What can be your right choice – On Cloud or On Premises on SharePoint Server?

"Cloud on Fire!" - Here comes in the line from the Microsoft Office General Manager in his latest SharePoint conference in Las Vegas. Many are coming up with questions whether to Cloud or not to Cloud.

This is highly subjective, and subject to considerable debate. Here goes.

The compared categories with key features will influence you to choose one of your conveniences or to enjoy a hybrid solution. This something highly subjective and is also subjected to considerable debate.

• Good service with good results

? – Services with some qualifications

X – Is not recommended

The Share Point Attributes

On Cloud (IaaS)

Office 365

On Premises

Cloud app model solutions

?

?

• Custom coded SharePoint solutions like any third party tool or may be in-house Visual Web Parts

?

X

• It works under strict geographic control and accountability for your SharePoint content

?

?

• SharePoint engineers on staff

• ?

?

Limited IT capital budget yet significant IT operating budgets

?

• On-Premises installation of SharePoint 2013

?

?

• To get Access to dedicated SharePoint developers

?

X

Comfortable with leading edge solutions, need early innovation

?

X

Rapid deploys of test or dev environments

• ?

?

More users outside your corporate network than inside the firewall

• ?

?

No on premises history with SharePoint

?

• ?

The number of interrogations for IaaS or others does not suggest that the approach is not advisable rather it simply suggests there are other and better variable to choose from the features. However all the features are completely doable?

To make things easier I have an overview to offer. Take a look.

You can choose ‘On Cloud’ Software if:

• If your organization is not worried about purchasing and maintaining additional hardware for new software. If finance is not an issue.
• Your firm has a small IT department or a department that is almost invisible to handle the installation, upgradation, monitoring and updating new software. Cloud hosting already includes these services while including server maintenance.
• If you want users to be able to access the data from any place. Cloud – hosting products provide remote access to anyone with an internet connection.

You can choose ‘On Premise’ Software if:

• If your organization has strict security guidelines to conform to, this requires hosting data behind your own corporate firewall. On premise software puts the control in your hands that makes sense for companies that work with sensitive data.
• You have other software or servicing functionality that your organization needs to integrate with the new software, which is not wholly exposed to the internet. As if any single part of the system is exposed to the Internet, you are at risk of data leaks and security threats.
• If your organization has a large IT department for handling backups, upgradations, close monitoring and regular updates.

A Cloud hosting SharePoint is definitely a better function with simplified ease of operational systems and the usage ability and advantages cannot be denied. If you feel you are in a dilemma whether to opt for Cloud or On Premises do a thorough study of the functionalities, compare the utilities and the costs. You can consult an IT team of professionals about the available features and discuss the solutions. SharePoint Online is the cloud version of the SharePoint server and can be deployed as a single service or as a part of the Office 365. Even you would not suffer any loss if you choose a good planning. Microsoft Office is more business oriented compared to other plans including the slot of pricing. You can always make a combination and go for a hybrid solution for best results.

Author Bio

Nikunj Bhanushali is associated with Cogzie as Sales & Operations head and who loves sharing information regarding sharepoint, ASP.NET, EPiServer and TFS Hosting. Get in touch with him for SharePoint Development Projects.