When we continued our series on software deployment models last week, we discussed a very popular option for most of our clients: deployment via the public cloud. But in terms of available software deployment models, the cloud only tells part of the story.
Prior to the ‘invention’ of the cloud, we had mainframe computing. Mainframes provided us with the ability to centralize the control of our resources, and for many years were the center of the infrastructure and software within a company. At that time, the assets being managed were all within the firewall, so it made sense to run your software from within the firewall, too.
Today, though, most companies are dealing with mobile devices which, by their nature, are always connected to the internet. So now, instead of the logical choice being deployment inside the firewall, the reverse is actually true. The inherently mobile nature of smartphones and other devices today means that deploying your software via the cloud—outside of your firewall—makes the most sense. Your devices are mobile, so why not choose a deployment solution that’s mobile, too?
Despite the advantages of the cloud for software deployment today, however, there are still some clients who may need on-premise, or on-prem, software deployment. Some government organizations, for example, aren’t yet allowed to deploy and run software via the cloud. Or perhaps, even despite the strong security on the cloud of today, a user wants to have all of their data housed only on-location. In those instances, on-prem deployment could be ideal—but what does that entail?
Deployment on-premise is more complicated than deployment via the cloud. When seeking to deploy software on-prem, the client is responsible for a number of things, from procuring servers, to configuring servers (and getting a sys admin to install software), to allotting space on your network, and then maintaining your hardware and software to protect your investment as time goes on.
What’s more, unlike the cloud, which is deployed quickly and then rented on a month-to-month basis, on-prem software is much more of an investment up-front. At the beginning, you’re making a significant investment of time and money, and you’ll be stuck with the software and hardware no matter how things turn up down the road.
There are cases where on-prem deployment is necessary, and we’re well aware of that. Here at App47, we want to help you manage the best software deployment model for your needs—but we also want to make sure that you’re aware of the startup costs and maintenance requirements of the deployment model you choose. If on-prem is what you’re looking for, we’re here to help you every step of the way, even if on-prem deployment is a more maintenance-heavy and time-consuming deployment model than deployment via the cloud. We’re here to meet your needs, and so long as you understand what’s involved, we’re here to help.
We live in a world where efficiency and adaptability are essential to success, making the public cloud ideal for many of our clients. At the same time, we understand that for some clients, on-prem deployment is the best option. No matter whether you choose the cloud or your own servers to run our software, we’re here to help you put the systems in place to succeed in this great era of enterprise mobility management.
