Microsoft’s latest SharePoint 2019 update is out, and its new features are making it easier than ever to store information and communicate internally. With the new update, you can create communication sites, generate new sites faster, store more files, and integrate SharePoint with other cloud-based data applications.
To take advantage of these new SharePoint 2019 options, you need to select the right edition for your business. Microsoft offers on-premise, off-premise, and hybrid options—each with its own benefits and trade-offs. This guide will help you find the appropriate version of SharePoint 2019 so that you can leverage your data and communications more effectively.
The Benefits of SharePoint 2019 On-Premise Services
SharePoint 2019 is an online platform that business owners use to keep critical documents and information organized. However, it isn’t just a web-based service. Business owners also have the option to store information on-premise.
SharePoint on-premise requires you to store data in a secure location of your choice. This means purchasing and maintaining SharePoint servers onsite and hiring an IT team to update the system periodically.
The benefits of using SharePoint on-premise depend on whether you purchase a Standard or Enterprise version.
SharePoint 2019 Standard allows you to:
- Regulate data governance;
- Store data securely;
- Target key audiences;
- Perform web analytics;
- Manage user profiles;
- Organize metadata and content;
- Search existing data; and more.
By comparison, SharePoint 2019 Enterprise offers all of the features above as well as:
- Rich web indexing;
- Custom dashboards; and
- Integration with business intelligence tools like Power BI.
SharePoint Enterprise is the best option for organizations that manage a large amount of data or that want to maximize business intelligence. The features are more robust than the Standard version.
The main benefit of using SharePoint on-premise is that you have greater direct control over data security. It’s also helpful if you want to customize the system to fit your staff’s workflows.
However, there are also downsides to going on-premise. It costs more to maintain the servers onsite and hire a full-time staff to keep the system operating at peak efficiency. It also requires more physical space. If you have a small office, you may not have the infrastructure required to make the system work. It also takes time to set up a server onsite, so your return on investment (ROI) may be delayed.
This is why many business owners opt for SharePoint 2019’s off-premise services instead.
The Benefits of SharePoint 2019 Off-Premise Services
SharePoint 2019’s off-premise, cloud-based option doesn’t require any existing infrastructure. Microsoft stores your data securely in the cloud. You access it using a web-based portal. SharePoint online allows you to perform all of the same tasks as the on-premise Enterprise version.
The off-premise version is also less complicated and sometimes less expensive. You won’t have to hire an IT staff to maintain servers or find a secure physical location to store your data. You’ll receive frequent software patches directly from Microsoft whenever they’re available. Plus, you’ll see a faster ROI. Once your data has been uploaded into SharePoint’s servers, you’ll have immediate access to it from any authorized device.
However, there are also a few downsides of SharePoint 2019’s off-premise option. It isn’t as customizable as the on-premise version. You don’t have any control over the software patches or the look of the dashboard user interface. Some business owners also feel more comfortable controlling their own data, rather than trusting a third party with it. While modern cloud data storage is very secure, you may still wish to have your own security protocols in place.
SharePoint 2019 also offers a hybrid option that combines features from both versions.
Should You Go with Hybrid Services?
Business owners who want to continue to store their data locally but also want to have access to this data from any location can choose SharePoint 2019’s hybrid services. This option includes:
- The ability to access locally-stored data in the cloud from a secure sign-in;
- Monthly and annual patches and important cloud updates (which saves your IT team time); and
- Cloud backups of locally-stored data (and vice versa).
You’ll still have the added cost of maintaining servers onsite and hiring IT staff to maintain them, but a hybrid system takes some of the pressure off of your team. They can focus more of their time and attention on servers and security issues without worrying about updating the software side or making new user dashboards. You also have greater access to your data. Staff can locate data in the cloud from any location and aren’t limited to using computers on site.
How to Choose the Best SharePoint 2019 Plan
The choice you make ultimately depends on your goals and existing infrastructure. Generally, SharePoint 2019’s on-premise option is best for large organizations that want to control every aspect of data security themselves. Larger enterprises can afford multiple servers and IT teams on site. They also often have more unused physical space to store it all.
If you’re a small enterprise, a cloud-based version is most beneficial. Not only does it cost less up-front, but it also is easier to manage over time and more flexible. With all of your data stored in the cloud, you can quickly scale up or down without making adjustments to your physical infrastructure.
If you want both the flexibility of a cloud-based system and a local backup of all of your critical data, then a hybrid version is a great choice.
No matter which SharePoint 2019 version you’re considering, an experienced IT services firm can make the migration seamless. Knowledgeable data scientists are very familiar with the pros and cons of each SharePoint version and can help you choose the option that works best for your organization’s needs.
Another reason to hire an IT services firm is that they can offer you additional features that SharePoint doesn’t currently support. If you need a cloud-based system but also want custom user dashboards, an IT firm can do both. The firm will help you upload your data into SharePoint online and will create user-friendly portals that connect with your data in the cloud. You don’t have to choose between customization and secure cloud storage. An IT firm will offer you all of the benefits of these SharePoint versions without any of the drawbacks.
If you want advice on transitioning to SharePoint 2019, contact Tek Leaders today. We offer a free business intelligence audit. If you have more questions about the cloud storage and dashboard services we offer, you can reach us by email directly.
Shashank Reddy Tummala.
