Between the pandemic’s push for a highly digital culture and the increase in the amount of data that is created, shared, and stored on a daily basis, the past few years have been an indication that large-scale data storage isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
But what this means is that organization are forced to consider one of only a few storage solutions – Cloud storage, Colocation, and On-Premise data storage. With costs rising across the board along with inflation, many companies are choosing to opt for on-premise storage solutions as a cost-saving measure, but there may be more downsides than advantages.
In fact, according to a new report from INAP, 9 in 10 organizations will move workloads off premises by 2022, and for good reason.
Cost
At face value, the cost of an on-premise data center can be appealing. There aren’t any specific requirements beyond what you and your team decide that you need and any regulatory needs such as HIPAA. In theory you can sort of pick and choose what to purchase and where to splurge.
In reality however, the real consideration where cost is concerned is value for money. Where with a colocation data center they have the resources to maintain updated and upgraded versions of equipment, security, power, backups, etc., your on-premise data center only provides you what you purchase yourself. This can mean exorbident costs if you’re trying to match the level of service you’d receive at a larger colocated or hyperscape data center, and even then you won’t have access to the dedicated staff and specialized knowledge of an existing data center for that high price tag.
Security
Your organization’s data is likely your biggest asset as a business, and it is critical to protect it from all sorts of disruptions and threats. Though an on-premise data storage may be able to match some measures of a colocation data center in terms of security, the reality is that the level of security provided by a dedicated colocation data center is unrealistic for most businesses to replicate on their own premises.
Physical security measures such as cameras, ID card entry, specialty locks, etc. are expensive, but accessible to purchase for an on-premise data center. But when an organization starts to consider aspects like business continuity in the event of natural disaster, power outage, or another disruption, preventative measures in those instances are much more difficult, expensive, and labor intensive to install and maintain. For that type of protection, a colocation data center is likely the organization’s best bet unless they’re at the level where they can afford to provide those measures independently of an existing data center.
Adaptability
It’s no secret that the world of data is constantly changing, and at a break-neck pace. If you’re looking to keep up with the standard of data storage, it’s essential that you are able to turn on a dime. This means in every element of storing your data. From software used for security to equipment for storage, you’ll need to be able to adapt, upgrade, and avoid obsolesence wherever applicable.
In an on-premise data center, this can be nearly impossible without a dedicated team who knows what they are doing, and that are trained in the areas of data storage, upcoming technology, and their implementation. Essentially, you’re on your own unless you specifically hire a team to fill in the gaps. Otherwise, your data storage problems will take away from your primary business functions rather than support them, because you’ll be forced to dedicate your valuable time and energy there when issues arise.
Consider Colocation
On premise data solutions may be a good starting point or a decent consideration when your organization is large enough to fully invest in excellent data storage solutions independently, but for most organizations, they’ll derive the same, if not greater, value from partnering with a colocation data center at a lower price point.
Learn more about colocation and its benefits on our website at www.rack59.com.
