In today’s digital era, businesses face a critical decision when it comes to their IT infrastructure: By the way, should they settle for cloud-based software or be with an on-site server? Every one of the possible alternatives has a specific benefit-cost mode. Overall, the right decision should be made based on the concrete situation, objectives and resources of an organization. Here, in this blog, we’ll take a look at the critical elements that must be taken into account when choosing the infrastructure for cloud migration and implementation: in between cloud or on-premise IT infrastructure.
Cost
Many issues related to the business require careful attention. The cost is considered to be one of the most crucial concerns. On-premise IT operations initially demand for an imminent investment into hardware, software and maintenance. Virtually speaking, you will have to purchase servers, storage devices, networking units and all other equipment required for the infrastructure, not to mention the continuous costs for electricity and IT personnel to administer and keep the infrastructure. Conversely, software in the cloud is usually based on a pay-per-use model and hence businesses can scale up or down resources specific to demands. This is setting the stage where investors have the option to pay lower upfront costs and steady monthly expenses. This is an important part as you need to monitor implemented DevOps solutions, carefully to not get surprise bills.
Scalability
Scalability also referred to as the ability of a solution to accommodate growing users’ needs as the system continues to expand, is another critical element to be considered. Scaling up requires time, money and other resources when resources are on-premise. Besides paying for extra hardware, you will require its installation and configuration and even update your previous infrastructure to support new elements. While Cloud and DevSecOps solutions do not have any physical constraints of scalability, they outperform in that aspect. Now it is possible to add or remove an obtrusive resource inventory at any moment without the need for a bulky physical expansion. Your company can then quickly adjust to recent market trends without any obstacles.
Security
With security being of the highest concern, companies of a particular size are a target of cybercrime. Unlike with the cloud, in on-premise data centers, you get to exercise full control over both your data and security policies which can be either integrated or customized to meet specific needs. Customized security measures that align with robust security demands and compliance regulations of the organization or enterprise can be developed and applied. It is cloud server providers’ top priority to implement cutting-edge security technology and procedures to protect customers’ data. Despite all of the conveniences that come with this type of approach, the fact remains that you need to be prepared to give up a certain degree of control over the security if you opt for this method. However, it is critical to rely only on the reputed Cloud and DevSecOps solutions providers and ensure that they follow the industry benchmarks and organizational rules.
Performance and Reliability
Without performance and reliability, choosing the right solution for IT Infrastructure won’t mean anything. Role-based access means that every user only sees what is needed to perform their job, making information highly secure and confidential. Besides, they may fail because of hardware problems, power failures or something more. That is the vulnerability which may impede access to services like web pages. The Cloud and DevOps solutions providers possess data centre infrastructure with redundant capacity located at various geographical sites so that multiple data centres can be used and data recovery procedures can be implemented in the event of a disaster. This can thus dramatically improve reliability and ensure seamless service which may be affected by hardware malfunctions or disasters.
Final Brief-Up
Shifting to an on-premise IT infrastructure or cloud-based infrastructure is a complex task that requires the evaluation and balancing of several important issues, which are cost, scalability, security, performance and flexibility. One general approach does not exist, and which cloud migration solution is most feasible for a certain organization, probably does not work for all others. Before deciding which option will be preferred, it’s necessary to assess the specific requirements of your organization, analyze the benefits and drawbacks that each approach possesses and weigh other details such as the budget, technical skills and long-term growth prospects.
OpsTree is an End-to-End DevOps Solution Provider.