The decision to move away from an on-premises hardware model to any type of cloud model is one that requires some detailed analysis. With cloud hosting now a well-known entity, the risks to the business can be significantly reduced by moving an ERP system, such as Epicor ERP, from physical hardware to a personal cloud. There are many benefits of moving to the cloud including scalability, security, improved performance, as well as lower total cost – and these benefits greatly reduce any risk associated with a move.

Epicor ERP is available as a Cloud software which runs on Microsoft Azure. However, if your organization has several customizations that are directly incorporated into the base SQL database, it is likely that this option is not the one best suited to your circumstances. The benefits of using Epicor’s Cloud Services include no longer needing to spend internal resources applying new patches and upgrading with new releases – this is taken care of automatically (with the ability to flex the schedule if necessary) by Epicor and is part of the yearly maintenance costs. The downside is that you no longer have access to the SQL database, and so major customizations must be made with the help of Epicor Professional Services. If this is the case, moving to a personal cloud hosted by a well-known hosting company may be the right move to make.

So, how does it work? You are essentially renting space from a server farm – a company that has a network of virtual and physical cloud servers that hosts your software. Examples of the most well-known cloud platforms include Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud Platform. Using one these services allows you to receive the benefits of on-premise hardware (access to the database, the ability to perform software upgrades on your schedule, etc.) without the cost of maintaining physical hardware (not only the purchase but also ongoing maintenance to ensure best performance). Since it is their business to ensure your data stays secure, these hosting companies are continuously updating to combat any new security concerns. The risk associated with disaster recovery is also reduced to a minimum as data is often stored on multiple servers in different locations, providing redundancy and security.  

When weighing the costs associated with purchasing new hardware versus the cost of moving to the cloud, it is important to consider the ability to flex as your business moves through ups and downs in its lifecycle. Having your software hosted in the cloud helps to ensure that few performance issues are encountered, since you are generally capable of increasing or decreasing resources as your data requirements flex. For many smaller organizations, it may be difficult to find and keep internal resources that have the proper background to manage both the hardware and software aspects of an ERP system. Moving to the cloud allows internal resources to focus on the software where the most value can be sought, and no longer worry about hardware maintenance and upkeep.

The best time to consider a move to personal cloud hosting is when your hardware is nearing end of life or is no longer sized appropriately for your software and data requirements. Moving to a cloud environment is now generally considered the norm and it is an important option to consider for an organization with on-premises hardware. Regardless of the final decision made, Epicor ERP is a software that can be managed in any environment, and TeccWeb has the resources and experience to help you handle any situation.

For additional information on cloud hosting, be sure to check out the following Epicor resources:
–    How Cloud Computing Can Boost Growth
–    What You Need to Know About Cloud Computing

Please also feel free to reach out to us at TeccWeb with any questions you may have – info@teccweb.com.