A question I used to dismiss, until a client changed my mind.
Earlier this year I started working with a new client who had a Synology NAS system at the heart of their setup. It had been installed by another IT specialist, configured reasonably well, but then left without any ongoing support. Over time things had drifted, it had got messy, and it was no longer being updated – an immediate security red flag.
A review of their architecture was certainly required, but backup and security always come first. I started a complete overhaul of the NAS.
The Synology is now properly secured, configured correctly, and their data is backed up in two places: locally, and to Synology’s own C2 cloud platform. We also tightened up their local PC accounts at the same time, which means ransomware would now have a much harder time sweeping through the network if it ever got a foothold.
The question I used to ask, and why I’ve changed my view
We’re very cloud-conditioned these days, and my first instinct when seeing a NAS setup like this was to push back immediately: why on-premise? Why not just move everything to the cloud?
Working closely with this client changed that. Once I understood their budget, their data volumes, and their day-to-day constraints, on-premise made complete sense for them. Not every SMB needs to be fully cloud-first, and recommending it regardless of the situation isn’t good advice.
This is exactly the kind of decision that benefits from being an independent IT Director, with flexibility in what I recommend. MSPs, whether good or bad, typically have standardised platforms they want their clients to work with and, often, a commercial incentive to move you to those platforms. Someone without a stake in the outcome can give you a straight answer.
Something I hadn’t expected: Active Backup for Business
One useful discovery during this project. Synology offer a bundled tool called Active Backup for Business, which allows you to back up PCs and servers directly to your NAS, which you can then subseqently offload to either a second location or to the cloud. For a small business that needs the ability to restore user desktops quickly after a failure or attack, it’s genuinely worth knowing about. And the price is hard to argue with!
The takeaway
On-premise storage isn’t outdated. For the right organisation, the right size, the right budget, the right use case, it can be more cost-effective and practical than cloud alternatives. I admit, it’s not frequent I come across use cases like this, but it’s important to be aware of them.
The key is making sure on-premise systems are set up properly, kept secure, and actually backed up. A system that ticks none of those boxes isn’t saving you money and is just loading you with future technical debt.
If your business has a NAS or server setup that hasn’t been looked at in a while, it’s worth a review. Feel free to get in touch, or subscribe below for more practical IT insights for SMBs and non-profits.
