Server management is one of the key challenges facing businesses irrespective of the size of operations.
There are scores of internal and external factors that influence the performance of a server.
Be it the home server or a cloud server model, it is imperative to ensure significant steps are followed for the overall security and performance of the servers.
Focus on the performance and efficiency of a system drives the question of the scope of tradeoff.
The tradeoff here is about the quantum of time, efforts, and cost involved in managing a home server or cloud servers.
What is the right choice for businesses across the world, and more specifically for emerging businesses in Singapore?
Let’s delve more into the key differences between homes server and cloud servers.
Fundamentally both the home server and the cloud servers have their pros and cons, and definitive purpose it caters to.
The crux for the clients is about choosing the right kind of servers that best fits the organizational requirements and nature of business.
Home Servers
Home Servers are technical, the server set-up is managed in-house in an organization, catering to the internal node system requirements, and hosting the series of applications that are integral to the e-business of the organization.
Related topic: What is Home Server – Everything You Should Know
Cloud Servers
Cloud Servers are the remote set-up servers managed by third-party service providers and offer the services in the form of SaaS, PaaS, or IaaS that are flexible and scalable for the clients to use in line with the demand and pay only for the use.
In a cloud server architecture, the infrastructure is not owned by the client, and they only hire shared resource infrastructure.
To give a comparison from the world of real estate – home servers are kind of owning a property and managing all the infrastructure, maintenance, and other related expenses for upkeeping the property.
On the other hand – cloud servers are about leasing or renting a property for a period and availing of the services available as per the tenancy contracts.
Infrastructure Environment
Home servers require robust infrastructure set-up within the premises alongside the other resources essential to manage the systems secured.
For instance, when an internal server is to be established, there are capital cost investments integral to the process.
Some of the significant costs involved in the process are:
- Costs of deploying the server computers,
- Licenses for the server,
- Investments in the installation of high-end network security devices,
- Security Applications,
- High-speed bandwidth solutions etc.
Also, there is a need for constant monitoring of home servers, by competent teams which adds to the maintenance costs.
However, in the case of the cloud servers, though the above-mentioned costs are imperative, the structure leads to a shared resources model.
In a cloud server environment, the service provider set-up a server environment with robust bandwidth, security practices, and other imminent compliance, and offers the server space as a shared resource to clients.
Fundamentally, in the home servers, the client owns the IT environment, whereas, in cloud servers, it is more of the subscription model for the services offered by a third party.
Economies of Scale
In managing the series of requirements and infrastructure essential for home servers, the cost of maintenance is huge.
Both from the capital expenditure and operational expenditure point of view, the home server management is high.
Whereas in the case of the cloud servers, the resources are managed by a third party, and the resources are shared.
Thus, the users save from the capital costs, and only for the consumption or packaged service offerings in the server space.
In the other dimension, though the home server infrastructure is seen as an asset of the business, the challenge remains in the fast depreciation of the value of the infrastructure.
Also, to ensure that the performance of the system is optimal, regular update of the system’s infrastructure is important.
Thus, it leads to periodical investments in the upgrade of infrastructure.
Whereas in the case of cloud servers, the systems are managed by the third-party professional service providers, and the infrastructure is large-scale deployment.
For the benefit of the clients, one need not worry about the obsoletion of technology or the computing infrastructure.
It shall be the responsibility of the service provider to upgrade the infrastructure in line with Service Quality agreements.
Optimal Utilization of Resources
The other critical aspect for businesses to focus upon is the optimal utilization of resources.
It is a common phenomenon that most of the resources available are not used, and only partial infrastructure or capability models are used.
In an illustrative scenario, how many times do we run out of storage space in personal or home servers or laptops, and how often does one consumes run out of internet bandwidth?
On a simpler note, even in the case of mobile phones, though it has scores of features and processing speeds, there is a limitation to how much of the available resource is consumed.
Setting up a house server comes in some predefined options and customizing the infrastructure could be more cost and effort centric.
But post deployment of huge infrastructure set-up, if they are not optimally used, it’s kind of underutilizing the capacity.
On the other hand – in the cloud servers, the services are offered in predefined and customizable packages flexibly.
Clients can pay for what is consumed for the period, and thus it is directly optimizing the costs.
Holistic Benefits
In the cloud server environment, the IT infrastructure is managed at a third-party location, with secured and assured service quality.
Thus, there is scope for saving on the infrastructure space, in the client’s office premises.
The other critical challenge facing the home server environment is the business continuity plan execution.
Any disruption in the home server environment could lead to downtime and interruption of the business process.
Within a setup of cloud servers, there are backup servers active, and they can take over the process.
Hence, the downtime risks are mitigated in cloud servers and the scope for efficient systems is available at economical pricing.
Still, some of the key challenges that the business has to account is the confidentiality, compliance with the data security practices in respective business locations, and compliance factors.
When a reputed cloud service provider like Exabytes Singapore can offer a premium range of cloud server solutions at competitive pricing, it can be highly resourceful for migration from home servers’ environments.
Contact Exabytes today to know more about cloud server solutions and sign-up with attractive promotional offers!
Related articles:
