Why is it Better to Host a Microsoft SQL Database Online

If you’ve been considering moving your Microsoft SQL Server database off-premises and into the cloud, you may wonder if it’s worth it. After all, hosting a database locally can seem more convenient and affordable. But there are quite a few advantages to hosting your MS SQL database online that make it the more brilliant choice in the long run.

Here are just a few of those benefits:

Increased Uptime and Reliability

When you host your database off-site, you can rest assured that it will be up and running 24/7/365. That’s because cloud providers have teams of experts whose sole job is keeping servers running smoothly. They also have multiple layers of security in place to prevent outages and data breaches.

So if you rely on your database to power critical applications, moving it online can help reduce downtime and keep your business running smoothly.

Why is Uptime Important?

Uptime is vital for any business that relies on its website or application to generate revenue. Downtime can cost businesses a lot of money in lost productivity, lost sales, and damage to their reputation. Hosting your database in the cloud can reduce downtime and keep your business running smoothly.

There are many reasons why uptime is essential for businesses.

1. First, downtime results in lost productivity. Employees can’t work if they can’t access the applications they need.
2. Second, downtime can lead to lost sales. Customers will visit your competitor’s site if your website or application is down.
3. Third, downtime can damage your reputation. If customers can’t access your site or application, they’ll assume you’re not reliable and will take their business elsewhere.

Cloud providers have teams of experts whose sole job is to keep servers running smoothly. They also have multiple layers of security in place to prevent outages and data breaches. So if you rely on your database to power critical applications, moving it online can help reduce downtime and keep your business running smoothly.

Pay As You Go Pricing Model

When you host your MS SQL database in the cloud, you only pay for the resources you use. This “pay as you go” pricing model can help save your business a lot of money in the long run. Here are some of the benefits of this pricing model:

More Cost-Effective in the Long Run

When you host your MS SQL database locally, you must pay for expensive hardware upfront, even if you’re not using it yet. And as your database grows, you’ll need to keep buying more hardware to accommodate that growth. But when you move to the cloud, you only pay for the resources you use.

So if your database usage spikes one month, you don’t have to worry about overpaying for capacity that sits idle the next month. This “pay as you go” pricing model can help save your business a lot of money in the long run.

In addition, with a pay-as-you-go model, no long-term commitments or contracts are required—so if you decide that the cloud isn’t suitable for your business, you can cancel your service at any time without penalty.

More Flexible Than Traditional Hosting Models

With traditional hosting models, if your website traffic spikes suddenly, you may experience slow load times or even crashes because your site is trying to load on hardware that isn’t powerful enough to handle the demand.

This can result in lost sales and damage to your reputation. But with a pay-as-you-go model, you can quickly scale up or down as needed—so if traffic spikes unexpectedly, you can add more resources to accommodate the increased demand without any downtime or loss of sales.

Gives You More Control Over Your Budget

With traditional hosting models, it’s difficult to predict how much capacity you’ll need six months or a year down the road—so usually err on the side of caution and overspend just to be safe.

But with a pay-as-you-go model, since you only pay for what you use, it’s easy to control and predict your budget month over month without overspending on unused capacity.

Plus, since no long-term commitments are required, if your budget changes suddenly and unexpectedly due to an economic downturn, you can quickly and easily scale back your service without penalty instead of being locked into a contract that’s no longer affordable.

Automatic Software Updates

These days, it’s more important than ever to ensure that your software is always up to date. New software versions often come with security patches and bug fixes, including new features that can make your life easier.

That’s why it’s such a big plus when your hosting provider takes care of your software updates. Here are just a few of the benefits of having automatic software updates.

You’ll Always Be Using the Latest Version of the Software

One of the most significant advantages of automatic software updates is that you’ll always use the latest software version. This is especially important for security reasons; as soon as a new security patch is released, you’ll be able to take advantage of it immediately without waiting for your hosting provider to install it.

And since new software versions often include new features, you’ll always have access to the latest and most excellent tools and functions.

No Downtime or Disruption to Your Service

Another significant advantage of automatic updates is that they’re typically configured to happen outside of peak usage times, so there’s no risk of disruptions to your service.

In most cases, you won’t even notice when an update occurs; it will simply happen in the background without any downtime or interruptions. And if there are ever any issues with an update, your hosting provider will be on hand to help you resolve them quickly and efficiently.

Included in Your Hosting Package at No Additional Cost

Automatic software updates are typically included in your hosting package at no additional cost. That means you can take advantage of all the benefits we’ve discussed without worrying about additional expenses. One more way to host your MS SQL database online can save you time and money.

Scalability on Demand

Many options are available to businesses regarding hosting an MS SQL database. Some opt to host their databases locally, thinking it will be more cost-effective in the long run. However, what happens when your business unexpectedly grows and your database usage increases exponentially?

If you’re local hosting, you could find yourself having to pay for more server capacity than you need just to accommodate the growth—and that unused capacity could end up going wasted (and costing you money).

But when you host your Microsoft SQL database online, providers make it easy (and affordable) to scale up or down on demand, so you’re never paying for more than you need. This scalability can be a lifesaver for businesses that experience sudden growth spurts (or dips in usage).

How Scalability on Demand Works?

MS SQL databases hosted online are usually stored on cloud-based servers. These servers are designed to be scalable, so they can easily adjust to sudden changes in demand. When your database usage grows quickly, your provider can add more resources (like storage space and processing power) to your server to accommodate the increased demand.

And when usage slows down again, those resources can easily be removed. This way, you only pay for the capacity you’re using—which can save you a lot of money in the long run.

The Benefits of Scalability on Demand

Several benefits come with scalability on demand, especially for businesses that experience sporadic or unpredictable growth spurts.

1. First, it can help save you money by avoiding overage fees or underutilized capacity charges.
2. Second, it can help ensure that your customers have a positive experience by providing that your website always has the resources it needs to function properly—even during periods of high traffic.
3. And last but not least, scalability on demand provides peace of mind knowing that your website will be able to handle whatever comes its way.

Conclusion

Overall, there are many compelling reasons why hosting an MS SQL Server database online is generally a smarter choice than hosting it locally. From increased uptime and reliability to Pay As You Go pricing models and automatic software updates, several advantages make hosted databases the better option in most cases.

Of course, every business is different, so consider weighing all these factors carefully before deciding where to host your own company’s data. In most cases, we think you’ll find that hosted databases simply make more sense!