The build versus buy dilemma is common for many companies who still question the value of outsourcing technology services. The perception is that a company can build their own server room or mini data center and save over what a provider can offer. A simple comparison can quickly demystify any such perceptions and convince a company that doing it on their own would not be prudent. Most companies depend on technology to run their business. All too often companies find their reputation and sustainability as a viable business tied to the quality of the technology on which they run. A provider such as Atmosera has built its business on the ability to deliver dependable and effective services to businesses and give them the peace of mind which comes from knowing someone else is taking care
of all the headaches. Key parameters to consider and gauge how well a company can execute on versus a provider include:
| Key Parameters | Data Center (On-Premise) | Hosted Cloud (Off-Premises) |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase Cost & Installation | High capital and upfront costsMay require significant improvements | No capital or upfront costs |
| Facilities & Improvements | Needs can be significant depending on hardware needsDelays can creep in if construction is requiredPower needs can drive significant monthly expensesSingle source power, cooling and UPS backups | 100% the responsibility of the providerProvider already has capacity and plans for growthOnly pay for power used based on wholesale ratesMultiple sources for power, cooling and UPS backups |
| Licensing | Requires vendor and contract managementEasy to under and over buyPay 100% up front even if licenses are not in use | Included in hosting feesOptimized to workload needsPay for monthly usage with on-demand scaling |
| Staffing & Expertise | Highly skilled staff for business operations and after hoursOn your own when problems ariseStaff retention can be a challenge | Lean, in-house staffing needsLeverage the provider’s expert teamAvailable 24x7x365 to remedy problems |
| Maintainance | 100% in-houseNot always kept current or follow schedulesPatching can cause unexpected interruptions | 100% performed by providerSet scheduling for regular updatesPatches thoroughly tested prior to implementation |
| Disaster Recovery & Redundancy | Redundancy is very expensive depending on recovery objectivesKeeping systems up in the event of a disaster can double or even quadruple costs | Leverage economies of scaleProvider has built-in redundancy capabilitiesEasily add backup and disaster recovery services |
| Security | 24×7 monitoring with on-call staff drives overheadSystems often don’t provide the needed controlsNo standardized testing to ensure no vulnerabilities exist | Benefit from economies of scale24x7x365 security with stringent systems and controlsSelf-imposed vulnerability and penetration testing |
| Compliance | 100% in-houseOn your own to understand how to stay compliantDocumentation is usually an afterthought | Taken into consideration with buildEvolves with changing requirementsTrained teams with compliant playbooks and workflowsComplete documentation of all events with audit supportThird-party audited and verified |
| Migrations & Upgrades | Requires additional capital for new equipmentMay require downtime and facilities improvementsOften delays investment in the newest technology | Contract includes equipment refreshNo downtime or improvements requiredProvider offers multiple options and keeps current |