Businesses are shifting more and more of their data needs to the Cloud. Cloud models like Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and Software as a Service (SaaS) can help to alleviate many data needs that were traditionally handled in-house. By doing so, it allows the company to focus more on the needs of the company, instead of the technologies behind the operation.
While Cloud-based models can provide a company with a variety of advantages, there are different options, and it can often be hard to find the right one. To pick the right Cloud-based solution, a consumer needs to understand the advantages and disadvantages of the different services and find the one that best fits their needs.
Cloud-Based Delivery Models
When it comes to shifting your company’s enterprise content management needs to a Cloud-based environment, there are four basic types of systems. These options are known as community Clouds, public Clouds, private Clouds and hybrid Clouds. (Community Cloud Definition, 2012)
Community Cloud: With a community Cloud, you have a multi-tenant infrastructure that is designed to meet the needs of a group of consumers that all have similar computing requirements. A group of participating organizations will come together to form the community Cloud in order to get some of the benefits that come with the multi-tenant format, while also getting some of the benefits like privacy, security and compliance that you would expect from the private Cloud. (Community Cloud Definition, 2012)
Public Cloud: A public Cloud is essentially a service where the resources are made available for consumers to use as they need. This is a multi-tenant environment where the resources are shared by a large group of organizations. It offers a pay as you go model where the consumer does not need to buy any hardware and they only have to pay for the resources that they use. It can be an especially good option for situations where a company knows that they are only going to need the resources for a limited time. (Kleyman, 2013)
Private Cloud: A private Cloud is like a public Cloud, but the resources are dedicated to one organization instead of being partitioned off to several consumers. For enterprise content management, a company can get private Cloud service from a provider like eFileCabinet and this will provide them with a higher level of control and increased privacy and security. This can be good for companies that have specific concerns that cannot be addressed in a multi-tenant environment. (Kleyman, 2013)
Hybrid Cloud: The option of the hybrid Cloud is becoming increasingly popular because it provides the consumer with the advantages of the public Cloud and the private Cloud. The main advantage of the hybrid Cloud is that an organization can keep many of their more sensitive resources on the private Cloud, while getting the flexibility of the public Cloud. You still have the privacy and control over the private Cloud, but you can get additional resources on an as needed basis from the public Cloud. (Kleyman, 2013)
Which Is Best for an ECM Solution?
If your primary concern is enterprise content management, then there could be several factors to consider when you are selecting a Cloud-based service for your business. For most, the private Cloud is the way to go because it offers increased security and the ability to have the system designed more to meet the needs of the specific organization. However, there are some other options to consider.
While the private Cloud is the most practical option for ECM at the time of writing, the hybrid option is starting to take over. More companies are starting to utilize this model because of the more flexible and adjustable nature it offers. If an organization has needs that are varying depending on different times of the day, different times of the year, or due to temporary circumstances, then this model is probably the way to go. (Kleyman, 2013)
The community Cloud, on the other hand, is primarily used to test certain program features or security practices within an environment that is secure and operating under specific conditions. That being said, this Cloud-based format has yet to make headway into the area of ECM or DMS, and there are few applications where it could be useful for these purposes.
While the hybrid Cloud may be the way of the future, at the current time, a private Cloud will offer the best solution for most organizations that need an ECM system. Additionally, this is the most common product that you will find because it tends to be the most practical.
Cloud computing services offer some of the best solutions for enterprise content management, but the buyer needs to make sure that they are getting a system that will meet their needs. With a company like eFileCabinet, consumers get Cloud computing solutions that are made to meet the specific needs of the organization. The products from eFileCabinet are not a one size fits all approach to ECM. They have systems that are designed for educational organizations, health care business, manufacturing concerns and more.