Cloud vs On-Premise Software for Manufacturers
Choosing the right software deployment method can make or break a manufacturer’s efficiency, cost management and scalability. With the options split between cloud-based and on-premise solutions, it’s crucial to understand the pros, cons and long-term implications of each.
On-Premise Software: Control and Customisation
On-premise software is installed locally on your company’s servers. It gives manufacturers full control over the system and data. For businesses in highly regulated industries, like aerospace, defence and medical, this can be an advantage.
Key Benefits:
Full control of data and security
No dependency on internet connectivity
Drawbacks:
High upfront costs for servers and licenses
IT team needed for security, maintenance and updates
Longer deployment times
Hardware and software licensing brings extra cost to scale
Summary:
Whilst full control of data and security might sound great, they come with increased cost and complexity. Cyber security is an evolving field where new threats are identified daily, to stay secure and ontop of these threats you need to have experts in the field monitoring, testing and mitigating against these threats. When was the last time, if ever, you had a vulnerability scan of your systems or penetration testing performed to find weaknesses in your systems. Cloud solutions usually (and should) be performing these tests periodically, configuring systems to mitigate these vulnerabilities and remove these threats.
Other potential come back from software vendors in on-premise setups we have experienced is that the software vendor will blame performance issues or unexpected system behaviour on the hardware or infrastructure setup, claiming “you need to get your IT tem to look at this”. This argument is removed when you go with the cloud as the full infrastructure and software setup is the responsibility of the vendor.
Cloud Software: Flexibility and Speed
Cloud-based software runs on external servers usually in highly secure data centres, accessible through the internet. For manufacturers looking to scale, improve accessibility and reduce IT overhead, cloud solutions offer clear advantages.
Key Benefits:
Faster deployment and updates
Access from anywhere, on any device
Easier integration with other tools and IoT devices
Drawbacks:
Data security depends on the provider
Limited control over software updates
Summary:
With a cloud solution the responsibility for security, infrastructure and the software all lies with the software vendor. This means that if you report a problem, the solution is entirely on the vendor. No additonal cost, time or effort is required from your side. From the vendor perspective this is also a benefit as the infrastructure is predictable, defined and controlled meaning solutions are easier and faster to identify and resolve.
Cloud solutions are also usually designed to integrate with other cloud solutions, so linking to other tools is much easier if they all reside on the cloud. When you have a more hybrid approach you may need to open up firewalls to allow for 2-way communications between systems, opening another entry point and vulnerability to your local infrastructure.
Which Is Right for Your Manufacturing Business?
Nine times out of ten, the cloud is the better option for your business. It offers lower overall costs, stronger security and greater availability.
The main exceptions to this are company policies. Larger organisations often have strict or limited cloud policies that remove the option altogether. Some on-premise systems also provide more flexibility for building bespoke tools into the solution. However, there are now increasing options to integrate bespoke systems with cloud platforms as well.
Another key consideration is the software vendor. Are they properly protecting their cloud environment? Do they carry out regular vulnerability scanning, penetration testing and keep systems up to date? Always ask your vendor these questions before committing to their cloud offering.
It is common for smaller vendors that have traditionally offered on-premise solutions to move to the cloud by simply hosting their legacy software on a cloud server and granting customers access. Unless the vendor has modernised and strengthened the security of their software, such setups are often highly vulnerable and can be easily exploited by attackers to access your data.
Making the Decision
At Yeti Forge, our solutions are developed using the latest web technologies, ensuring that security is always up to date. Whether you choose on-premise or cloud, the level of software security remains the same.
For our cloud solutions, we carry out regular vulnerability scans and penetration tests and continuously monitor and address new threats and vulnerabilities.
Whichever option you choose from Yeti Forge, you will always have access to your data, there is no difference in cost and we provide the same high level of support.
