What Options Do SMBs Have for Their Server Hosting?

Today’s technology provides businesses with more options than they’ve ever had, including where they want to host their critical infrastructures. This decision will often boil down to between an onsite hardware implementation or utilizing the cloud. Let’s consider the differences that your decision needs to reflect.

First, you need to consider what you need the hosted computing for. If, for instance, you plan to host your own infrastructure solutions and have an established history of success in doing so, moving to the cloud would likely only complicate matters unnecessarily. However, this is not to say that the cloud couldn’t be helpful—particularly if you’re introducing new services to your workforce or trying to expand your business’ resources.

Here, we’ll compare each alternative.

In-House Servers

Despite cloud technology now giving businesses a real alternative to purchasing and maintaining local servers, doing so can still offer many businesses some serious benefits. First and foremost, you must consider the control that complete ownership brings with it. While expensive, owning your own infrastructure gives you the freedom to approach each element precisely how you want to.

An in-house server setup can also be beneficial to a business whose Internet connectivity isn’t the fastest or most reliable. Furthermore, their local nature lends itself well to a business that is held to some compliance standards where data security is involved. While cloud servers certainly don’t lack in security, moving data through an intranet is inherently more secure than moving it through the Internet.

Cloud Servers

Cloud servers are great for the business that needs to keep its options open without breaking the bank in the process. With virtual environments available to meet every need, the costs of sustaining the physical infrastructure are greatly diminished. This makes the cloud an effective and affordable way for a small business to get whatever resources they need for a more predictable rate.

As a result of this, cloud servers are more scalable than self-hosted servers as a rule. With no chance of underutilizing the hardware you invest in; your business can dictate precisely what it needs and pay for that access accordingly. The main impetus at that point becomes ensuring the security of your data as it moves back and forth.

Whichever option is right for you, Directive is here to help you make your selection and handle it for you. To learn more about what we can provide, give us a call at 607.433.2200.