File server cloud: economy and safety

Unlike the local server, the file server cloud is hosted outside the enterprise, most often in the cloud data centers in the US or the EU. The main load falls on a powerful server in the cloud, while computers on site are thin clients for accessing the cloud via the Internet.

In addition to guaranteeing the security of your data and maintaining perfect working conditions, this approach also provides other significant benefits:

• Significant reduction in the cost of purchasing licensed software, because instead of multiple copies of databases, you use one with many users

• You rent power rather than buy it, which means significantly lower costs, since you only pay for consumed power

• Replacing broken hardware components is performed by cloud service provider personnel, you do not need to control the process

• The equipment is loaded optimally, easily scaling the used power depending on the requirements of the moment. It makes cloud server pricing lower

Despite these advantages, there are some drawbacks to using a cloud server:

• You pay for traffic between the server and thin clients.

• Data transfer and processing speed depends on the capabilities of your Internet service provider - and on the availability of such services at a given time.

• The risk of a hacker attack when transferring data between your office and the cloud server.

There are ways to eliminate almost all the shortcomings of this approach - both ensuring network resiliency and setting up VPN access to protect data transmission. However, all these decisions require substantial capital investment; in addition, traffic payments cannot be eliminated in any way and can be substantial amounts on a monthly basis.

What to choose: local or cloud server?

As you can see, both the location of the local server in the enterprise and the transfer of critical data to the cloud have both advantages and disadvantages. However, the main problem when using any of the approaches becomes the choice of a reliable IT service provider who can both properly develop the IT infrastructure and ensure its efficient and rational service.