Glossary
On-Premises (on-prem)
What is an On-Premises (on-prem) Data Storage Solution?
On-Premises, or on-prem, data storage uses local hardware and is therefore owned and managed by the enterprise that is storing data. The enterprise is responsible for securing both the storage resources and the data, as well as maintaining those storage systems to function with modern technology.
Is On-Prem Storage Enough?
Companies are realizing the increased value of the data that’s being generated to their business. From day-to-day operations and logistics to software and applications, there’s no shortage of critically important information being captured at all times—which is where the issue with on-prem storage solutions lies. Though on-prem storage was once standard for most businesses, the amount of data being generated and stored is much larger than most on-prem systems can handle. Meanwhile, scaling your on-prem system to store more data is much more difficult and costly than scaling cloud systems. On-prem systems are only as scalable as the hardware and software they’re built with—and the further your software and hardware gets away from its manufacture date, the more likely it is for vendors to discontinue support plans, retire products, or start charging for the advanced upgrades needed to keep the equipment at least close to on-par with what is currently in the market. In other words, your scalability ceiling is relative to the time in which your “scalable” systems were deployed, and today’s ceiling is in the cloud.