CMMS is dead; long live CMMS in the cloud!
The technology world has been talking about the value of cloud computing for a long time. But while some business areas have quickly adopted a cloud-based approach, maintenance has been slower to evolve. Until now.
As companies look for new ways to reduce their business costs, digitalisation of asset management has become a top priority. And many firms are trading in legacy on-premises software for CMMS in the cloud. Keep reading to learn:
- Why on-premises CMMS software is in decline
- The benefits of a cloud-based CMMS system
- How cloud migration can lower your total cost of ownership
- The advantages of choosing ShireSystem CMMS-as-a-Service
On-premises CMMS software is in decline
Digital asset management and maintenance is thriving, and a Computerised Maintenance Management System (CMMS) is the go-to software choice. Research by Plant Engineering has found that 59% of companies use CMMS as their primary maintenance software.
Today, almost 50% of maintenance operations are still managing their operations using on-premises software. However, the tide is turning as more companies realise they can gain greater value from cloud-based software.
The benefits of a cloud-based CMMS system
On-premises technology might be more familiar, but digital transformation is driving maintenance teams outside their comfort zone. Moving asset maintenance into the cloud can deliver significant benefits, including:
- Greater availability. Cloud CMMS comes with high availability, which is key for managing up-time and maximising team efficiency. Most cloud solutions also feature robust Service Level Agreements (SLAs).
- Extractable insights. With a cloud CMMS system, companies can collate and analyse user data to drive strategic decision-making. A single source of truth is essential for creating maintenance KPIs and measuring improvements. Combining data from maintenance, production and other systems can provide valuable insights for improving shift team effectiveness, as well as minimising outages and managing stock availability and purchasing efficiency.
- Fully managed resource. Cloud-based CMMS solutions use a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) approach. As a result, the vendor manages the system and upgrades it throughout its lifecycle. There’s no pressure on internal IT teams to deploy and monitor maintenance software.
- Easily scalable. With no complex customisations, it’s simple to add new users to cloud CMMS platforms as companies expand. Plus, firms can use APIs to connect cloud CMMS systems with other technologies without increasing back-end complexity. Cloud CMMS software can also integrate with other systems through APIs to create a connected digital ecosystem. We recently spoke about the value of IT and OT merging in a feature article with Industrial Plant and Equipment.
Cloud CMMS has a lower total cost of ownership
Moving from on-premises CMMS to the cloud delivers more than just performance benefits. It can also prove more cost-effective.
On-premises CMMS systems can be expensive to deploy and maintain. In contrast, a cloud CMMS only involves operating expenses (OpEx), so customers simply pay a monthly subscription. Plus, it’s the vendor’s responsibility to maintain and develop the system, which reduces the financial burden on internal IT resources.
Lower up-front costs make cloud-based CMMS technology particularly attractive to smaller companies. It’s possible to digitise maintenance on a relatively low budget with limited in-house technical expertise. However, it’s also worth noting that CMMS in the cloud is an effective solution for larger enterprises that want a scalable technology stack.
In addition, there are many ‘hidden costs’ with on-premises CMMS technology that cloud-based systems avoid. For example:
- System documentation. Keeping track of the network, security and software set-up for an on-premises CMMS is an overhead that many companies either forget or ignore. When problems occur, working out how to solve them becomes a real pain.
- Security monitoring and reporting. Adding critical security infrastructure, processes and resources, plus keeping antivirus and firewalls up to date, can be time-consuming and costly.
- Backup and data storage. There’s no need to manually back up information with cloud CMMS or invest in off-site data storage facilities. The vendor manages everything as part of the SaaS subscription package.
For a detailed cost comparison and total cost of ownership (TOC) calculations, download Elecosoft’s latest cloud. CMMS e-book.
ShireSystem SaaS: our CMMS-as-a-Service
As digital transformation continues at pace, maintenance teams need to care for more complex assets. Many realise that on-premises CMMS software isn’t up to the task and that CMMS in the cloud is quicker, more secure, and scalable.
Elecosoft is here to help companies transition their maintenance software into the cloud. We’ve developed ShireSystem SaaS to deliver CMMS-as-a-Service: a cloud-based asset management solution based on our popular ShireSystem software.
ShireSystem SaaS is preconfigured with redundancy, resiliency and high availability. It’s a ready-to-go solution that can be up and running maintenance programmes within hours.
Our cloud-based CMMS software provides a wide range of services through a simple online portal to help companies improve asset management workflows and move from a reactive to a preventative maintenance model. And with key features such as API interoperability, it complements other solutions to improve operational efficiency and effectiveness.
Best of all, our OpEx subscription model makes ShireSystem SaaS highly affordable. And we’ll take care of everything – including maintaining and supporting the software and associated hardware.
CMMS is dead; long live CMMS in the cloud!
Ready to embrace cloud CMMS? Book a ShireSystem demo with one of our experts.