Why Web-Based Email is Better Than On-Premise Email Hosting
Email is a critical communication tool for most businesses and organizations. When setting up a business email system, two main options are an on-premise email server or a web-based email service. While on-premise email hosting has been the traditional approach, web-based email services are rapidly gaining popularity due to the many advantages they offer. Here are some of the main reasons why web-based email is better for most businesses compared to maintaining your own on-premise email server:
Lower Costs
One of the biggest advantages of web-based email is lower overall costs compared to on-premise solutions. With on-premise email hosting, you need to invest in hardware like servers and storage devices. You also need IT staff to install, configure, secure, update, and maintain the email server. With web-based services, the providers cover all those costs as part of the regular subscription fees. This removes a significant financial burden from businesses.
Increased Reliability
It takes considerable expertise to properly manage and secure an email server. With web-based services, the responsibility for reliability and security falls on the provider. Leading email services invest heavily in measures like data redundancy, advanced security protocols, and robust infrastructure to ensure maximum uptime and protection from threats like spam and viruses. Small businesses rarely have the expertise to match this level of service quality on their own.
Better Email Continuity
If your office internet connection or power goes down, on-premise email will be unavailable until connectivity is restored. With web-based services, employees can access email from any device with internet access. Email continuity is maintained through power outages or internet disruptions at the office location. This improved accessibility can be vital for staying productive and communicating during difficult circumstances.
Easy Scalability
As your business grows, email demands may increase rapidly. With on-premise hosting, scaling hardware like storage and servers to match demand introduces headaches and costs. Web-based services handle scaling seamlessly through flexible subscription tiers that support expanding email storage needs and increased user counts. Scaling an on-premise system typically requires purchasing and integrating new hardware.
Mobility and Convenience
Web-based email enables accessing email from anywhere on any device with an internet connection. Employees can stay productive on the go through smartphones and laptops. On-premise systems typically require employees to use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection to the office network to access email remotely. This introduces inconveniences compared to the mobility of web-based services.
For most small and medium sized businesses today, choosing a modern web-based email service is the best choice. The lower costs, improved reliability and continuity, easy scalability, and excellent mobility make web-based email a better value proposition compared to maintaining your own on-premise email system. Unless you have specialized needs that require control over your own email infrastructure, opting for web-based email is generally the smartest approach for your business.
