On Prem Vs Cloud

I had a family member the other day asking unbiased advice on the benefits of on prem vs cloud on behalf of their company, so I thought I would share.

Cloud and On-Premises refer to the two different approaches for deploying and managing IT infrastructure and applications.

Cloud computing refers to the delivery of computing services over the internet, such as servers, storage, databases, networking, software, analytics, and intelligence, on a pay-as-you-go basis. Cloud services are provided by third-party providers such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform. Cloud computing offers scalability, flexibility, ease of deployment, and reduced upfront costs.

On-Premises computing, on the other hand, refers to the traditional approach of running software and applications on physical servers and infrastructure that are located on the company's premises or data centers. The company owns and manages the hardware, software, and networking infrastructure, as well as maintains it.

There are advantages and disadvantages to both cloud and on-premises computing.

Advantages of cloud computing include:

1. Scalability: Cloud computing provides an easy way to scale up or down computing resources based on the demand, eliminating the need to maintain additional infrastructure.
2. Cost-effectiveness: Cloud computing offers pay-as-you-go pricing model, which can reduce upfront capital expenditure and ongoing operational costs.
3. Accessibility: Cloud computing enables access to applications and data from any location and device, as long as there is an internet connection.

Advantages of on-premises computing include:

1. Security: On-premises computing offers more control over data security and compliance as the organization manages the physical infrastructure.
2. Customization: On-premises computing allows for greater customization of the infrastructure and software to meet specific business needs.
3. Performance: On-premises computing offers better performance and faster access to data as it does not rely on internet connectivity.

Overall, the decision to choose cloud or on-premises computing depends on the specific needs of the organization, including the nature of the applications, regulatory requirements, budget, and long-term strategy.