Using technology is critical for broadcast and media companies. It’s a cornerstone of how you operate, and how you host it matters. The options are cloud or on-premises. With the increased cloud adoption by many companies in the past year, you may be reconsidering the infrastructure of your broadcast traffic and advertising technology (adtech) platforms. So, what are the benefits of cloud hosting? Let’s evaluate the options so you can make the best decisions for your organization.
The Benefits of Cloud Hosting Traffic and AdTech Solutions
There are several areas of evaluation to make when deciding how to host your technology systems. Here are the most critical ones to consider.
Cloud Hosting Reduces IT Costs
The expense of on-premises solutions adds up fast. With on-site hosting, you must make capital investments in physical servers and other equipment. You’ll also need IT teams to support it, which may be internal or a managed services provider. As you need to replace and upgrade hardware, the expenses keep growing.
Conversely, cloud hosting is a more predictable monthly cost that requires no capital investments. You don’t need the equipment or labor; your provider takes care of that. A survey of IT professionals found that 94% said cloud hosting reduces setup and maintenance costs. Additionally, 47% said it would decrease overall IT costs by as much as 50%.
Scaling Is Seamless with the Cloud
Your broadcast traffic system and adtech include a lot of data, and that’s only going to grow. On-premises hosting can cause scalability challenges. You’ll have to keep adding physical infrastructure to keep up. The cloud, however, is flexible. You can scale up and down as needed.
Software Is Always Up to Date
For any software solution, upgrades occur all the time. Releases may add new features or fix technical issues. Your provider auto-updates your system when you host in the cloud, so it’s always the latest release.
If self-hosting, your IT team will be responsible for this. That puts more strain on them, and if they fail to do this in a timely manner, your network could be more vulnerable to attack.
The Cloud Is Redundant
When using the cloud, all the data in your system has at least one backup, if not more. This practice is critical to business continuity should a cyber incident or natural disaster occur. Most on-premises solutions don’t have this because it’s too expensive or complicated. Redundancy is a critical benefit for users, ensuring that your system can be back up and running quickly.
Cloud-Based Systems Are Accessible Beyond the Office
Another benefit of cloud hosting traffic and adtech is access. With on-premises solutions, there are limitations. To use them outside the office walls, you can use a remote desktop application. However, those are cumbersome and can increase the risk of exposure because of this type of workaround.
With cloud-based solutions, you need a login and internet connection. The reality is that the future of work is hybrid. Sales professionals need to access these solutions from wherever, which might be at a customer’s business or from home. To boost security, you can add a VPN connection for users.
Deploying Cloud-Based Solutions Is Easy
If you move to a cloud-hosted environment, implementing the software is fast and easy. You can be up and running within hours, in most cases. On-premises deployments take much longer. Teams must come on-site and set up the server. Depending on the complexity, this could take days or weeks.
The Cloud Helps You Conserve Energy
On-premises setups require significant energy consumption. That includes the energy to keep the servers running 24/7 as well as cooling the locations. With this approach, you’ll spend more on energy bills and have a larger carbon footprint.
A study evaluated the carbon footprint of cloud vs. on-premises hosting. The findings revealed that the cloud was up to 93% more energy-efficient and generated 98% less carbon than on-premises operations.
Cloud Hosting Benefits Your Organization: Save Time, Money, Resources and More
If you’re still apprehensive about the cloud, that’s understandable. These benefits, however, certainly make the case. What may be more critical is that the cloud is agile and ready for the future. On-premises legacy systems simply can’t adapt.
If you’re ready to embrace the cloud and its advantages, we can help. Check out our cloud-based products for traffic management and digital advertising today.
