Choosing the right CMMS program is a key factor in preserving the life of your assets. In addition to the features of the program and its ease of use, deciding between a cloud-based platform and on-premises is very important.
Cloud-based software is hosted on the CMMS company’s servers (or Amazon, Azure or similar hosting providers) and accessed through a web browser. On-premises software is installed on the customer’s servers. Both options have their own benefits and downsides.
With cloud hosting, there’s no upfront hardware cost. There are also minimal maintenance costs and the program is easy to scale up and down. Professional security is included with the cloud, and the system is updated automatically by the vendor.
As far as the cons with cloud hosting, there are monthly fees required, therefore your ROI is diminished. You also have less control over the system.
An on-premises CMMS program will have a higher ROI with no monthly fees. However, there is a high upfront cost usually. There is also more local control, but it requires an IT professional to manage (additional costs).
On-premises will also have limited scalability, limited access, and limited flexibility. You will also be responsible for your own backups and security.
Overall, cloud-based CMMS solutions are easier to manage and get up and running, but some customers may want more security for their data.
