ECM in the Cloud is a Hybrid Business
As they look at technology options for enterprise content management (ECM), many organizations are taking a “cloud first” approach. Others are adopting cloud for some segments of their business. Probably the most prominent choice by enterprise organizations for ECM is a hybrid approach—some of their systems and content reside in the cloud, some on-premises and in some cases, integrations between these systems.
A recent survey and white paper by Osterman Research entitled, “The What, the Why and the How of Hybrid Cloud,”* discusses what hybrid cloud is, why it is inevitable, and how to take advantage of it. So what makes a cloud a hybrid cloud? A hybrid cloud architecture allows IT to choose where data is located, where the data is processed and how it is managed.
Organizations can make their deployment decisions based on criteria such as the sensitivity of the information, compliance regulations and business priorities. According to OpenText’s “Total Cost of Ownership: Benefits of ECM in the Cloud”** research, there are a host of benefits in having your ECM in a cloud or hybrid environment. These TCO benefits are driving organizations to look at private cloud or hybrid implementations more than ever. With a carefully chosen cloud provider they can choose an ECM hybrid implementation with integrated systems in one or more clouds and on-premises.
When choosing whether to implement an ECM solution as pure cloud or in the increasingly popular hybrid environment, there are financial and business benefits that should be considered.
Financial Benefits of ECM in the Cloud
There are immediate financial benefits that should not be overlooked when implementing ECM in a hybrid configuration a hybrid cloud.
Hybrid ECM in a cloud environment can bring many financial benefits including:
- limited internal IT infrastructure
- moving capital expenses to operating expenses
- reduced software investment
- savings in IT resource cost
Cloud or hybrid implementations can reduce the need to invest in a complex IT infrastructure, software and dedicated hardware. Secondly, the use of a subscription model, as opposed to the traditional up-front capital expenditure, can be very beneficial from an accounting perspective.
Business Benefits of ECM in the Cloud
While people quickly gravitate to the financial benefits of cloud and hybrid environments, there are actually many business benefits in having your content management in the cloud. A cloud or hybrid ECM implementation can bring many business benefits including:
- improved user access/experience
- peace of mind with a solid security strategy
- flexibility in deployment strategy
- automatic software updates
Hybrid offers a lot of choice and flexibility providing organizations with the option to manage some, part or all of their application and to share some, part or all of their content in different cloud environments. Equally important is the fact that customers in the cloud get the most recent application releases from their provider, whether it is a SaaS or a managed service application, ensuring they are taking advantage of modern features. This benefit should not be underestimated as it means that modern mobile and customer experiences are available on a frequent basis, helping the organization to keep pace with the market and ahead of their competition.
It is a Hybrid Business, Not Just Another Deployment Option
Don’t think of cloud or hybrid cloud as just another deployment option. There are significant benefits inherent in cloud and hybrid deployments that are difficult or impossible to achieve with traditional on-premises systems. As organizations consider their cloud options for ECM, they should review their business objectives and ensure their cloud choice will provide them with the most relevant business and financial benefits.
The OpenText Cloud is a trusted platform used by more than 65,000 customers. OpenText Managed Services in the Cloud delivers balance, providing flexible, secure and cost-effective deployment options built around the needs of your business and supported by the technical and business expertise of OpenText. For more information about the OpenText Cloud visit opentext.com/cloud.
(*) “The What, the Why and the How of Hybrid Cloud,” Osterman Research, 2016
(**) “Total Cost of Ownership: Benefits of ECM in the Cloud 2016“