storage has to offer and want to go that route.

There are definite advantages to each option, but there are cons as well as pros to factor in while weighing the two paths you can take. The important thing to know initially is no matter what direction you choose, your data will be housed on a physical server.

Cloud storage simply means that you’re using an Internet connection to get from your computer to a remote server (or a number of servers in a number of locations). Depending on the cloud storage provider you choose, the data might be physically stored in a different city or even a different country, but provided that you have an Internet connection and the data hasn’t been compromised, the user doesn’t notice any difference in how quickly the data can be accessed.

The main advantage of having a server on-site, of course, is control. You can physically see and access the servers, and if your network is set up to access the servers directly, you can access your data without needing to go online. You don’t have a rely on a third party to host your data. And though it does require an initial capital investment to pay for the servers, it might save you money in the long run even if it appears to be a significant one-time cost.

You will need to make sure though, before you make plans to take care of your data storage needs via in-house servers, that you have space to actually store those servers. It needs to be large enough and ventilated enough to handle servers; they do consume electricity, though servers are being made more energy efficient all the time. The images you might have of servers from even a few years ago may be outdated compared to how they are now.

Also, how secure you make those servers is how secure they’ll be. The actual physical elements of security — keycard access, locks, security cameras — require investments, and then it’s up to you what level of password protection and firewall protection you want.

With cloud storage, you’re essentially outsourcing your storage needs, and renting space on servers located elsewhere, accessing them by going online and connecting to them virtually. This can be a great option if you don’t know how much data storage you’ll need, if you’ll need to increase the amount of data you store over time, or if you have fluctuations in the amount of data storage you’ll need at various times of the year. You only pay for what you need.

You can also create backups whenever and from wherever you want, initiating them from any device where you can get up, get online, and get to your cloud storage. You don’t physically need to be with a server to access it.

But it can be costlier over time, depending on the amount of data you have, to store it with a third-party cloud provider than to store it yourself on your own servers. Cloud storage providers might also limit you in how much data you can actually store on their servers. Even if there’s not an official limit to how much you can store, there will certainly be a point at which it will be far more cost-effective to store your own data.

So what system is right for you? It could be either, and indeed, it could also be both! (That is to say, a hybrid system in which some of your most important, need to have at your fingertips data is on a server in your headquarters, and other data you need to maintain is stored in the cloud.)

The best way to find out is to consult with an IT partner to assess where you’re at, where you think you’ll be in the next few months, and what data security concerns you have. If you’re in the Houston metro area and you’re looking for a data storage solution, Elitech Solutions is here to walk you through all the questions that

We find more often than not, we recommend that companies install their own servers, and then we work with them to install and maintain the servers over time. But it could be you’re just the right company for a cloud storage solution, and if that’s the case, we’ll be able to set you up with the one that works best for you.

If you’re in the Houston metro area, looking for managed IT services, cloud storage solution repair, or network solutions, Elitech Solutions is here for you.

We’re ready to become your IT service partner — the team that will take care of your IT network, ready to provide support when you need us, so you can take care of your customers and your business.