SaaS (Software as a Service) is everywhere - with software publishers adopting it and the media reporting on it. Countless articles and sales pitches tout its benefits. In reality, it is often difficult to know what type of hosting is most suitable. When talking about hosting the hottest new gimmicky application demanded by the marketing team, the implications are less serious and an error of judgment can be fixed. On the other hand, when it relates to the new Odoo ERP system, it is better to consider the question carefully because setbacks are often complicated.
In this article, we will attempt to answer the question as to which hosting option is most suitable for your Odoo ERP.
On-premise Hosting
To start, you should be aware that there are three main types of hosting for Odoo management software: on-premise, publisher cloud, and integrator cloud. Let's start with on-premise hosting: what are the advantages and disadvantages?
On-premise hosting has a number of benefits for the IT department. This is a mode of ERP hosting that gives the IT department total control over its IT infrastructure. All updates, additional modules and bespoke development are, therefore, managed by the IT department. If, for example, you have contractual commitments to your customers that require you to store your data on your own servers, this can be valuable.
Nevertheless, this option requires the IT department to take on a substantial workload. Of course, some of these tasks (such as updates) can be delegated to the integrator, but there are still significant resources (in terms of person-hours) that need to be budgeted for. In addition, the integrator will not be able to offer the same guarantees as it would if it managed your hosting from end to end. Moreover, if your business is growing quickly, hosting your ERP solution on your premises will require you to make regular investments in new servers, etc. And of course, all that comes at a cost!
The Odoo cloud
The integrator's cloud
To enjoy the benefits of SaaS hosting for Odoo without the drawbacks we’ve already identified, you can opt for your integrator’s cloud. This is a much more economical solution than on‑premises deployment because you avoid time‑consuming maintenance and the costs associated with running your own IT infrastructure. Everything is managed by your integrator. It also gives you added peace of mind when it comes to support. If you ever have an issue with your ERP system, your internal IT team won’t be involved directly. Users can contact the support team provided by the integrator.
The same applies to Odoo updates: they will only be carried out with your approval and with the assurance that custom developments will not be affected, for example by setting up test environments first. This gives you greater confidence and reduces risk. Depending on the agreement you sign, your data can be backed up at regular intervals on multiple remote servers, and you can benefit from a guaranteed resolution time of less than 24 hours, for example.