Posted by: Tyler Bower

Companies are moving their ERP applications to the Cloud in ever-increasing numbers. But you have an investment in Sage ERP that is still paying dividends. You’re not about to trade in the ERP solution that’s been serving your organization so well for so long, and Sage continues to invest in their ERP solutions, giving you added confidence that you’re still on the right path.

Perhaps, though, there’s a cloud hanging over your on-premise Sage implementation. Maybe the pandemic and the work-from-home shift brought a little rain. You may be wondering if you could have all the benefits of your Sage application and all the benefits of a cloud-hosted ERP. Could migrating to a hosted ERP deployment be the answer? If you’ve got questions about moving Sage X3, Sage 500, Sage 300, or Sage 100 to the Cloud, we’ve got answers.

Why is now the right time to move Sage ERP to the cloud?

Now is an excellent time to make the move to a Hosted ERP deployment model for many reasons, including:

  • Remote Access: The work-from-home shift is likely to continue and may become a permanent change for many companies. A Hosted ERP model provides straightforward and secure accessibility for remote employees.
  • IT resources are in short supply: It can be challenging to find, hire, and retain in-house IT personnel capable of maintaining your company’s servers and technology infrastructure. A Hosted ERP model minimizes your organization’s IT burden, allowing you to redirect those resources to more value-added initiatives.
  • Peace of mind: Data security risks are a constant concern. In a hosted environment, a cloud services provider (CSP) hosts your entire production environment in a stable and secure setting, with round-the-clock monitoring and support. Many CSPs offer uptime availability guarantees as high as 99.99%, and with hourly backups, you can be confident that even in the event of a disaster, your data will be safe.

What are the advantages of moving to a Sage hosted ERP model?

Sage Hosting offers numerous advantages over an on-premises deployment, including:

  • Leverage your investment: Sage applications are robust, comprehensive ERP applications that have been growing in functionality for decades. The solution you’re using today has been tested, improved, and extended with capabilities to run enterprise organizations’ entire operations. Moving to a hosted ERP model allows you to best leverage the continuing value of the application. Through hosting, you gain access to modern infrastructure that will enable you to continue to take full advantage of your ERP solution for years to come. Additionally, you may have code customizations added throughout the years, and since your whole business data set moves to the hosted environment, those customizations will come right along with you.
  • Fixed monthly cost: With most Hosted ERP deployments, you’ll pay a fixed monthly fee for the services you select. No more worries about server updates or budgeting for hardware upgrades. One set monthly fee buys you quick, anytime, anywhere access to your Sage applications, without the technology overhead costs.
  • Data security: When you’re operating your own on-premises servers, you retain complete control over security. For a business with an appropriate level of IT support, on-premise solutions can provide a level of confidence that the servers are locked down. On the other hand, if mismanaged, on-premise servers can leave an organization vulnerable to security threats. Unlike data centers, which hire dedicated security personnel and are built to withstand acts of nature such as fires, your office can be more susceptible to break-ins and weather events, which pose significant threats to your servers and your data.

Data security in the cloud is handled by your CSP. Reputable CSPs take their data security responsibilities very seriously. Most rely on the very latest and most sophisticated security tools to keep customers’ data safe. And most are equipped with 24/7 support and monitoring and perform regular (even hourly) data backups.

How do I select the right company to host my Sage ERP?

Finding the right company to host your Sage ERP is a crucial decision, so it’s vital to study your options and make an informed choice. Cloud Service Providers (CSP) are technology companies offering cloud-based platforms that could include infrastructure, application hosting and storage services. Big names like Microsoft Azure, AWS, and Google Cloud come to mind, but when looking for a CSP to host your Sage ERP, bigger isn’t better. You won’t be able to work directly with one of these big players. Instead, you’ll need to work through a few layers, such as a Managed Services Provider (MSP) and even likely an intermediary CSP. All those layers can result in long wait times for support and finger-pointing between vendors as they try to resolve a support issue.

A CSP that also understands your Sage ERP application is ideal — and Cloud at Work is that kind of CSP. We understand Sage ERP solutions and the companies that rely on them — and that makes a difference. We’ve got more tips on selecting the right CSP here.

Cloud at Work is a Sage hosting provider, delivering cloud hosting options all Sage applications. We work with Sage customers and their Sage business partners to provide the most streamlined, cost-effective, and robust hosting experience available. Contact us with your questions.