When it comes to deciding between cloud and on-premises solutions, it’s rarely a black-and-white choice. For many organizations, the sweet spot lies somewhere in the middle—figuring out how to balance flexibility, security, and cost efficiency. Many businesses are faced with the daunting decision daily - how and where to even start the planning let alone the move towards the right setup. Whilst every IT environment is unique in its own way, in a follow up to my last post, I want to provide some practical next steps to help you move forward in your journey.

Take Stock of What You Have

Before you make any decisions, get a clear picture of where you stand today.

• What’s working well in your current infrastructure? What’s not?
• Are your security and compliance requirements being met?
• Are you spending more than you need to on your IT setup?

A thorough review of your current environment will give you a strong foundation to move forward.

Clarify Your Priorities

Every business has unique needs. What’s most important to your business?

• Do you need flexibility to scale up during busy seasons? If so, then Cloud might be the way to go.
• But what if your worried about data privacy and regulations? On-premises could be a safer solution.
• Do your IT costs need better predictability? On-premises solutions might help stabilize your budget.

Decide what really matters so you can align your IT strategy with your business goals – quite often a hybrid approach will meet all the needs across each business unit.

• Keep sensitive or high-performance systems on-premises.
• Use the cloud for scalable, less critical workloads or disaster recovery.
• Transition at a pace that works for your team, without rushing into big changes.

It’s like having the best of both worlds—flexibility without losing control.

Discuss your options -

Talking to your team and to the business is a critical step that’s often overlooked.  IT decisions affect everyone in your business, so it’s important to get input from across the board.

• Start at the start - What pain points do your end-users experience with your current setup? This will help you clearly define the problem you are trying to solve.
• What does your finance team need to manage costs?

The more voices you include, the more likely you are to build a solution that works for everyone.

Invest in Your People

No matter what technology you choose, it’s your team that makes it work.

• Train your IT staff to manage new tools and platforms. This is an area that can be complex when it comes to identifying and inventorying your software deployments.
• Encourage cross-functional understanding so everyone—from IT to finance—can work toward a shared goal.

A knowledgeable team communicates well with each other is one of the best investments you can make in your business.

Continuous review

Your IT setup isn’t something you can “set and forget.” Technology changes fast, and your business needs will too.

• Use tools to track installations and usage of your software. Use this information to understand further if there are performance and costs savings you could be making.
• Check in annually (or even quarterly) to make sure your infrastructure is still meeting your needs.
• Stay flexible—what works today might need to change tomorrow.

This isn’t just about making a choice—it’s about building something that evolves with you.

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help

You don’t have to figure all this out on your own. Partnering with specialist firms like Connor Consulting as a managed service provider can:

• Help you assess your needs and create a custom strategy
• Share insights on industry trends and best practices
• Make the implementation process a whole lot smoother

Sometimes an outside perspective can make all the difference.

Finding Your Balance

The debate between cloud and on-premises solutions isn’t going anywhere, but the good news is, you don’t have to pick just one. The right mix depends on your business, your challenges, and your goals. By taking a thoughtful approach and focusing on what matters most, you can build an IT strategy that supports your growth, protects your data, and keeps your team running smoothly.

What steps are you taking to prepare for the future? Let’s share ideas—I’d love to hear your thoughts.

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