Today’s digital landscape is evolving. Global organisations grapple with the critical agenda of safeguarding their data and ensuring trust in their digital operations.
Rising IT security threats and the demand for data privacy have prompted a shift towards on-premise solutions. Moving to the cloud has gained popularity in recent years, but it’s become clear that it isn’t applicable in all circumstances.
What is an on-premise solution?
On-premise solutions are systems or software deployed within an on-site infrastructure or local network. Organisations use them to facilitate objectives, such as electronic signing or document management.
Cloud-based solutions rely on third-party servers and services. However, on-premise solutions operate within a business’ own network infrastructure.
An on-premise solution gives organisations full control over security, data privacy and setup. With robust internal security protocols, it has a significantly higher defence against cyber-attacks.
Cloud versus on-premise solutions – what is driving the change?
Cloud solutions have undoubtedly evolved the way we do business. The flexibility, cost-effectiveness and ability to scale offered have fuelled its widespread adoption.
The digital ecosystem is becoming increasingly complex. Regulatory frameworks are constantly evolving. Because of this, organisations face new challenges. It means re-evaluating the reliance on cloud-based solutions.
Enhanced data sovereignty and security are primary factors in the shift. While cloud providers invest heavily in security measures, centralising data and reliance on external infrastructure introduces inherent risks.
High-profile data breaches and recent privacy incidents have exposed vulnerabilities in cloud environments. These events leave organisations vulnerable to potential legal consequences and harm to their reputation.
Edge computing and the Internet of Things (IoT)
The rise of edge computing and IoT has created new demands for lower latency and faster, real-time data processing. On-premise solutions offer distinct advantages in scenarios that involve real-time decision-making and mission-critical operations.
By distributing computing power and bringing it closer to the data source, organisations can:
- Reduce latency and increase processing speeds
- Improve reliability
- Ensure constant service delivery
Which organisations use on-premise digital trust solutions?
Various global organisations and industries use on-premise digital trust solutions. Here are just a few examples of organisations that commonly deploy on-premise software and systems and the reasoning behind it:
Financial institutions
Banks, insurance companies and other financial institutions often choose on-premise digital trust solutions. They help ensure the security and privacy of sensitive customer data.
These solutions enable them to:
- Manage their own Certificate Authorities (CAs)
- Issue and revoke digital certificates registered to people and devices
- Establish secure communication channels for online transactions and identity verification
Governments
Government agencies handle sensitive, classified data and need robust digital trust solutions. On-premise solutions enable control over authorisation and critical infrastructure, such as:
- eSignatures on highly sensitive documents
- Document access
- Secure communication networks
These solutions help ensure the integrity and validity of government documents and transactions. With some of the most secure internal networks, they ensure that no one without authorisation has access to private data.
Healthcare providers
Healthcare organisations process vast amounts of highly sensitive patient data, including:
- Medical records
- Insurance information
- Personal data
On-premise digital trust solutions enable:
- Patient identification and electronic health record (EHR) management
- Compliance with global data protection and privacy regulations, such as
- General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
- Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
Aerospace and defence
The aerospace and defence sectors have unique requirements. They must protect:
- Sensitive information and blueprints
- Classified documents
- Intellectual property
On-premise solutions allow them to:
- Establish secure communication channels
- Protect sensitive documents
- Manage cryptographic keys within a controlled environment
Manufacturing and industrial
Manufacturing and industrial organisations rely on on-premise solutions to:
- Secure supply chains
- Ensure product validity
- Protect intellectual property
Having software and solutions on-site allows them to:
- Establish secure connections with suppliers
- Authenticate digital transactions
- Enable secure access control to critical systems and data
On-premise benefits
Unfortunately, global cyberattacks are becoming commonplace. Because of this, organisations are re-examining their commitment to cloud-based infrastructures. Cloud computing has significant benefits. Though on-premise solutions offer unique advantages to help protect and grow business.
Enhanced data security
On-premise digital trust products provide companies with greater control over their data.
By keeping sensitive information within their own infrastructure, businesses can:
- Implement robust security measures
- Maintain access and authorisation controls
- Enforce encryption protocols to suit their requirements
This approach minimises the risk of data breaches and people gaining access without permission.
Increased privacy
Data privacy is on everyone’s mind – and that includes customers. On-premise solutions give organisations a greater level of privacy for customers and users.
By keeping data on-premise, businesses can:
- Minimise reliance on third-party providers
- Reduce the potential for data sharing or exposure
- Control access and authorisation
Improved compliance
First, some regulations may restrict the use of cloud-based solutions. In this case, organisations must use on-premise products.
