Why On-Premise May Not Be the Best Choice Compared to SaaS

We often receive inquiries about On-Premise deployments, and while it may seem appealing to have complete control over your own infrastructure, there are several considerations that make SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) a more cost-effective and streamlined approach.

1. High Infrastructure Costs

• On-Premise: Requires significant upfront investments in server hardware, ongoing maintenance, and periodic upgrades. You’ll also need to allocate space, power, cooling, and other resources to keep the servers operational.

• SaaS: Offloads all hardware costs to the service provider. You only pay for a subscription and avoid surprise expenses related to hardware failures or technology refreshes.

2. In-House DevOps Requirements

• On-Premise: Your team must handle everything—installation, updates, security patches, monitoring, incident resolution, and overall system uptime. If an issue arises, internal staff must diagnose and fix it.

• SaaS: All technical operations are managed by the provider. This includes 24/7 monitoring, security updates, performance optimizations, and routine maintenance—allowing your team to focus on core business tasks instead of IT administration.

3. Backup and Redundancy

• On-Premise:

  • Typically needs two or more database servers for redundancy.

  • Daily backups with multiple historical versions are mandatory.

  • A load balancer is recommended to distribute traffic and handle spikes.

  • Media file redundancy is required to ensure uninterrupted availability for all connected devices.

• SaaS:

  • All of these safeguards (redundant servers, load balancing, automated backups) are included at no extra cost.

  • Your service remains robust and highly available, without the overhead of designing a failover strategy.

4. Updates and Customization

• On-Premise:

  • Typically updated once a year (or less).

  • Upgrading to new versions or requesting customizations may incur extra fees or complex migration processes.

• SaaS:

  • • Receives feature releases and improvements every 2–4 weeks.

    • No additional fees or delays—new functionality is rolled out seamlessly.

5. Human Error Risks

• On-Premise:

  • Internal DevOps team must have deep knowledge of the platform and best practices.

  • Mistakes, staff turnover, or lack of experience can lead to downtime or urgent crises that require external assistance.

• SaaS:

  • The provider’s experienced technical staff handle all aspects of infrastructure, maintenance, and security.

  • Lower risk of operational disruptions or errors due to misconfiguration.

Conclusion

Choosing SaaS over On-Premise eliminates many of the complexities and costs associated with running a fully managed environment yourself. By opting for a SaaS model, you:

1. Reduce overall expenses (hardware, staffing, time).

2. Offload technical overhead (monitoring, backups, maintenance).

3. Benefit from frequent, automatic updates and improvements.

4. Avoid on-site server risks and human error pitfalls.

In short, SaaS provides a continuously updated, secure, and reliable service without the burden of managing infrastructure, allowing you to focus on your core business goals instead of system upkeep. If you have any questions about transitioning to a SaaS model or need more information, feel free to contact our support team. We’re here to help!