Hybrid setup

What it means

A hybrid setup combines your own infrastructure with cloud services: some systems run at the company’s premises, some at a provider. The split follows data sensitivity, speed requirements and what has already been paid for.

The typical picture in a small company: the accounting system and stock on a server in the office; mail, documents and backups in the cloud. That is not indecision but a sensible division by risk.

A company that simply has a cloud storage service for sharing files next to its local server does not yet run a hybrid setup. It becomes hybrid when the two parts are connected and data moves between them by rules: what is stored where, what is synchronised and what must never leave the office.

How it works in practice

The move is usually gradual: backups and documents to the cloud first, then mail, applications last. Each step can be tested on its own, which is less risky than migrating everything at once.

What matters is that both halves keep working when the internet drops, and that it is clear where the source of truth for the data lives. A recovery plan settles the same question.

For clients with a locally installed accounting program, the hybrid often works like this: documents are digitised into the cloud and we book from there, while the database stays with them. We then agree who backs up the database and when, where the backup goes, and how we reach the data if the office server fails just before a filing deadline.

What to watch out for

Hybrid means two environments to administer, two sets of access rights and two places to patch - and when the on-premise half is neglected, that is exactly where the weak link forms. So the cost is counted with administration included, not just the price of servers.

Licences for locally installed software may not allow running on a cloud server or access from several places. A company that simply moves its accounting or stock program onto a virtual machine may breach the licence terms and pay for licences retroactively after a vendor audit. Before moving, read what the licence is actually tied to.