9 Reasons Companies Prefer Not to Move to a Cloud Infrastructure

There is always the debate about whether a company's IT infrastructure should be on premise or in the cloud. Some folks will be inclined to leave their infrastructure as is - if it ain't broke don't fix it. Others are considering going to the cloud - but have a number of concerns.

Every company's decision to move to the cloud or stay on-premise will depend on their unique needs and circumstances. While the cloud offers many benefits such as increased scalability, flexibility, and cost savings, some companies may prefer to stick with on-premise servers due to factors such as control, security, and compliance.

9 reasons companies prefer not to move to a cloud infrastructure:

1. Security Concerns - one of the biggest concerns is that cloud data may not be secure, and that it could be vulnerable to cyber attacks or data breaches
2. Compliance Issues - some organizations may be concerned about regulatory compliance issues and the security of sensitive data in the cloud
3. Dependence on a Third-Party - some organizations may not want to rely on a third-party provider for their IT infrastructure and may prefer to maintain control in-house
4. Cost - while cloud computing can be cost-effective, there are also costs associated with transitioning to the cloud and ongoing management
5. Lack of Flexibility - some organizations may feel that the cloud limits their ability to customize their IT environment to their specific needs
6. Downtime - there may be concerns about potential downtime or service disruptions that could impact business operations
7. Data Loss - some organizations may be concerned about losing data in the cloud, particularly if they do not have a good backup and disaster recovery plan in place
8. Technical Challenges - the process of moving to the cloud can be complex and may require specialized technical skills and expertise, which can be a barrier for some organizations
9. Change Management - the move to the cloud can also require significant changes to processes, systems, and people, which can be challenging for some organizations

It's important for companies to carefully evaluate the risks and benefits of moving to the cloud. If they do decide the cloud is the right approach for their company - then they will need to develop a comprehensive plan for migration. 

Here are a list of benefits and considerations of staying with on premise servers vs migrating to the cloud.

Staying with an on-premise server infrastructure

Benefits:

1. Complete control over hardware & software - with an on-premise server, you have full control over the hardware and software, which can increase security and reduce the risk of data breaches.
2. Customization - with an on-premise server, you have the ability to fully customize your systems to meet your specific needs, rather than being limited by the capabilities of the cloud provider.
3. Leveraging existing investments - in some cases, organizations have already invested significant amounts in on-premise servers,  If these servers are not yet end of life then retaining that investment rather than spending money to migrate all your data is beneficial. In this case organizations often consider a Hybrid Cloud strategy.

Considerations: 

1. Maintenance - maintaining an on-premise server can be time-consuming and costly, especially when it comes to updating software, hardware and increasing capacity
2. Limited scalability - with an on-premise server, you are limited in terms of scalability and the ability to handle sudden spikes in demand
3. Downtime - if the on-premise server experiences a failure, it can result in extended downtime, which can be costly and impact productivity

Moving to the cloud 

Benefits:

1. Scalability - with the cloud, you have the ability to quickly and easily scale up or down as needed to meet changing demands.
2. Cost savings - cloud computing can be more cost-effective than an on-premise server, especially when it comes to hardware, software, and maintenance costs
3. Accessibility - with the cloud, you have the ability to access your data and applications from anywhere with an internet connection

Considerations:

1. Security concerns - some organizations are concerned about the security of their data in the cloud and the potential for data breaches.
2. Dependence on a third party - when you move to the cloud, you are relying on a third-party provider for the availability and retrieval of  your data. Understanding uptime availability commitments from Cloud providers, the various storage options they offer and data retrieval times is key
3. Upfront Migration Costs - although cloud computing can be more cost-effective in the long run, the initial costs of large scale migration and setup can be significant.

Many companies have successfully made the transition to the cloud and are reaping the benefits of increased agility, scalability, and cost savings.

Not sure where to start - no problem we have migrated many clients to the cloud.

Give us a shout at Poeta Digital - it will be the best thing you have done today.