Extract from Zapproved’s article “Ediscovery: On-Premise Vs Cloud”
Should your organization’s ediscovery software move to the cloud?
The answer isn’t so simple. While there are an increasing number of ediscovery software options that are cloud-based, there’s still no one-size-fits-all answer. Let’s evaluate the factors that influence whether on-premise or on-demand is the right option for your organization.
Setting the Stage: The Origins of On-Premise Ediscovery
In the early days of ediscovery software, there was no cloud! Initial software packages were all locally installed at a company’s physical location Some were buildouts of existing litigation management systems, while others offered dedicated ediscovery tools. As cloud computing has grown in popularity — and in reliability and security — the ediscovery software industry has largely converted to the cloud, though on-premise systems retain a small, dedicated following.
On-premise applications fall into two major categories: legacy review systems like Concordance and Summation and modern ediscovery packages like Relativity (also available in a cloud-based version). These systems are installed entirely in house, which means that the company’s IT team is responsible for not only the software but also all of the supporting hardware, system security, maintenance, and upgrades.
