๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ป ๐ถ๐ณ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ฎ ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐น๐ผ๐๐ ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐? ๐ข๐ฟ ๐ถ๐ณ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ด๐๐น๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐บ๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ ๐ถ๐บ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐น๐?
By: Primoz Kusar
What would it mean for your business if your data suddenly lost protection overnight? Or if new regulations required you to immediately relocate it? Decisions about IT infrastructure have never been more strategic.
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When companies today plan the future of their information systems, the direction is clear โ the hybrid cloud is becoming the standard. Part of the services migrates to the cloud, while part remains on-premises. This is not a passing trend, but a deliberate and strategic decision, driven by the need for flexibility and reliability.
The greatest challenge is universal: security. Data security, process security, system security. Infrastructure today is no longer evolving in isolated segments, and performance, availability, and security are now inseparable. And it is security in particular that guides every decision. It determines what we move to the cloud, what we keep on-premises, and why many organisations are bringing services back from the cloud into their own environments.
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The Bounday Between Cloud And On-Premises Infrastructure
The boundary between on-premises and cloud solutions is not universal โ it depends on each individual case. Services such as email or other applications that require extensive infrastructure make sense in the cloud. However, renting only raw infrastructure โ processors, memory, or storage โ frequently proves financially unjustified.
It is essential to understand that the cloud is just infrastructure owned by someone else. Backups, intrusion protection, access control, and auditability remain the responsibility of the company itself.
In recent years, we have also observed a reverse trend: companies are bringing certain services back from the cloud into their own environments. The decision is largely driven by security concerns and regulatory obligations. European legislation often requires data to be stored within the EU, which limits the choice of providers and demands additional caution. Growing geopolitical uncertainty adds further pressure.
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Green Data Centres Are Becoming A Necessity
Digitalisation is energy-intensive. This is why green data centres are no longer just a trend, but a necessity. Efficiency is measured using the PUE index, which represents the ratio between the energy used for computing and the additional energy required for cooling. The closer the value is to one, the more efficient the system.
This is driving the development of cold-hot aisle separation, liquid cooling, and other technologies to reduce energy loss. I believe regulation will soon follow the model already applied to household appliances, and data centres will be assigned their own energy efficiency classes.
Infrastructure is converging: performance, availability, and security are now inseparable.
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Infrastructure is converging: performance, availability, and security are now inseparable.
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AI As A Major Energy Consumer
Artificial intelligence brings enormous advantages, but it is also a major consumer of energy. It is a tool that requires skilled and thoughtful use. AI can accelerate solution development, generate ideas for code or scripts, and increase overall efficiency. However, the responsibility still lies with humans โ to verify the results, maintain them, and ensure that AI is applied appropriately.
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What Lies Ahead In The Next Five Years?
The hybrid cloud is here to stay. Certain services will return to local infrastructure due to regulatory and security requirements. At the same time, software vendors are increasingly pushing users toward the cloud, where they offer more functionality than in on-premises environments. This means companies will need to find the right balance.
My Advice To Businesses
The decision about future infrastructure is not purely technological โ it is strategic. Companies must first clearly define their objectives, budgets, and internal capabilities. Only then can they decide whether the right approach is the cloud, on-premises infrastructure, or a hybrid model. It is important they choose a solution that fits their environment and expertise.
At Smartis, we start by listening. We take the time to understand each clientโs challenges and then work together to design the right solution โ whether on-premises, in the cloud, or through managed services. Ultimately, it is about delivering a secure, reliable, and efficient solution that enables growth.