The Double-Edged Sword of Cloud First

Is your organisation considering a cloud based collaboration platform such as Microsoft 365, Google Workspace or Nextcloud? After nearly 30 years in the computer support industry, we’ve seen first hand how organisations have raced to put their data “in the cloud” without any real thought as to why this is a good idea.

We do support these types of systems, but we recognise the limitations, risks and real-life costs of supporting them versus on premise servers and NAS. With a background in providing both, here is a rough outline of our concerns:

• Access Control: It’s much easier to control who has access to what data when it is stored on a server. The ‘permissions’ as to who can access what on a server can only be controlled by a server administrator, whereas any user in platforms like Microsoft 365 can – by default – share anything they have access to with anybody else – a significant risk. This can be locked down in some cloud platforms more easily than others.
• Access Speed: Data hosted in online services will always be slower to access than data hosted on your own network. If you have an on-premise server, there is often very little to be achieved by uploading all of your sensitive data to a server and then having your users download it again to their desktop computers. In many cases it simply defies logic to take this approach. Even remote users at branch offices will often be able to access your head office server more quickly than they can a cloud-based service.
• Security and Privacy: Data that is hosted on a specific computer inside your building, protected by a perimeter firewall and formally agreed access permissions is in our view much more secure than hosting your data on the internet where permission can become a free for all if left unchecked and unmanaged.
• Unnecessary Costs: There are some really good reasons why a customer may have an on-premise server. Certain software only works when installed on a server, so it’s reasonable to use that server to also host your data. There is no point in paying for cloud services when you’ve already got a server that will do the job.

Public Cloud Versus Private Cloud

At this point it may also be helpful to understand the distinction between public cloud and private cloud services.

• Public Cloud: Online services such as Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, or Dropbox are what is known as “public cloud” and are a much more popular target for your low-level hackers than on prem servers. These services host your data on shared infrastructure alongside thousands of other organisations, making them attractive targets for cybercriminals. Such services are often charged “per user”.
• Private Cloud: Private cloud services, on the other hand, use dedicated infrastructure exclusively for your organisation, often hosted in known locations with stricter access controls. These are often charged “per server” so can offer cost savings over a “per user” pricing model for organisations with several users.

Hybrid Environments

For many organisations with existing on-premise infrastructure, the most practical solution isn’t choosing between cloud or local storage—it’s combining both strategically. A local server or NAS device accessed via VPN can provide the benefits of cloud accessibility while maintaining complete data sovereignty, predictable costs, and independence from external service providers’ policy changes.

However, certain business needs genuinely require cloud-based solutions, particularly when documents must be accessible to third parties or external collaborators. In these cases, a hybrid approach proves most effective.

This hybrid model typically involves maintaining an on-premise server in the main office for core operations, while using either private or public cloud services for specific, well-defined tasks. The approach allows organisations to keep sensitive data and frequently-accessed files on local infrastructure, while using cloud services for selected collaboration tasks.

Which Organisations are Cloud Hosted Data Right For?

As alluded to above, cloud storage solutions (whether public or private) can be genuinely beneficial in specific scenarios.

• Remote Only Organisations: Organisations that have no office of their own (e.g. where all staff work from home) may need cloud solutions if no team member has a suitable environment for hosting a server or NAS. A good example might be a small parish council that does not have their own office, but where data needs to be shared securely between the clerk and councillors.
• Frequent Third-Party Collaboration: Organisations that frequently need to collaborate on documents with external partners can benefit from cloud-based platforms where access can be easily granted and revoked without requiring VPN access to internal systems.
• Mobile workforce: Teams that work primarily on the move or travel extensively may find cloud access to specific servers more practical than VPN connections to a fixed location.
• No existing infrastructure: Smaller organisations that have no IT infrastructure might find cloud solutions provide immediate functionality without the up-front investment in hardware, though this can be less cost effective in the long term.

To Conclude

The decision between cloud, on-premise, or hybrid infrastructure shouldn’t be driven by industry trends or vendor marketing – it should be based on your organisation’s specific needs, existing infrastructure and long-term objectives.

While cloud-first strategies dominate current IT discussions, the reality is more nuanced. Every organisation’s infrastructure needs are unique and there’s no universal “right” answer.

After nearly 30 years supporting both cloud and on-premise systems, we’ve learned that the most successful organisations take time to understand their specific requirements before choosing their infrastructure approach. When asked to migrate to cloud platforms it is often to solve problems that don’t actually exist with current setups—often stemming from assumptions about on-premise systems rather than genuine operational limitations. Whether the best solution is fully on-premise, fully cloud-based, or a strategic hybrid depends entirely on factors like team structure, security needs, existing investments, and collaboration requirements. There is also an added support cost.

What matters is finding the solution that provides secure, efficient access to your data while managing costs and maintaining control over your critical business information. If you’re considering changes to your data storage and collaboration infrastructure, we recommend taking time to map out your actual needs before committing to any platform. Consider factors like who needs access to what data, how sensitive that information is, and whether you have existing infrastructure that could be better utilised.

Whether you’re struggling with slow access speeds, rising cloud costs, security concerns, or simply wondering if there’s a better way to manage your organisation’s data, our experience with both cloud and on-premise solutions means we can provide guidance based on what actually works for your specific situation.

Before making any major infrastructure decisions, we can help you conduct a thorough assessment of your current setup and help evaluate which approach will deliver the best value and security for your organisation.