Which type of data storage is best for your Call Center Solution: cloud or on premise? We are here to help you understand both and let you decide which is more accessible, affordable and secured for your company! Today, most Call Center solutions offer both options: you can either go for cloud data storage on a shared or private cloud server or get your solution installed directly on your company servers. However, we’re also going to cover a third option: Hybrid data storage!  Let’s start!!! 

• A Cloud-computing  
  • The pros of cloud storage 
  • Cloud storage Drawbacks  
• B On-premise software 
  • Pros of on-premise data storage 
  • The Drawbacks of on-premise  
• C A quick overview on a hybrid cloud solution 
  • Pros of hybrid data storage 
  • Hybrid storage drawbacks  
• D Final Overview: Cloud VS On-Premise VS Hybrid storage 

Cloud data storage: the Trendy solution

Cloud data storage dramatically soared in 2020 due to the pandemic. Many companies made the shift to cloud-based technology as data can be stored in servers all around the globe.  
Its overwhelming success is mainly due to the flexibility it offers. Between new hybrid working styles, cost saving, increase need in mobility and scalability. Cloud data storage is all the rage. 

What are all the pros for cloud-based data storage :

• Back-up and restore data easily  
   
  Remember when you worked like a madman or woman on your latest presentation and your computer crashed? Of course, we all went through this. Thank god google drive came to save us all! Well same goes for Call Center solutions when it comes to cloud data storage and this can minimize the risk of losing information.  
   
• Improved collaboration  
   
  This allows employees to work in collaboration on any type of data stored online and outside of the company’s firewall. A cloud-based platform is used by employees to share, edit and work together on projects. The maintenance, upgrades is taken care by the cloud service provider. 
   
• Total Accessibility 
   
  Accessing your applications anytime and anywhere is possible through a web browser from any device.  
  In the case of Call Center solutions stored on the cloud, employees do not need to be on a specific device, or location to access data which can help tackle urgencies much more efficiently. 
   
   
• Mobility 
   
  Thanks to cloud storage, your agents can now work from a beach in Mauritius! Internet connection and a device is a must to access data via a cloud system. Mobility and flexibility, allow employees to work anytime from any place, which results in a high rate of employee engagement. 
   
• Affordability, save some $ 
   
  Cloud storage is a real cost saving option for Contact Centers since no upfront installation and hardware costs are needed. Regular payments need to be made including the maintenance and support, making it an operating expense (OpEx). Moreover, those are predictable costs where everything is covered monthly such as upgrades, daily back-ups.   
   
   
• Deployment  
   
  Deployment of cloud stored Solutions can be done anytime remotely and easily. 
   
• Flexbility and Scalability 
   
  Scalability is on demand. Depending on the companies’ requirements they can upgrade or downgrade their storage needs easily. There is no need for upfront capital investment in cloud storage. Also since everything is stored in the cloud, it means software updates will happen easily within business hours causing minimal disruption.  
   
• Reduce your IT workforce 
   
  Software updates will not be done by the company’s staff which is an advantage. Working with a vendor who will handle everything externally allows a customer to avoid having to host the software or buy the gear themselves. The provider will take care of all management, so the company won’t ever have to bother about upgrades or network monitoring. 
   

Cloud storage has also drawbacks you need to know about :

• Internet Connection & CCAAS Solutions  
   
  A good and reliable internet access is essential to get your Solution to work. That means, working on a beach can get complicated. But, that’s not the only obstacle. Your solution’s core architecture needs to be on point too. We know cases of agents having to connect their computer to ethernet cables to get some famous competitor full cloud solutions working (we will not say who we are talking about 😊 ). . 
   
• Limited Control 
   
  Backend infrastructure, such as server shell access, updating and firmware management cannot be controlled by the user. Not having full control on your data storage is a major drawback. 
   
• Costs  
   
  We said earlier that cloud could save you some money. However, on the long term it’s not exactly true. The total amount paid over time to maintain a cloud data storage will eventually be much more important that if you had your own servers.  
   
   
• Data security 
   
  Every time you engage with a cloud storage provider, you are giving control over the security of your data. There is the risk of unauthorized staff accessing your data. To prevent this, you should enquire about the provider’s security policies and be sure that your data is encrypted both in transit and at rest. Although there is a huge improvement in security, cloud can still be hacked, and data can be extracted from online programs. A common business directory server should be used to manage employee access through onboarding and offboarding procedures. 

On-premise storage: Old but Gold

Alternatively, on-premise storage for Call Center Solutions mean everything’s done internally and taken care of by the owners. The software is purchased, installed on physical hardware owned by the organization and no third-party is involved. You have both the complete ownership and the total cost of ownership. On-premises storage uses your physical location to manage your data. As you own the equipment, you’ll be responsible for its maintenance and management.  

For your company, on-premise storage is a perfect fit if this matters to you:

• High Security 
   
  Security means that the company retains all data. Thus, access to on-premises storage is only permitted by authorized people. Since they are not storing data online, on-premises servers are inaccessible outside the network. Businesses dealing with sensitive data, such as the financial sector will be more secured with this type of storage where there is confidentiality. Nobody can steal or peep in your data. Moreover. It’s easier to install extra data protection tools to data and programs on an on-premises system rather than a cloud-based one. 
   
• Access to data is always ensured  
   
  Data access is always guaranteed without internet. Users can access data anytime without needing an internet connection. Most organisation rely on the internet and if there is an outage, well that means basically your production is on full stop too. With on-premise storage you will never have this issue as you will have access to an internal network at any time, regardless of your internet connection. Thus, there is no reliance on external factors. 
   
• Access to numerous users  
   
  Some businesses like having on-site servers meeting all of their requirements. The users can update their storage plan or add new features themselves. Potentially, the ability to change the hardware of the server can allow intelligent businesses more customisation and flexibility for their storage needs. 
   
• Cost, Save some $$ long-term 
   
  When comparing the cost of total ownership to the recuring payments, over the system’s lifecycle, we can conclude that the total ownership cost is lower.  
   
• Control, Peace of mind of not relying on 3rd parties 
   
  You have full control because everything is yours : the hardware, data, and software platform. You control the upgrades, setups, and modifications. On-premises systems typically have licensing structures connected to the host hardware instead of the user.

The Drawbacks of on-premise hosting is listed below. Have a look! 

• Large capital expenditure  
   
  On-premise hosting requires a large upfront purchase including maintenance costs for future upgrades. There is a continuous buying of hardware, software and licenses to upgrade the system. There may be dysfunctional hardware which will need to be replaced and equipements should be upgraded too.  

• Scalability 
  On-premise data storage can’t scale as well as cloud-based storage. Moreover, old on-remise softwares can go out of date and you are left with programs that you no longer use. 
    
   
• Responsibility for maintenance  
  You are responsible for maintaining server hardware and software, data backups, storage and disaster recovery. This can be a problem for companies with limited budgets and technical resources.   
   
• Longer implementation times 
  Due to the fact that each computer and laptop must have its own installation process, on-premise implementations take longer. 
   
• Control  
  You control everything : data, hardware and software. You decide on the configuration, the upgrades and system changes.  
   
• Remote offices and mobile workforce 
  If your company has multiple offices or remote work styles, on-premise hosting can be a problem to provide access to remote employees. 
   
   
• Require extra IT support 
  You need to back up data, update and maintain programs manually. Thus, extra IT staffs are necessary to manage your servers. This extra support can be costly and reduce efficiency of your department, as they will have more responsibilities to handle. 
   
• Deployment 
  Deployment takes longer as the software has to be installed on servers and workers computers. One major issue affecting companies that use on-premises hosted solutions is its inability to be deployed quickly. When you purchase a piece of software, you’ll have to configure the hardware, test the program to see if it’s working and then roll it out to every employee. This can be incredibly time-consuming and can put you at a disadvantage. 

A quick overview on hybrid cloud data hosting: The best of both worlds?

A hybrid cloud hosting can be the best option as it contains elements from both on premise to cloud-based storage. A hybrid cloud infrastructure depends on the availability of a public cloud platform from a trusted third-party provider, a private cloud constructed either on premise or through a hosted private cloud provider, and effective WAN connectivity between both of those environments. 

One of the benefits of hybrid is that critical data can be stored on-premise while less confidential one on the cloud. Moreover, an enterprise can use cloud for additional capacity and ease of accessibility. A lot of companies opt for hybrid systems as they cater for flexibility, workload and security.  

The hybrid cloud model can offer many benefits:

• Instant scalability 
  If the computing and processing exceed the on-premise capabilities, cloud-based solution will instantly scale the capacity.  
   
• Fewer on-premise servers 
  there may be a need for extra servers in your company, thus with a hybrid solution, the number of on-premise servers can be reduced. 
   
• Cost effective 
  Avoiding purchases, installations and maintenance of servers in your organisation. 
   
• Agility 
  The combination of a private and public cloud storage is essential so that your company gains a competitive edge. 
   
• Interoperability 
  This hybrid model has a flexible distribution so that data can be moved around as needed. 
   
• Reduced latency 
  there is an improved performance in a hybrid environment, as the applications are distributed in remote locations.

Hybrids may have drawbacks too like the two solutions listed above

• Higher operational costs:  
  there is an option to scale as needed but scaling your performance may increase your cost-per-hour fees. Thus, your operational expenditure may vary. You may notice a higher cost when maintaining the private cloud.  
   
• More internal responsibility  
  Hybrid cloud requires you to operate and maintain your own enterprise data as well as manage your security and compliance protocols. 

Here’s a rapid overview of the main differences : On-Premise VS Cloud VS Hybrid Storage 

	cloud-based storage	on-premise storage	Hybrid – Cloud
Deployment	Resources are hosted on share, private or public cloud server   Easy & fast deployement	Resources are in house using the company’s infrastructure Server & Software Maintenance is done in-house Lenghty deployment	Workloads or resources are hosted on a private company-owned server and a public cloud server Increased data deployment options
Cost	Low upfront investment    Costs are maintained over time and cannot be re	High upfront investment but costs are passed on over time   Maintenance fees	Hybrid cloud users can choose to run their solution on the most cost-effective environment depending on their needs.
Control	Limited control of data storage except for a private cloud    Can present risks of leaking data    No risk of loosing data	Total Control of data storage by the Company    Great if you have sensitive data   Risk of loosing data if break down	Disasters can be avoided as data can be backed up in several locations and moved around easily
Security	Security Protocols are included in cloud servers & don’t need internal staff    You need to check that the cloud provider has proper credentials & data transmission security protocols    Security failures can happen	Requires IT staff   Complete data security   Needs a reliable and secure network	Increased security as data can be stored either in the private clound with the companies protocol or on the public cloud where the provider ensures the security of his environment.
Compliance	involving third-party servers in its compliance framework	Data is stored and processed in-house and follows corporate compliance protocols	Data can be moved around easily meaning high compliance regarding the data location.
Flexibility	Minimal up-front cost and lower monthly cost per user   High Scalability	Agents are restricted to the system’s physical location   Not easily scalable	Data migration can be done easily since they are stored in different locations.

We hope this article gave you better insights on what type of hosting you can come about for your Call Center Solution!  If you have any questions or would like more information, drop us a message 😀