In all global industries, there is a level of compliance to maintain. This includes complying with laws and directives, such as GDPR or HIPAA.
On-premise solutions enable:
- Compliance by restricting data access
- Full visibility via audit trails
- Control over data governance
Faster processing
Relying on cloud-based infrastructures puts business at the mercy of third-party server latency. On-site solutions offer lower latency, faster response times and quicker processing speeds.
These benefits are specifically important in industries requiring real-time or near-real-time processing, including:
- Financial transactions
- Industrial control systems
- Artificial intelligence (AI) processing
Elevated customisation and flexibility
On-premise digital security solutions provide greater flexibility than cloud-based alternatives.
An on-premise strategy ensures optimal performance and integrates with existing systems. It provides flexibility through the customisation of:
- Infrastructure
- Configuration
- Access requirements
- Software stack
Long-term cost savings
Yes, on-premise solutions may be more costly upfront. Long-term, they save organisations on overheads by:
- Ending recurrent cloud fees
- Providing better control over hardware and software upgrade cycles
What are the reasons for deploying an on-premise PKI?
I operate in a high-security setting, and my organisation requires complete control of:
- All policies and procedures related to the issuance and management of digital identities
- All key materials generated by the system as they must be 100% under the control of my employees
- All data related to the system including backups as they must remain under the control of my organisation
Ascertia products support a flexible deployment model that allows organisations to choose how much of the solution they host.
Ensure data security, digital trust and flexibility with Ascertia’s on-premise solutions
Digital trust is the foundation of our business. We specialise in delivering tailored digital signature and public key infrastructure (PKI) solutions.
Our on-premise products assist trust service providers, governments and enterprise organisations with:
- eIDAS compliant electronic signing
- Privacy
- Access control
- Audit trails and non-repudiation
- Flexibility
- Compliance
These are a few ways our products support customers and partners:
Digital signing solutions
SigningHub by Ascertia is the world's most advanced signing solution, aiding organisations with legal compliance, document preparation & signing, user validity and much more.
Ascertia’s ADSS Server is a comprehensive digital signing platform. It enables organisations to create and manage digital signatures.
It helps to ensure the credibility, integrity and non-repudiation of:
- Digital transactions
- Contracts
- Employee and client data
- Medical records and EHR
- Other sensitive data
ADSS Server supports various document types, including:
- Microsoft Office Documents
- XML files
For security, organisations can use several cryptographic algorithms. It also complies with international standards and signature types, such as:
- ETSI
- PAdES
- XAdES
- CAdES
Document validation
Ascertia’s digital trust products verify the validity and integrity of digitally signed documents.
The ADSS Client SDK allows the integration of document validation capabilities into custom applications or workflows. It ensures businesses can verify document validity, preventing wrongful alterations or tampering.
Secure archiving
Ascertia’s products provide secure digital document archival and storage for long-term retention.
The ADSS Server includes features such as timestamping and document archiving. These enable businesses to meet regulatory requirements and ensure archived document integrity. The system also supports the use of hardware security modules (HSMs) to enhance archived data security.
Long-term digital preservation
Some regulations may require organisations to preserve data for extended periods. For this, Ascertia’s ADSS LTANS Evidence Server provides a long-term validation (LTV) solution.
This solution ensures that you can verify digitally signed documents even when the original signing certificates expire or are revoked.
ADSS LTANS Server helps maintain archived documents’ integrity and legal validity over time. In doing so, it ensures compliance with regulations and industry standards.
Access controls and compliance
Ascertia’s products offer various access control mechanisms. They help protect sensitive data and ensure compliance with global data protection regulations.
For example:
ADSS Server enables businesses to verify the authenticity of users. It allows organisations to define fine-grained access controls and enforce security policies. It helps prevent unwanted access while maintaining compliance with privacy regulations.
Flexibility and customisation
No two businesses are the same. The flexibility and customisation of our products ensure they meet various business requirements.
Organisations can easily deploy ADSS Server on premise. This strategy provides complete control over sensitive data and infrastructure. We've designed our products to meet unique business challenges through:
- Extensive customisation options
- Integration with existing business applications
Discover Ascertia’s on-premise digital trust solutions
We've built our products with Trust Service Providers (TSPs), governments and enterprises in mind. They empower modern-day organisations and help by:
- Ensuring privacy of sensitive and confidential data
- Providing control over digital transactions
- Providing the agility to adapt to changing business needs
- Supporting compliance with relevant global regulations
By leveraging Ascertia’s solutions, businesses can enhance the trustworthiness of their digital processes. Learn more about Ascertia’s on-premise solutions by viewing the products discussed in this blog.
You can get in touch with our team to discuss your unique requirements.
