Managed Cloud Migration | liquid network

Not so long ago, it was impossible to compare on-premises solutions with managed private cloud server solutions – third-party cloud storage solutions didn’t exist. That means many companies operating today developed their basic processes, data architecture, and service delivery solutions in a world where on-premises servers were the only option. Those solutions mostly still work well enough, but now those organizations are starting to look for alternatives.

Use this guide to learn what a managed private cloud is, what moving to a managed private cloud can do for you, and what you need to know when planning such a move.

A managed private cloud is a clustered server environment managed and maintained by a third party, often off-site and reserved for your exclusive use. On-premises server solutions are almost always private for practical reasons, unless you are a cloud service provider yourself. However, there is no reason that a private server should be on the premises.

The managed private cloud model offers several advantages over other cloud and on-premises server solutions, including the fact that you don’t have to purchase, maintain, or upgrade the server or any other infrastructure itself. This means you can also deploy and scale very quickly. You also don’t need to have an in-house sysadmin.

At the same time, you don’t lose the benefits of an on-premises private server: you still get the easy, dedicated integration, perpetual software license, and auto-scheduled downtime/update cycles you depend on.

The on-premises vs. cloud debate will continue for a long time because there are still some very good reasons why some organizations will want to keep their own servers on-premises. If your business is large enough that you can make efficient use of a multi-server data center yourself, you probably wouldn’t save much by switching to a third-party managed cloud service.

However, most companies are not large enough, or at least not so server-intensive, that on-premises solutions are truly cost-effective. If you’re in that group, here are some reasons why you could save money, improve service delivery, and ease internal administrative burdens by moving to a managed private cloud data architecture.

There are many good reasons to switch from on-premises to managed private cloud solutions. Here are the six benefits of managed private cloud that show up as the most important to most organizations. However, this list is not exhaustive.

Availability, uptime, access speeds, and latency are all factors that can affect the actual efficiency of a server. In a managed private cloud scenario, each can be part of the service level agreement (SLA), ensuring minimum levels of the factors you need most. As a result, your servers will be more efficient than ever.

Of course, one of the best parts of a managed private cloud is that it’s managed. If you need more capacity, experts are available to migrate your data to a more robust server or to split the load between two or more (still private) servers. Your monthly fees will go up a bit, but you won’t have to find, buy, or install that infrastructure yourself.

There are many reasons why a third-party cloud provider can offer private cloud solutions that cost less than your on-premises solutions and still make a healthy profit. Mostly, it all comes down to economies of scale, but there’s more to it than that.

Similarly, a professional cloud service provider with a dozen, a hundred, or a thousand customers may spend more time, effort, and money on security than would be cost-effective for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). Your data will almost always be better protected with a managed cloud provider than on an on-premises server.

The real strength of a managed private cloud server is that it is managed and private. Because it’s private, your data architecture is yours. You decide and you do not need to make concessions to other tenants on the server. There are none. Because it’s managed, you just have to tell the server administrator what to do.

This is synergistic… You enjoy superior scalability, efficiency, and security. Also, because you have an expert server management team that you can access at any time, you can change the server side of your operation almost instantly. These days, the Internet IS your route to market.

Moving from on-premises to managed private cloud solutions has a huge impact on your applications, data, and overall IT security. However, all of these are positively affected. For most users, there is no downside.

That’s not to say there aren’t teething problems with making the switch. Any server migration can be a stressful time. However, if you choose the right provider, it can often be achieved without any impact on your productivity.

The question of on-premises vs. cloud solutions is a big decision for every business. However, if managed properly, making the change is almost always a positive change.

Talk to us today and find out if this is the right time for you to make the switch.