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OnCloud Hosting vs. Self Hosting | Updated thoughts?

mark 5 years ago updated by Alexandros 5 years ago 6

I would love everyone's thoughts on self vs. cloud hosting. Essentially an update to this thread: https://xtrf.userecho.com/communities/8/topics/1337-which-server-solution-do-you-recommend

I'm considering moving from the XTRF OnCloud service to a self-hosting model. My two biggest reasons for that is 1) some of my clients require all files reside in the US, so a Germany-based host doesn't work and their Canadian option is kinda-sort-of passable, but not ideal. and 2) The OnCloud is explicitly not HIPAA compliant, and while I'm not HIPAA certified (and am not going to be) it raises enough red flags for a few of my clients that it makes me want to control my hosting environment more closely. Having said that, I would rather not add another complex process or cost to the mix. 

So... How are everyone's experiences with self-hosting? How challenging is doing updates? What are your reasons for self-hosting vs oncloud? What limitations have you experienced with self-hosting? Has anyone transitioned from onCloud to Self, or Self to OnCloud and have experiences to share?

I would love to hear thoughts and feedback.

Thanks!

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Installs/updates are fairly good documented, any missing gaps support will help you.

Once you've tried it a few times it's super easy. I had latency issues with one install recently and I had to spin up several instances of XTRF at various hosting providers and in the end you install and update with your eyes closed. :) Should absolutely be no issue for someone that can open a commend prompt in Windows.

One reason I would never go for hosting with XTRF and memoQ are forced updates. Every new software needs several bug fixes before it's safe for production use. Both software solutions are well-known to be very buggy with every new version. Why somebody would want to be a paying beta customer is beyond me.

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Hello Mark, we are also on self-hosting (dedicated server). Doing updates is ridiculously easy - you get a notification from User Echo that a new version is available and run one command to update.

The big advantage is obviously how fast the system is (or should be) compared to OnCloud. You can choose a fast server and not share it with anyone. On the other hand, with OnCloud you do not have to worry about anything (such as certificates, vhosts, etc.). Other than that, I don't think there are any limitations at all. We started on self-hosting because, if I remember correctly, the cloud option was not available when we started using XTRF.

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Could you do self-hosting by moving to an AWS cloud server here in the U.S, or you would need a server room?

My plan is not on-premise, but a cloud virtual server.  In the past people have said AWS is too cost-prohibitive, but I wonder if that's changed. So, I'm starting to look at the options for hosting. AWS, Google, Azure are all considerations, but again, open to thoughts.

Thanks all for the input.

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We've had great experience with AWS, also installing a security cert was super easy. Check for pricing it should not exceed 250 USD per month.

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Our monthly cost for a super fast dedicated server from Hetzner is €59 per month. Perhaps you should consider getting one from them or a similar hoster in the US.