Like it or not, more and more organizations are opting for cloud-based document storage. Gartner expects that 50 percent of enterprises will manage their content in a hybrid architecture by 2018. And cloud storage is only going to grow from there.
See how your current document storage strategy compares >
Should you be storing documents in the cloud? And what’s the difference between on-premises and cloud document storage anyway?
On-Premises vs. Cloud Document Storage
Consider the day-to-day practice of storing documents. It’s really not that different storing them on-premises versus in the cloud. Either way, your documents should be made accessible and kept secure.
Some organizations are resistant about moving to the cloud and worried about cloud security? Can you trust that your documents will be kept safe?
The reality that cloud storage is safer than many think. Between redundancy, security, and safe sharing options, the cloud is just as safe (if not safer) than your on-premises software.
That leaves one main difference you’ll face upfront—storage capacity. Your storage capacity will be infinite in the cloud—but to keep documents on-premises, you’ll need to decide how much storage capacity you need. And that can be tricky. Do you go big to prep for the future? Or do you go conservative to avoid wasted storage space?
When deciding whether to store documents on-premises or in the cloud, think about your organization’s infrastructure preferences. If you have everything on-premises today, it might make more sense to stick with that for document storage (for now). If you’re transitioning into the cloud anyway, then now might be the best time to put document storage there.
On the fence about on-premises or cloud document storage? Here are three signs you should be storing documents in the cloud.
1. Your Business is Growing Fast
Growing businesses need (and often prefer) the storage flexibility that the cloud can offer. Plus, IT shops are trying to lower costs and avoiding adding more server resources.
In the cloud, you can optimize more and expand capacity as the company grows. You won’t have to make a guess about how much storage you need. And you won’t have to make a big investment right off the bat. Instead, you can test the waters of document storage in the cloud and reduce or increase your storage size as you go along.
This makes it easier to manage, deploy, and expand document storage—without worrying about over (or under) utilizing your resources.
2. You Want Lower Upfront Storage Costs (and Greater Flexibility)
One of the biggest differences between document management on-premises versus in the cloud is the upfront cost.
On-premises software typically requires a greater upfront investment. Cloud software, on the other hand, has a lower upfront cost. Instead, you can let your document storage be a monthly expense. Depending on your needs, it could be as little as pennies a day.
Plus, cloud storage gives you greater flexibility to size capacity to meet your needs. Reduce or expand as you see fit—you’re not locked into a particular infrastructure.
3. You Need to Be Prepared for the Worst
You never know when disaster may strike.
If your business is located in an area prone to natural disasters (like hurricanes) or with a greater risk for disasters (like terrorist activity), you need to have a backup plan.
Opting for cloud document storage takes care of the backup plan for you. Your documents will be already backed up in the cloud server.
There’s a self-healing aspect to cloud document storage, too. If something goes wrong with one of your documents, the cloud will be able to recover the document for you.
So Should You Be Storing Documents in the Cloud?
If any of the three signs above resonated with you, it might make sense to store your documents in the cloud.
Then again, it might not. Every company has a different strategy when it comes to migrating to the cloud. Some are embracing it. Others are cautiously moving. And a few are hesitant about the cloud in general.
As you’re deciding about on-premises versus cloud document storage, think about both the short-term and long-term.
You might be operating with plenty of on-premises storage today. But what happens if…
- You run out of storage space
- You start moving other applications into the cloud
- You add more employees who need access to documents—from different locations
Moving into the cloud might be in your long-term future, and as you consider document storage today, you need to think long-term. If you opt for on-premises document storage, choose something that can be enabled for the cloud later on.
Check Your Documents
Where are you storing documents today? Should you move them into the cloud? Or keep them on-premises? Find out how you compare to other organizations.
