In our previous posts, we’ve gone over the many benefits of transitioning your on-premise Microsoft Dynamics GP software to Azure cloud. In this post, we’ll discuss some of the downfalls of keeping your software on-premise.
While most companies are on board with employing a “Cloud First” strategy as a part of an overall digital transformation within the organization, some companies have decided to stick to a “No Cloud” strategy, or simply haven’t made any decision due to a fear of change, the loss of control or security breaches.
However, avoiding a move to the cloud can be a risky strategy. This refusal to innovate can seriously hinder the agility of your organization, making it more difficult to respond to new opportunities. By making the switch the cloud, you can gain both flexibility and scalability, increasing growth without increasing your headcount.
Higher maintenance and support costs – Maintaining a data center to store applications like Dynamics GP will cost you more than storing that same data in the cloud.
Increased security risks – While you may think that housing your data in the cloud brings an increase in security risk due to breaches, it’s actually even riskier to keep it on-premise. Hackers are creating more viruses and malware everyday and keeping your software on-premise inhibits your ability to keep pace with new threats and protection measures. If using Azure cloud, Microsoft has world-class systems in place to prevent these threats.
Inadequate storage – Hardware is expensive. Because of this, you may decide to skimp on the amount of storage your organization actually needs. This causes an inability to capitalize on the potential business value of data and analytics.
Limited mobility – The world has gone mobile. Your employees need to be able to seamlessly access data from anywhere, whether they’re on the road or at home. Keeping Dynamics GP on-prem limits the ability to access up-to-the-minute data in real-time from anywhere in the world. This limits your organization’s competitive advantage as well as the opportunity to attract a digitally savvy, mobile and global workforce.
Poor user experience – Your employees are your most valuable resource, therefore, it’s important to invest in things that will make their jobs easier and more efficient. Running legacy systems or maintaining software on-prem that is difficult for them to access can create resentment, lower morale and temptation to leave for a more innovate competitor.
While there may be small risks involved with transitioning Microsoft Dynamics GP from on-premise to the Azure cloud, the risk of not doing so is much greater. The refusal to evolve says a lot about your company culture and can have serious implications for your growth and bottom line.
