3 Concerns with Moving to Cloud PLM -- Part 2

Despite the fact that more and more manufacturers are moving their PLM and other enterprise systems to the cloud, there are still some who are a bit anxious with moving enterprise data to the cloud. A few weeks ago, we outlined the top three concerns manufacturers have with cloud PLM – as determined from a recent survey by CIMdata. These concerns included: integrating cloud PLM and other enterprise systems, security risks, and a lack of confidence in performance. While these were the concerns most often cited, they were by no means the only ones those surveyed had. 

Below, are three other major concerns manufacturers have with moving PLM to the cloud… and how they can be easily overcome: 

READ THE FULL LIST OF CONCERNS AND WHY THEY SHOULDN’T KEEP YOU FROM THE CLOUD

Lack of Confidence in Availability and Uptime

It’s your data. You should be able to access it whenever you want. However, if the enterprise system hosting your data suddenly goes down, you risk losing control over the data.

Before selecting a cloud PLM vendor, ensure that they’re able to offer you continuous systems operation and optimization with at least 99.5% availability. This will help you experience less downtime, improve compliance, and reduce overall IT concern. 

Data Lock-In

Similar to the concern of availability and uptime is concern with data lock-in. If you choose to no longer use a vendor’s solution, are you able to easily take the data out and move it somewhere else? When evaluating potential vendors, ensure that they have a smooth transition process out of the cloud. 

An ideal vendor would support both on-premise and cloud deployments. That way, should you decide that cloud PLM isn’t right for you, you are able to tap into the same system via a corresponding on-site solution. Alternatively, if you don’t want to stay with the vendor at all, be sure that the vendor has a termination plan that puts the data back into your hands. 

Confusing Deployment Options

Your PLM solution can be deployed in multiple ways: on-premise, in the cloud, or a Software as a Service (SaaS). Determining which of these solutions is best for your organization depends on how hands-off or hands-on you want to be in controlling and maintaining the system. 

• On-premise – The solution is completely hosted internally on your own server. 
• Cloud – Securely deploying PLM via the cloud, rather than hosting on-premise, reduces the costs of hosting the server as well as decreases burden on your IT department. With a PLM solution in the cloud, standing up the system is much faster – meaning your team will be much more productive sooner.
• SaaS – By deploying the system as SaaS, your PLM solution will be rapidly deployed and managed by the PLM experts at your chosen vendor. The vendor will handle any upgrades and updates in features, as well as all software migration. By adopting SaaS PLM, you received assured value and predictable costs.

Why You Shouldn’t Be Concerned with Cloud PLM

When evaluating potential cloud PLM vendors, be sure that you voice any concerns you might be having about moving to the cloud: whether you lack confidence in availability and uptime, are worried about data lock-in, or are confused about the various deployment options.

Download CIMdata’s e-book, “Making the Connection: The Path to Cloud PLM” and get a better understanding of how you can move to the cloud.