When installing an intranet platform for your company, you have two choices: install it locally in your own server, or have it hosted in the cloud.
We’ll look at the pros and cons of each one in this post.
On-Premise Intranet Installation
Pros
- More control of your intranet, including security, back-ups etc
- One-time payment for the software
Cons
- Requires dedicated IT staff
- May require the purchase of a dedicated server and/or additional memory
- Upgrades and after-sales support usually entail additional costs
Cloud Hosted Intranet (or SaaS)
Pros
- Small monthly fees for continued access to intranet software
- Worry-free security and data backups
- No need to purchase new equipment such as a dedicated server or additional memory
- Nobody in your organization needs to maintain the intranet on the tech side
- Upgrades, trouble-shooting and tech support are included in monthly fees
Cons
- Total dependence on the vendor for security and backups
- Need to make continuous payments for as long as you use the intranet
- Limited ability to customize the intranet software
As you can see, either of these options is the best one — depending on the resources you have and are willing to devote to your intranet. Which type of intranet deployment do you think would work best in your company?