Cloud vs On-Premise Security: Which Is Better?

Which is better between cloud vs on-premise security?

1. Responsibility
2. Costs
3. Customizability
4. Scalability
5. Combining both

The most important things that companies protect are assets and information. Both of these can take physical or digital form, hence the existence of both cloud vs on-premise security. On-premise security, as you can expect, protects the physical assets of the company. It is the system that exists at the place of the company itself, consisting of cameras, access control, security personnel, and more. Meanwhile, cloud security mainly takes care of information in the cloud. All of the company’s digital information in the cloud will be kept secure using digital network security measures.

Despite this, the cloud can also be used for on-premises security, and on-premises security can protect digital information as well.

Every business should have at least one of the two. Here, we’ll talk about their differences and answer the question: which is better? Or even, does it matter? Keep reading to learn more!

Responsibility

Conversations about security often talk about the numerous factors that go into keeping something safe. But it is also often forgotten that the main basis of your security’s strength is the trustworthiness of the people responsible for it. The chain is only as strong as its weakest link.

In this case, we look at who handles both cloud and on-premises security. On-premises security is handled by company employees. Sometimes, there’s a security department that’s run by a chief. Depending on your company, these could be the most trustworthy people you can have running your security.

Unlike them, cloud security is handled by a third party. This means all of your company’s sensitive information is stored within a service provider’s cloud. Most cloud services out there are trustworthy, just choose wisely. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that this makes cloud security less secure — you’d be dealing with experts in the field.

Costs

Cloud security costs are based on monthly payments, like subscription fees. You would be regularly paying the 3rd party handling your information. Although it means you’d be paying something in the long-term, this is the option that has fewer costs.

On-premise security is costly because it requires you to shell out a large amount to buy hardware and personnel. You would also occasionally need to spend for repairs, maintenance, or updates. The larger costs here are needed only at the start when you’re installing new security. After that, costs should be tame enough.

Customizability

Security needs can change as time goes by. Innovations are made, trends change, and your company could grow. That’s why your security should be easily customizable too. Here, on-premises security has the advantage. It’s easier to make changes and customize a security system that you built and manage internally. On the other hand, cloud security offers only limited options when it comes to customizability. You can only customize your system as much as the third party allows you.

Scalability

As your company grows, so too will the information you have and the level of security that you need. This is where cloud security really shines. If you start growing at a rapid pace, on-premise security would have to quickly acquire new infrastructure. More hardware, more manpower, more servers, and definitely more costs. It would take plenty of money and effort to move to a larger scale for on-premises security.

On the other hand, cloud security is digital and can easily be scaled when new information is fed to it. Cloud services have data centers filled with servers. Since your information only takes up digital space, you would not have to invest in new hardware as you scale up.

Combining Both

Both types of data security have their own pros and cons, but when you’re a business owner, would you really have to choose one over the other? There are ways when you can combine both cloud and on-premise security to make your company more secure.

A good example is ELID’s Mirage 2 Cloud-based Security System. This is mainly an on-premise security system, protecting your company’s physical assets. But it utilizes the cloud to have better control over the system even from afar. The operator would be able to control the building’s security from a mobile phone even when they’re not on the premises itself.

Key Takeaway

The debate between cloud vs on-premise security could be a common one when you’re choosing what type of security you need, but the better option will be to get the best of both worlds. Any investment in your security should be considered a good one, and you should prioritize getting the best one that you can.

When it comes to security, ELID is the leader in developing electronic identification systems in Asia. We have been manufacturing top-of-the-line access control and security systems since 1989, giving us decades of experience in the field. If you’re looking for good security solutions, try browsing through our products. Feel free to contact us anytime if you’re interested or if you have any inquiries!