Is cloud storage cheaper than on-premises?

For variable, bursty or archival workloads, often yes. For large, steady, high-utilisation datasets, often no, once you include egress charges and growth over the life of the asset. The comparison that settles it is cost per terabyte over that period for the workload as it behaves, not as the business case assumed.

What are egress charges and why do they matter?

Egress is what a provider charges to move data out of its platform. It matters because workloads that read heavily and repeatedly, or that move data between providers, can generate bills unrelated to the storage line that was budgeted. It is a common omission in storage business cases.

What is a hybrid storage strategy?

Keeping some data on infrastructure you own and some in cloud, with each workload placed deliberately. What separates hybrid that works from hybrid that sprawls is a written placement policy, a single view of cost and capacity, and consistent data protection on both sides.

Does data in cloud storage still need backing up?

Yes. Cloud storage protects against hardware failure, not against deletion, ransomware or a misconfigured lifecycle policy. Data in a managed service is not automatically recoverable in a way that would survive those, so immutable, tested backups matter wherever the data sits.

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On-prem, cloud or hybrid: how to choose the right data storage strategy in 2026

How to choose between on-premises, cloud and hybrid data storage: access patterns, cost over time including egress, regulation and a decision framework.

29th October 2026

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