The core truth about trends is simple- they come, and they go. In the last decade, a huge number of businesses have moved away from on-site physical data storage in favor of cloud services. At the time, it felt like the way of the future – no more complex tunneling protocols or VPNs, just unencumbered access to your work, from anywhere, at anytime. But looking back from the hindsight of 2026, we have to ask: was it a trend all along? Is Cloud still the way of the future for you and your business?
As with all major decisions, multiple factors are at play. In this case, we are weighing three specifically: Cost, Administration, and Reliability.
When it comes to implementation, we have three models to consider: entirely cloud, hybrid, or entirely on premises.
Entirely Cloud: This is where many organizations currently live, and some are feeling the strain of that Reliability component. The software is all web-based, the files are stored online, and anyone can work on anything from anywhere. But when Microsoft has a global outage, does everything you do grind to a halt? Worldwide outages make headlines for precisely this reason.
Hybrid: This solution looks different for every organization. Maybe your team’s shared files live on the cloud for collaborative work, but your essential personal software is all local on your machine. Maybe you have a cloud-based software platform everyone uses, but your email is hosted locally. A hybrid approach is often the solution we suggest to our clients, as it can be custom-tailored to fit your needs.
Entirely physical: This is the way many of us were working before the emergence of the Cloud. This route calls for regular data back-ups, a dedicated method for off-site work, and an initial investment of resources in acquiring hardware.
So how should you decide which route is best for you and your business? We advise taking the first step by figuring out what you know you need and what you know you don’t. Pairing it down to this simple dichotomy will make cutting through the flash and glamour of sales data much simpler. How does your team work? How are you most efficient? What is vital? What is extraneous?
Remember – you don’t have to tackle this alone! Bringing in a consultant to guide you in future-proofing your business infrastructure makes good sense, both financially and structurally. Reach out to us, and we will sit down with you to learn the ins and outs of your specific business before making a considered recommendation. Our interest is in you and your organization, not a service or a hardware manufacturer. Bring us in and we’ll all go further, together.
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