When you are first evaluating SunSystems as your next financial management system, you’d have to make a decision on the deployment option.
Currently, our SunSystems financial management solution can be deployed in two ways: cloud deployment using FinanSys Cloud and on-premises deployments.
They both have their strengths and possible weaknesses.
This blog post is going to explore what these are in more detail. In the end, you should be better equipped with the information to make an informed decision about which would work best for your organisation’s needs.
Cloud deployment
If you choose cloud deployment, it means your finance system will be hosted on FinanSys Cloud and you won’t need to install and maintain any software at your site.
FinanSys Cloud was launched in 2012 and it became the first hosting service solution dedicated to and optimised for SunSystems.
This means seamless support and maximum uptime in a secure SunSystems cloud hosting environment that is easy-to-use, scalable, highly accessible, and cost-effective.
The cloud-hosted option is built to be scalable and low cost. This allows for maximum flexibility and lowers overall expenses.
On-premises deployment
Many organisations have a preference to keep their critical applications on-premises. On-premises deployment is installed at your own location, where you can host the solution on your own hardware device.
With its powerful security features, industry-leading performance, scalability and reliability, Infor SunSystems works just fine when hosted locally.
The on-premises option gives you full control over your data, so you can manage users’ access to data with more personal preferences. Also, the on-premises deployment lets you make changes to your system as needed without having to wait for third-party approval or longer turnaround times.
Cloud vs On-Premise: The Advantages
When it comes to choosing between an on-premises deployment or cloud implementation, both offer their own set of advantages.
Cloud Benefits
The following are some key benefits of hosting on FinanSys Cloud:
Easy to onboard
The entire implementation process is made simple and effortless. It helps you get up and running with your new financial management solution quickly as it is delivered as a service. You don’t have to worry about installing, operating, maintaining, or upgrading software.
With no installation required, you don’t have to invest in upfront hardware and labour deployment costs.
Because of the low-cost and low-risk nature of the cloud, you don’t have to worry about vendor lock-in. You can deploy your solution as a service in the immediate as well as easily redeploy it at a later time.
No need for computer hardware
This deployment option does not require purchasing or leasing any additional equipment for hosting the solution.
FinanSys Cloud is a dedicated environment (i.e. a private cloud as opposed to the more common multi-tenanted cloud), therefore it eliminates the problem of housing and maintaining your own computer hardware and associated infrastructure.
Security of your data
The FinanSys Cloud database itself is encrypted via SSL. All data stored in the database is encrypted in transit with full 256-bit encryption.
FinanSys Cloud is managed by a group of highly skilled and trained professionals, who maintain the supporting infrastructure, databases, system backups, disaster recovery, reporting functionality, and software upgrades.
With a single point of contact for the customer, physical security is based on data access control and firewalls.
Cost predictability
From the very beginning, FinanSys Cloud hosting gives you full visibility into long-term costs and predictable spending.
You pay only for what you use. You are charged for the environment that is actually running (such as the number of users) plus any additional features you use, such as additional modules.
To deploy a system locally, you would need to invest in the right hardware configurations to handle your anticipated growth. This is often a big investment and may be cost-prohibitive for some companies.
Scalability, flexibility, and elasticity
With cloud deployment, you can increase your computing capacity on demand; you can scale up or down as your business needs change.
For example, you can quickly expand your deployment based on increased user demand or go in the other direction if there is a decrease in the number of users.
Quicker implementation time
You can deploy SunSystems in the cloud across multiple locations and users quickly.
On-premises setup takes time and money especially if you do not have IT support or a trained team to handle it. On the other hand, FinanSys Cloud offers already preconfigured environments that can easily scale to meet your business’ needs almost instantaneously.
Additionally, with FinanSys Cloud, there is no need to install a large number of licenses to support your user base.
On-Premise Benefits
The following are just some of the benefits that you get when deploying SunSystems locally:
Data ownership and control remains with the customer
Local hosting means Infor SunSystems will be installed on your own hardware, providing you with ultimate control over your data.
You’ll have access to all necessary documentation and can maintain and update the software yourself as needed.
Greater ability to adapt to business needs
While the software vendor or partner will be happy to work with you on a tailored deployment for your business, using the cloud means that you have less control over how the software is configured and used.
It is not exactly the same case with the on-premises option. With local hosting, you can make changes to the software as needed in order to accommodate changing business needs.
You have more control over the implementation process
You can control the hardware, network and software configurations that best fit your organisation’s needs.
Using SunSystems in an on-premises environment gives you greater flexibility over how it is uniquely configured and used by your business. For example, you may need higher system security or reduced downtime for critical applications.
Which is right for your organisation?
The decision to go on-premises or cloud needs to be made with a clear understanding of what your business goals are and how they will fit into each option.
When to choose cloud deployment:
- If you have users who work remotely, working in the cloud be an ideal solution for you.
- If what you are looking for is greater flexibility and scalability, then cloud deployment would be a good fit.
- If you don’t want to deal with infrastructural maintenance, then a cloud option is your perfect candidate.
- If you are looking for a technology implementation that can be easily managed and maintained while being cost-effective, the cloud is your option.
- If you need to get your project up and running quickly, the cloud is an optimal solution.
When to choose on-premises deployment:
- If your organisation requires a more customised deployment, an on-premises solution may be best suited for your needs.
- If your organisation has a highly regulated environment, has strict security requirements, and needs large amounts of network bandwidth or high availability, then the cloud may not be a good option for you.
- If your organisation runs a large volume of data, it might be better to operate a local storage system as a large amount of data could cost more when hosted in the cloud. However, a local storage system may not be as secure or reliable.
- If you want to be able to fix bugs and add new features quickly, on-premises might be your option since this is more difficult in the cloud.
- If you require certain physical security measures like biometrics or smartcard authentication, then you will need an on-premises deployment.
While there are clear advantages and disadvantages that come with both on-premises and cloud deployments, the right choice for your business will depend on its needs and goals. To make an informed decision, you should look at each choice individually, to see how they align with your organisation’s requirements.
Whether in the cloud or on-premises, we have what it takes to help you better manage your financials. Get in touch with us today to discuss how we can help!