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Cloud repatriation – Why are organisation taking servers from the cloud back to on prem?     

Cloud repatriation, also known as cloud exit, is the process of migrating data and applications from the cloud or creating a hybrid cloud utilising some or all on-premise infrastructure. This trend is gaining momentum as businesses realise the limitations of public cloud services and the potential benefits of on-premises or hybrid infrastructure. 

There are several reasons why organisations are taking servers from the cloud back to on-premises infrastructure: 

Cost.

One of the biggest drivers for cloud repatriation is easily cost. While cloud services offer flexibility and scalability, they can also be expensive. As organisations scale up their usage of cloud services, the costs can quickly add up. With on-premises infrastructure, the cost is more predictable and often more cost-effective in the long run. Organisation sold into cloud solutions as a cost saver often realise savings are not what they would appear to be. 

Control.

Some organisations feel that they have more control over their data and applications when they are stored on-premises. They can manage their infrastructure and security systems more closely and have more say in how their data is accessed and used.

Performance.

Cloud services are often subject to latency issues, especially if data needs to be transferred across geographical regions. This can have a negative impact on application performance and user experience. By bringing servers back on-premises, organisations can ensure faster data access and better application performance as well as have more control over performance tuning. 

Security.

There is a growing concern about data privacy and security in the cloud. Organisations are concerned about data breaches, hacking, and cyber-attacks. By keeping data on-premises, organisations can better control access to their data and better secure it. 

However, migrating from the cloud back to on-premises infrastructure requires careful planning and consideration. The following are some of the factors that businesses need to consider when designing a cloud repatriation plan: 

  1. Data Transfer: Moving data from the cloud to on-premises infrastructure can be a complex and time-consuming process. Organisations need to consider the amount of data that needs to be transferred, the network bandwidth, and the transfer speed.
  2. Compatibility: Applications and data that were designed for the cloud may not be compatible with on-premises infrastructure. Organisations need to ensure that their applications and data can be easily transferred and that they will work seamlessly on their on-premises infrastructure.
  3. Security: The security of the data and applications needs to be maintained during the transfer process. Organisations need to ensure that data is not compromised during the migration.
  4. Business Continuity: During the migration process, businesses need to ensure that their operations are not disrupted. They need to have a plan for managing downtime and ensuring that their critical applications and services are available throughout the migration process. 

In summary, Cloud repatriation is an emerging trend as businesses recognise the potential benefits of on-premises infrastructure. There are now many examples of early adopters needing to wind out of the cloud for numerous reasons and finding the right balance between cloud and on-premise can be challenging. While the decision to migrate from the cloud to on-premises infrastructure requires careful consideration, it can help businesses to better control costs, performance, and security, and provide greater data and application control. However, it is important to ensure that a well-planned migration process is in place to ensure minimal disruption to operations and ensure data security.