Eight factors to consider when weighing up a move to SaaS.

Posted by Rohit Kanwara on 08 June 2022

 

Moving your data storage from on-premises to the cloud is a hot topic right now – and for good reason. Global changes in the way we work have accelerated the need for universal access to company resources, and cloud computing increases the mobility and productivity within an organization.

ZAP Data Hub is available both on-premises and in the cloud. ZAP has embraced a cloud-first strategy as there are compelling reasons for moving to the cloud rather than keeping your data on-premises through existing systems, servers, and processes.

Cloud-based SaaS is a better option for most, although it’s not right for everyone. A consultation with your regional ZAP Manager about your organization’s specific circumstances is recommended before making the decision.

What factors should you consider when weighing up your on-premises vs cloud data storage options?

1. Cloud-based SaaS provides rationalization of IT cost and organizational risk

Removing the technical overhead of building and maintaining IT infrastructure associated with your data not only saves you time and money but also reduces the associated risk.

A SaaS deployment of ZAP Data Hub removes the need for individual organizations to purchase, support and maintain IT hardware, infrastructure, staff and software associated with on-premises deployment. No organization is too small or too large – hosting ZAP Data Hub on the cloud means we can always accommodate your changing needs, and that you remain on up-to-date systems and infrastructure, always.

2. ZAP has embraced a cloud-first strategy

As a leading technology organization ZAP has embraced a cloud-first strategy which enables us to provide a consistent and efficient service to each of our customers whilst keeping them on the latest software.

ZAP continues to offer an on-premises version of ZAP Data Hub for those who require this option, however some future development and supported features may only be provided or facilitated in the cloud.

3. Cloud-based SaaS provides more proactive & faster support

SaaS enables us to be proactive in monitoring various models – and as the environment is homogenous and accessible, we can take quick action should any issues arise. Any patches required can be pushed directly to the client. It is also much easier for your services partner, if applicable, to gain access to the ZAP instance.

ZAP has an outage handling process that includes:

• In-app outage notifications are provided to currently logged-on users
• Redirection services enacted during maintenance
• Admins notified of any extraordinary, planned outages
• Warm-up scripts executed during maintenance
• A service-level commitment for ZAP’s cloud service availability of 99.7% each billing cycle – see here for details of our Service Level Agreements

4. Leveraging the power of Microsoft Azure

ZAP hosts the application and your data on Microsoft Azure. Using Azure enables us to provide a cost-effective infrastructure that can scale on demand so you can focus on ZAP Data Hub to analyze your reports and make data-driven decisions.

See here for more information on using ZAP Data Hub for Azure; and I can recommend my colleague and Chief Evangelist at ZAP, Trey Johnson’s post on Migrating Data and BI to Azure Cloud – Your Top 3 Questions Answered.

5. SaaS customers have access to the latest software

Automated product updates and upgrades mean our SaaS customers will have access to the latest software that can be used anytime, anywhere, and on any device. Each customer can maintain control of the schedule (including day & time) to suit their own organization’s work cadence. ZAP’s release cycles incorporate:

• Automatic releases that take place every 4 weeks – the client chooses the day and time that suits them
• Custom or major releases are done at a specific date and time, which ZAP will advise in advance
• Support is also available on an as-needed basis.

Automated scheduling includes:

• Windows (malware, Windows & Azure firewalls)
• SQL
• ZAP failure notifications
• Warehouse upgrades (this is a manual, post-upgrade step for on-prem customers)
• Automated solution deployment
• Security best-practice
• Monitoring with alerts

6. SaaS service provides greater resilience for your data

Disaster recovery is included as a standard with ZAP’s cloud service. Backups are automatically managed, and we have an emergency reset button that enables us to reconstitute an environment within 15 minutes whilst our support team works to diagnose the offline copy.

7. SaaS service provides greater security for your data

We maintain state-of-the-art cloud security, operating to internationally recognized standards. Soon to be ISO 27001 certified, ZAP enforces strict internal product controls and regularly audits our policies and procedures.

For more details on how ZAP is dedicated to safeguarding your data, please refer to ZAP Cloud Security.

8. ZAP offers customers a free trial option with migration to a paid plan

…so you have nothing to lose!

See here for more information & plan options for both SaaS and on-premises hosting of ZAP Data Hub.

 

About the Author:

Rohit Kanwara Rohit is the EMEA Regional Manager for ZAP with over 10 years of B2B software sales experience in selling ERP products like Sage X3 and SAP Business One. Rohit is passionate about helping businesses improve through technology and innovation by understanding their challenges and offering tangible solutions. View my social profiles: LinkedIn | Twitter