MYTH BUSTING COMMON BELIEFS: Part 1

Like the cloud is less secure than on premises solutions…

When we think of law firms, several things come to mind. One of them is large amounts of information – the access to it and the use of it. And information in this day and age means data. BIG DATA.

As a law firm, you understand the sheer vast amounts of data that you have access to daily. Data that you won’t only need to manage in an organised, efficient, easily accessible manner but data that you will also need to access both from the office and at home (often on the go too). Importantly, the data will also need to be properly stored and protected, as dictated under the following local and international Acts –

1.   Under the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 – POPIA will be mandatory for most organizations within South Africa. Companies must therefore ensure that their business practices and the way they store data and how they interact with clients adheres to the guidelines as set out in POPIA. Companies should also ensure that any data collected by them complies with POPIA. 

2.   And further afield, the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) – is by its own admission – the toughest privacy and security law in the world, and imposes obligations on organizations around the world, when targeting or collecting data related to people in the EU. The GDPR will levy harsh fines against those who violate its privacy and security standards, with penalties reaching into the tens of millions of euros. Compliance with its vast number of new requirements for organizations around the world is crucial for any business conducting affairs within the EU or law firms advising such businesses.

3.   The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is a set of written standards, developed by major card brands (like VISA and Mastercard) and maintained by the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council (PCI SSC).PCI SSC is a global forum that brings together payments industry stakeholders to develop and drive adoption of data security standards and resources for safe payments worldwide. According to Magix  – “The PCI DSS contains technical requirements which protect and secure payment card data during processing, handling, storage, and transmission. All businesses that handle payment card data must follow these requirements and be PCI compliant. This helps ensure that data is protected avoiding costly data breaches”.

And the compounding problem with big data? The storage of it.

With space being a commodity and hard to come by, where and how you are going to safely store big data comes into question. But that’s why we have the Cloud.

The Cloud – as a refresher – is a collection of networked computer hardware that work together to provide aspects of computing. Only online. The simplest example of how “everyday people” use “the Cloud” is through Dropbox and iCloud to store photos, email, music, calendars, contacts, and other data in a central location (accessible from whatever device you happen to be using at the time).

Storing big data in the Cloud has become the best solution – a “place” – for lack of a better description, to store big data that is both secure and easily accessible. It’s also a place that doesn’t require physical space. And it can be accessed from any device.

That’s one big solution for big data.

The other benefit of a cloud solution? More specifically a hosted cloud server (with improved security measures)? They provide cloud-based storage that allows legal professionals to operate remotely whilst also providing teams with more opportunities for online collaboration. 

What then is a hosted cloud solution?

Hosted cloud services refer to applications, infrastructure, or other IT resources that are provided and managed by a third-party provider over the web, rather than being hosted on-premises by the user. This means users can access and use these services without needing to purchase, manage, or maintain the underlying hardware and software. 

• AJS solutions are all cloud-based which means that authorised users can access their system securely from anywhere, on almost any device.

Now the question comes down to whether an on-premises solution is right for you. Well, here are some reasons we would venture that it isn’t –

Disadvantages of on-premises solutions

1.  High Upfront Costs – on-premises solutions require significant initial investments in hardware, infrastructure, and setup. These costs don’t include ongoing expenses for maintenance, energy consumption, and upgrades. Small and medium-sized businesses often find this financial burden overwhelming, as it ties up capital that could otherwise be used for innovation and growth.

2.  Limited Scalability – scaling on-premises solutions involve purchasing additional hardware, which is both time-consuming and expensive. This model requires businesses to predict their future storage needs accurately, a task that’s easier said than done. Overestimating results in wasted resources, while underestimating can lead to storage shortages that disrupt operations. Neither of which is optimal.

3.  Complex Maintenance – maintaining on-premises solutions require a dedicated IT team to manage hardware repairs, software updates, and backups. These responsibilities can drain valuable resources and divert attention from core business objectives. Additionally, the burden of ensuring security, compliance, and disaster recovery often overwhelms IT departments.

4.  Vulnerability to Data Loss – on-premises solutions are inherently more prone to data loss due to hardware failures, natural disasters, or human errors. Without robust backup systems and disaster recovery plans, recovering lost data can be costly, time-consuming, or even impossible. This vulnerability poses a significant risk for businesses that oversee sensitive or mission-critical data, as even minor disruptions can lead to reputational damage and financial losses – like what would happen with law firms.

