Introduction

On-premise mail servers up until recently were the go-to choice as the cloud infrastructure wasn’t that widely available. However, things have changed, and cloud computing is rapidly changing how we use the internet, and mail servers are no exception.

In this post, we will give you some reasons why you should consider email migration to cloud servers, by discussing the pros and cons of both on-premise and cloud email hosting.

On-Premise Mail Server – Old, But Still Viable (To An Extent)

On-premise mail servers have one clear benefit – because you physically own the servers, you maintain full control and no other entity but you have access to your data. This means that if you run your on-premise servers the right way, you will maintain total control over the security of your data.

However, we highlighted the word “if” for a reason. It’s a big IF, as there are a lot of things that can go wrong. First, because you run the servers, you are responsible for server maintenance too. You need to make sure that the hardware works properly, but also that everything is backed up all the time. Risks like fire, flood, or power surges can also physically compromise the servers, which is why it is up to you to have a secure server room and technicians working on maintenance.

Also, to keep up with the company growth, servers need to be upgraded regularly. Of course, you can hire in-house staff to do all of that for you, but that isn’t free.

Lastly, although having on-premise servers means no recurring subscriptions, you will need to invest a substantial amount of money into infrastructure up-front, which is anything but convenient.

Cloud Email Servers – The New Standard In The Industry

Unlike on-premise infrastructure, you don’t own cloud servers – you only pay the subscription to use them. That is the most significant disadvantage of cloud computing, as you don’t maintain full control over it, that is up to the company that runs the servers. The second disadvantage is that you need internet to access the data stored on the cloud. No internet – no access to data.

However, the advantages of cloud servers are numerous. First, the cloud company is responsible for server maintenance and support. Your only worry is to pay the subscription – the cloud company does all the rest.

Next, although you don’t own the servers, all cloud data is stored on multiple servers at once, which enhances email security. When you hold data on-premise, there is always a risk that something like a fire or flood, or an electrical breakdown can compromise the data. With cloud servers, that is next to impossible, as the data is not on a single computer.

Furthermore, cloud servers are incredibly easy to scale. When you need more firepower, you can simply buy a better email package. With on-premise servers, you would have to upgrade the infrastructure physically. Cloud servers operate on the latest technology, and you can expect nothing but the highest speeds, as long as you have a good Internet connection.

Also, cloud email servers are connected with various other cloud apps, which are all included in the subscription. An example of this would be Microsoft Office365 email hosting that goes hand-in-hand with other MS Office products. That saves you a lot of money as you don’t have to purchase other subscriptions separately, and adds an incredible amount of convenience as you will keep working in familiar MS Office apps.

Bottom Line: Cloud Is The Way To Go

Cloud technologies offer incredible advantages in terms of convenience, safety, scalability, which is why businesses around the world are implementing them. Therefore, we think that any SMB owner should consider making email migration to the cloud.

BV Group Tech provides IT support with the focus on small businesses. Migrating email servers to the cloud is just one of the services we provide. Contact us now, and forget about worrying about IT issues ever again.