A company's IT infrastructure should always reflect its situation, especially as companies grow over time and new employees join. As remote working becomes more and more popular, access to company data should be guaranteed from anywhere. Entrepreneurs are faced with the issue of data backup and whether to rely on an external cloud service or their own server.
We are now in the digital age. This brings many exciting new developments and opportunities, along with many new challenges, unfortunately. Every successful company now needs a strong IT infrastructure. Digital security and organised informatics are therefore vital issues. Data should be accessible easily and quickly from anywhere, especially for companies that offer remote working options. Nevertheless, they must be saved securely. As the company grows, the storage capacity should grow with it. All of this at a fair price, of course.
Overwhelmed? That is understandable, after all there is a lot to think about and consider.
Basically, you have the choice between two types of data backup: a cloud server or a dedicated server. What is the difference? Which one suits your company best? In this article, we will show you the advantages and disadvantages of each so that you can choose the solution that is right for you.
What is the difference?
Dedicated servers are also known as "in-house servers" or "on premise servers". This server is bought or rented by companies in order to obtain exclusive rights of use. One thus becomes the sole user and owner of the server. It is up to you to decide which hardware, software and location to use. However, this also means that you yourself are responsible for the operation and maintenance, updates and remediation of the server's vulnerabilities. The physical servers are located on site at the company.
A cloud server, on the other hand, is a virtual server that is managed by a third party hosting provider. These hosting companies take care of the physical administration and maintenance of the servers and give other companies access to these servers. This allows them to grow flexibly with the computing power and scale according to the situation. The price for their acquisition is usually lower and occurs at regular intervals.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Data Backups with Dedicated Servers
Some advantages of this model are:
- User rights: Your servers are only used by your company, which you have control over the choice of hardware and future planning. Changes in the set-up and software updates are completely in your hands.
- Computing power: You can use the full power of your servers. If increased capacity is to increase, you can take over the planning completely independently.
- Security: You are solely responsible for the security of your data. Even without an internet connection, you can still access them.
The disadvantages are the following:
- Know-How: In order to acquire the necessary hardware, you need to have a certain knowledge of IT. Further planning and scaling also requires a certain amount of IT know-how.
- Resources: The acquisition costs for dedicated servers are high. Even after the purchase, you will still need to invest in the maintenance and the specialist staff for the maintenance of these servers.
- Downtime: Unless an emergency replacement is ensured, server failures can lead to a standstill.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Data Backups with Cloud Servers
Some advantages of this model are:
- Lower acquisition costs: Hardware and infrastructure costs are almost completely eliminated. Payments to providers are higher in the end, but they come in form of smaller payments at regular intervals.
- Security and failures: While the security of your data is out of your hands, hosting providers are always looking for the maximum level of security. The risk of a prolonged outage is low.
- Scalability: You can easily increase or deepen your computing power, and only need a few clicks to grow your server.
- No know-how necessary: The servers are maintained by third-party providers, so you don't need any IT knowledge.
The disadvantages are the following:
- Internet access: To access a cloud server, internet access is required.
- No control: Sensitive data is processed and stored by third parties. Decision about software updates and the like are made by the respective providers.
Conclusion
Most SMEs today opt for cloud servers. The advantages of a dedicated server are only significant enough for very few companies to consider this model, and the level of security hardly differs. Nevertheless, certain companies prefer the control and overview that a dedicated server offers. In this case, backup options are definitely recommended.
This is only one of the many decisions that new entrepreneurs must make in the initial phase. If you need any more help, you have come to the right place. Atlanto covers all aspects of start-up and SME administration in a cloud solution. Starting with order processing to integrated e-banking, time and absence recording and accounting with direct accountant access. With Atlanto, your administrative workload is minimised in every respect, and you can spend more time on your actual business and customer satisfaction. And thanks to our cooperation with the IFJ (Institut für Jungunternehmen), we can guarantee new entrepreneurs a successful start!
