Well, my name is Mike Current, and I’m an Upgrade Specialist. I’m a longtime proponent of virtualization and cloud technologies. I started my OnBase career as a Cloud Engineer for OnBase Online, or Hyland Global Cloud Services as it is now called. I then became an infrastructure administrator who worked first-hand to manage the virtual infrastructure for Hyland QA, Development, and Tech Support. I also evangelized these technologies and presented “Virtualization and OnBase” and “Troubleshooting OnBase in a Remote Desktop Environment” for years at the annual OnBase conference, CommunityLIVE. You could say I’ve spent a lot of time with my head in the Cloud. I’m a dad, so I’m allowed to make that joke.
But even so, I sometimes shudder when I see the phrase “Cloud-First,” depending on how the term is used. Sometimes well-meaning technology enthusiasts, IT departments, and CIOs see a few articles on how the industry is moving to a Cloud-First adoption strategy and start thinking that their first solution should be cloud adoption. Cloud-First does not mean “cloud-only”! Forcing a hardline cloud-only approach has the potential to cause significant problems with OnBase projects, custom integrations, and upgrades.
For the sake of this discussion, let’s define Cloud-First. The principle behind the Cloud-First strategy dictates that anytime a new IT project, environmental refresh, or technological initiative is in the discovery phase, cloud solutions should always be considered. That said, the benefits of cloud technology have rightly earned their place in discovery discussions. However, if your cloud direction is misapplied to thinking cloud-only, you risk trying to force the proverbial square peg into a round hole.
Cloud-First Means Considering Two Key Factors:
- Determine whether the Cloud options feasible, given any business processes and custom components in place.
- Determine if the Cloud options are feasible, is now the right time? Or is it reasonable to wait?
There are many different flavors and options on how to leverage the Cloud in general, but today we’re focusing on how the Cloud pertains specifically to OnBase.
Cloud Applications and Services to Consider with OnBase
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- Governance Rules as a Service (GRaaS) is an end-to-end retention solution for OnBase, combining a set of fully researched, web-accessible governance rules with robust automation so defined rules are applied directly to documents.
- ShareBase is an enterprise cloud-based, file-sharing product that may be an ideal extension to your OnBase solution. ShareBase allows unlimited sharing of files both inside and outside your organization while maintaining ownership and control of the entire process.
- OnBase Video provides an elevated experience for managing and delivering multimedia content, creating additional opportunities to incorporate video and audio into critical processes within your businesses.
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS):
- OnBase hosted on Microsoft Azure or Amazon Web Services is the best option for getting OnBase off-premise if your solution has external autofill datasets, custom integrations, or custom components. It’s also a great option for teams that need direct server access to the solution.
- Hosted Managed Service Provider (MSP) by DataBank is a great next step in taking a larger burden off your IT team. This allows DataBank Pro Services to manage your server instances, monitor activity, and provide 24/7 peace of mind knowing your OnBase servers are well looked-after and functioning optimally.
- Software as a Service (SaaS):
- Hyland Cloud offers a secure, privately managed cloud platform that is custom-designed to host OnBase solutions. By eliminating the need to monitor and maintain the security, availability, and disaster recovery of your environment, your teams can focus more on your solutions and extending the power of your software.
For whatever your needs, your partners at DataBank can help guide you to the right Cloud at the right time.
