It seems that everyone and everything is moving to the cloud. We use the cloud to communicate, pay bills, and buy goods and services. So, if you have a server that needs replacing or a SQL version that’s reaching its end of life, you may be asking yourself if the cloud is the right place for your utility’s CIS suite. Knowing the benefits and risks of cloud CIS will help you make that decision.

Because of COVID, the digital transformation to online services has leaped forward 7 years since the start of the pandemic. Your community used to interact with your utility primarily by snail mail, phone, email, office visits, and possibly your website. But, because of COVID, businesses and consumers had to adapt to social distancing, staying home, and masking up. With these changes, consumers still wanted to purchase goods and services but learned new ways to get them.

What does the digital transformation have to do with choosing between a cloud or on-premise CIS suite? In a word, everything. With the digital transformation to online services comes several advantages and disadvantages to your community. And keeping your CIS locally or moving it to the cloud has its own benefits and risks. It all comes down to how much security, control, and access you need and how much it will cost.

Cloud CIS VS. On-premise CIS

The Benefits and Risks You Need to Know.

On-Premise CIS Benefits and Risks

Keeping your CIS suite on your servers can provide plenty of benefits to your community. A local CIS affords you the option of maintaining control of your data and your infrastructure. With that control comes the responsibility of keeping the data secure and your server updated. If you have the IT staff to maintain and monitor your infrastructure, your community’s data will be secure, and you will have control over everything in your suite. Some municipal utilities will choose an on-premise CIS suite because it allows them to maintain the architecture in a way they are accustomed to.

On-premise CIS requires that you purchase the software to run your CIS suite. Because this software resides in your organization, your organization is also responsible for maintaining the software by patching, updating, and fixing any problems that keep your CIS suite from running.

With everyone at home, having remote access to your CIS suite was essential. Your utility couldn’t conduct business without it. If your IT staff has strict user access protocols in place and your security is state-of-the-art, then your CIS suite will be safe from bad actors. But, if your infrastructure is not maintained, your system is not updated routinely, and access control is not ensured, the personal and private information in your CIS suite may be at risk.

An on-premise CIS suite is a capital expense, and it can be expensive to replace your hardware and software every 3-5 years, as the industry recommends. Often utilities will purchase more storage to accommodate possible growth, but if the growth does not happen, they have paid for storage that they are not using. And having the IT staff to maintain your infrastructure is also a factor. Knowing your total cost of ownership of a cloud CIS is essential in deciding between an on-premise or cloud CIS solution.

Benefits of On-Premise CIS

Provides control over server hardware and software
Operates without the internet
Creates a closed system to increase security

Risks of On-Premise CIS

Requires extra IT personnel
Demands capital investment
Loss of data is possible if not maintained
Can be expensive and time-consuming to scale up

Cloud CIS Benefits and Risks

A cloud-based CIS also has benefits and risks regarding security, control, access, and cost. By moving your CIS suite to the cloud, you gain a world-class cloud architecture that is secure and controlled by industry leaders at AWS and NorthStar. With AWS’s robust architecture, Tier 3+ security, routine backups, and built-in redundancies, your data will be securely accessible anywhere on any device. However, because AWS and NorthStar are managing your cloud, they will have access to your data, and you will have to determine if you are comfortable sharing your control.

Moving your CIS suite to the cloud means your IT staff no longer has to purchase, install, manage, and upgrade your CIS suite and infrastructure as recommended every three to five years. AWS performs routine backups, and NorthStar handles all updates as they are rolled out. Your IT staff will be free to do other tasks, streamlining your operations and saving time and money.

Moving your CIS to the cloud puts your IT spend in the operating expense column. Because you don’t have to buy software, hardware, or memory, you can scale up and down as needed, but if you’re not careful in managing your cloud storage, you can see a significant increase in costs. Having your CIS suite in the cloud can provide robust security, enhanced access, and reduced total cost of ownership.

Benefits of Cloud CIS

Becomes an operating expense
Scales as your utility needs it
Adjust to your budget
Backed up routinely
Secured by Tier 3+ architecture
Accessed easily with internet-based connectivity

Risks of Cloud CIS

Monitoring of cloud storage needed to maintain costs
Accessed by the internet which can be problematic for users with poor internet connection
Controlled by a third-party

Key Differences Between Cloud and On-premise CIS.

To sum up, both a cloud and on-premise CIS suite have benefits and risks. And knowing what you gain from each of these architectures will help you decide which one is right for your utility and your community. Use the graphic below to help you decide.

Difference Between Cloud CIS and On-premise CIS

Download PDF

Ready to see what it’ll cost you to move your CIS to the cloud? You can use our TCO Cloud Calculator to work through the costs for yourself or talk to one of our sales representatives today.

Benefits and Risks of Cloud CIS