5.  Limited Accessibility – on-premises solutions limit accessibility, as data can only be accessed within the local network. This becomes a major hurdle for remote teams and global operations. In today’s increasingly hybrid work environments, the inability to access data from anywhere can hinder collaboration, delay decision-making, and reduce overall productivity.

So, if an on-premises solution is not the way to go, what is?

Reasons we believe a hosted cloud solution is more secure than an on-premises solution – especially when it’s hosted by AJS

1.   The AJS Data Centre is in a secure complex, with strict access control. It is connected to different electricity substations for redundancy (Incl. OR Tambo Airport, that has no loadshedding), with multiple backup generators and batteries. The internet service providers also have multiple connection routes into the complex as well as satellite backup. These factors ensure that downtime is reduced to a minimum and prevented on multiple levels.

2.   With the AJS hosted service our clients automatically have access to our Disaster Recovery Site (“DR Site”). The solution is replicated to a remote DR site daily and will be online within a couple of hours in case of a serious disaster at the main site. The information on the DR site will be from the previous evening in case of a total loss of data.

3.   Flexible upgrade & downgrade options – you only pay for what you need. If requirements change and you need more resources, it can quickly be added. If you need less resources, it can quickly be reduced. No need to invest in hardware that might not be needed. If you require additional resources on a temporary basis, it can be increased for the period required and then reduced again.

4.   The hosting service is 100% deductible as an expense – you don’t need to capitalise on the hardware, which then depreciates over a 3-year period. The service fee is also a fixed fee based on your requirements which allows you to budget for the expenses. Best of all? There are no hidden surprises.

5.   You do not need to maintain your own hardware infrastructure – in events such as disc failures or server failures. Our hosted service operates in a virtual environment which can tolerate multiple failures before it needs to be shut down.

6.   You have access to the latest technology – the Server Farm is updated on a regular basis from storage to security and is maintained by our networking specialists. Preventative maintenance ensures that equipment gets replaced before failure occurs.

7.   The solution is hosted by a Certified Data Centre that complies with the following:

• DSS PCI compliant (Payment Card Industry).
• ISO/IEC 27001 (Information Security, Cyber Security and Privacy Protection).
• ISO 9001 (Quality Management).
• ISO 14001 (Environmental Management).
• ISO 50001 (Energy Management).

8.   Access AJS from anywhere in the world – whether you work from home or the office, you can access your data securely. If you have loadshedding at the office, or your internet link goes down, you can simply move to another location with internet and power, and you can continue as normal. You also don’t need to procure your own fixed IP addresses, DNS or SSL Certificates.

9.   Regular security penetration tests are performed monthly by a specialist security test analyst to ensure that the hosting environment remains secure and compliant. AJS maintains security certificates that ensure communication remains secure.

10.   Daily backups are made and replicated to an off-site location – in addition to the backups that the client makes for their own purposes, in their own environment. Our backup service doesn’t replace your backup, but it does serve you well in addition to it. AJS can provide you with a copy of your backup on physical media (on request) at a separate charge (the charge covers the cost of the disc medium, labour and logistics).

With all that covered, and the numerous benefits of using a hosted cloud solution succinctly set out – especially where an AJS hosted solution is concerned – we are sure you will agree that the answer is plain for all to see – the myth is BUSTED!

Cloud storage is an obvious choice because it offers cost savings, enhanced security, accessibility from anywhere, and the ability to easily share and collaborate on files. It also provides automated backups, scalability, and disaster recovery solutions, ensuring data is readily available and protected. All the things a law firm is both required to have by law and should want simply because it makes business sense.

If you are in need of a service provider who has a proven track record or if you want to find out how to incorporate a new tool – like AJS’ Hosted Cloud Solutions – into your existing accounting and practice management suite – or if you simply want to get started with legal tech – feel free to get in touch with AJS. We have the right combination of systems, resources, and business partnerships to assist you with incorporating supportive legal technology into your practice. Effortlessly.

AJS is always here to help you, wherever and whenever possible!

– Written by Alicia Koch on behalf of AJS

(Sources used and to whom we owe thanks – PCI Security Standards, Magix, Zata.ai).