When looking for the right legal tech tool for your law firm, you will soon come up against a simple but very important question: Are solutions in the cloud better or would you rather run everything on-premise? We'll help you decide.
The question of whether a legal tech solution is better off in the cloud or on-premise for greater security cannot be answered quite so quickly. You first have to take a closer look at the two principles. Neither is better or worse per se. Many criteria for your decision depend on your requirements for the tool, what the workflow in your law firm looks like and how much money you want to spend on the bottom line.
What is meant by on-premise?
On-premise literally means nothing other than "on site" or, more precisely, "on the premises". This means that these solutions are installed on the computers in your law firm and are therefore also available offline. At first glance, this sounds like a very solid and secure solution - if it weren't for a few disadvantages that you should definitely bear in mind.
What are the disadvantages of on-premise?
There are a few points where a closer look reveals where on-premise offerings reach their limits:
Security
Even if on-premise seems safer in theory, there is also the possibility of blatant security gaps. In addition to attacks by hackers, environmental influences can also paralyze or destroy your system. In the worst-case scenario, fires, power failures or water damage can lead to a complete loss of data.
Even if on-premise seems more secure in theory, there is also the possibility of glaring security gaps.
In any case, you need to take care of perfect security in the form of a strong firewall and access control yourself or with the help of an IT specialist. With cloud solutions, this is the responsibility of the provider and the costs are already included in the respective prices.
Accessibility
In many cases, you will need a VPN connection for on-premise solutions to work from home. Depending on the solution used, the setup costs can be quite high.
Maintenance
On-premise solutions need to be regularly maintained and updated. You cannot always do this yourself and therefore need external service providers, which in turn requires money, time and organizational resources. In the cloud, the provider takes care of all of this.
Costs
Last but not least, we come to the costs, which are of course many times higher for on-premise solutions than for cloud software. The purchase of suitable servers and a secure backup system are expensive and require professional advice and installation. Cloud solutions require only a fraction of this effort and no additional hardware. Thanks to the scalability of the applications, you only pay for the services you actually need.
Cloud solutions: reliable, mobile and easy to use
The functionality of cloud-based software has really caught up in recent years, as developers are now focusing on ease of use, intuitive design and a clear structure. As a result, cloud solutions have become absolute must-haves that leave a particularly positive impression on clients.
Cloud solutions have become absolute must-haves that leave a particularly positive impression on clients.
No wonder, after all, they are the obvious proof that a law firm is moving with the times. If the tool also has the option of mobile use on a smartphone, the high-end digital setup of your law firm is perfect. There are also some convincing arguments in favor of using cloud-based software such as DOCPIT:
Perfect for working from home and on the move
Access to the program and all data is usually much easier to enable than with on-premise solutions.
Scalability
The application can grow with your law firm. At the same time, you don't have to pay for functions that you don't actually need.
Reliability
The constant monitoring of the system by the provider makes cloud services particularly reliable.
Costs of cloud solutions
Cloud-based solutions are cheaper in the vast majority of cases. There are no costs for servers, firewalls, backup systems, updates and the regular purchase of new systems. Unfortunately, servers have a limited lifespan and therefore need to be replaced regularly. In addition, a second server should be stored at a different location so that all data is not lost at once in the event of fire or water damage.
Cloud-based solutions are cheaper in the vast majority of cases
This also costs money and must be both secure and regularly maintained. This quickly results in costs of several thousand euros, which are due at regular intervals. With cloud solutions, all these points are eliminated, as the provider takes care of the servers. The monthly fees for the cloud software therefore also cover all hardware costs.
You can try out cloud solutions quickly and easily. DOCPIT, for example, offers you a trial version that you can test on your laptop and smartphone with just a few clicks and after a short introduction via video call. This allows you to quickly and easily decide whether DOCPIT offers you exactly the applications you need to digitize your workflow.
Are cloud-based legal tech tools secure?
Security is one of the biggest concerns when it comes to cloud solutions. However, these are monitored around the clock by the provider, any errors are rectified immediately and regular updates and maintenance are carried out. Legal tech tools in the cloud are therefore not automatically insecure and do not necessarily violate professional law. It all depends on the implementation of the individual tools. DOCPIT meets the requirements of the GDPR as well as those of professional law and is therefore suitable for lawyers, tax consultants and authorities. Clients also appreciate the simple and mobile application, which makes creating and editing documents as well as communication easy and practical.
