In today’s modern IT world, it seems like everyone is talking about the cloud. Just about every company has at least one cloud-based server, and the overall market valuation is expected to reach $411 billion or more by 2020.

There is a reason for this. Cloud computing and storage is safe, cost-efficient, and incredibly simple to use – and offers simple mobile and out-of-office integration and access. However, cloud computing does have its drawbacks – and private, on premise servers are still relevant, even in our cloud-based world of IT.

Let’s take a look at just 5 of the biggest advantages you can enjoy by keeping private data on an on-premises server now. 

Contrary to popular belief, cloud data centers are vulnerable to attacks and downtime, just like on-premises servers. Because of this, being able to directly manage assets, data, and systems is still important to some companies, especially for their most important, proprietary data. 

This allows you to ensure that the failure of a cloud business, a cloud hack, or another issue with a cloud service provider will not affect your data. You are in control of your data – for better, or for worse.

Some companies may be unable to transition completely to a cloud-based model, partly because of governmental regulations.

This is especially true of companies that handle PHI (Personal Health Information) and other healthcare data that is covered by HIPAA (The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). 

Often, when you partner with a cloud service provider, it’s hard to verify their guarantees that they adhere to government regulations regarding data privacy and security – which could expose your company to some serious liabilities, fines, and other issues.

Sometimes, on-premises servers are simply the best choice for extremely sensitive proprietary data. If a company is building a new device with pending patents, for example, and wants to make sure that no information about the device leaks outside the organization, it’s likely safer to keep specifications and other documents in an internal, on-premises server.

The same goes for companies who develop proprietary software. It’s often more desirable to host and run this software on-premises, to ensure that it remains safe and protected from corporate espionage and other security issues.

While cloud computing datacenters do have excellent uptime, not every company has great customer service. It may be difficult, in some cases, to resolve downtime issues with a cloud service provider.

In contrast, on-premise servers can often be repaired and restored quickly, using in-house IT staff who already have plenty of experience working on these systems. You don’t have to rely on remote workers, or deal with customer service representatives or technicians over the phone.

For low-latency applications, on-premises servers are a better choice, compared to cloud data centers. Because the server is on the local area network (LAN), it will have near-instant responsiveness to queries, and downloads will be incredibly fast.

While most cloud-based datacenters offer great performance, and use advanced internet architecture to enhance responsiveness and download speeds, on-premises servers still typically offer lower latency and better responsiveness. 

Because both on-premises servers and cloud-based data centers have benefits and drawbacks, many companies are opting for a hybrid model – where the majority of data is stored on the cloud, and the most sensitive and important company data is stored locally, with private cloud backups. 

So don’t ignore the benefits of local, on-premises servers. Even though most companies focus on cloud computing, local servers are still useful – for these reasons, and many more.