Those using Redmine as their primary project management tool generally have a choice between Redmine hosting and running Redmine on their own servers. While the second option is still the chosen option for many companies, there are also compelling reasons for giving hosting a chance as well. Let's take a look at some of them.
Updates for Redmine and its plugins are a regular occurrence, and keeping up with them (often several times a year) is sometimes too much a hassle. Updated plugins oftentimes conflict with the older ones, increase requirements, require more space and so on and so forth.
New updates should make your work easier and not fill you with dread, add to your workload and strip you of the time you need to solve these technical and IT issues. That's why more and more companies prefer the hosting option, where all these responsibilities fall on the provider.
Redmine hosting providers can't afford the security of the stored data to be compromised, as their livelihood depends on it. Private Redmine users, however, often tend to neglect security in favour of other project issues they deem more important. Often to their own detriment, sadly. Data theft and breaches, especially in industries where there's big money to be made, remains a huge problem ( more on this topic here ).
Leaving the security to a professional hosting company might be just the best available option unless you really task an experienced IT team of your own to pay extra attention to security issues.
Perhaps you're one of those who prefer flexible working and want to access your Redmine while commuting or sipping cocktails on the beach. Remote work is in vogue, after all . All solid Redmine hosting providers should offer responsivity and mobile app connection – otherwise, they'd be robbing themselves of countless potential customers.
Other perk of the Redmine cloud hosting tends to be a significantly better speed and performance than what the average in-house solution offers.
If you self-host Redmine, the costs can pile up quite a bit. You must take into consideration the costs of hardware itself, as well as the electricity bills. The bigger your business, the more specialists you'll need to have to maintain and administer the whole system. Do you math before deciding whether it wouldn't be cheaper to simply pay a fixed monthly fee and don't burden yourselves with these costs.
Redmine itself does not have a nonstop support should something go wrong. – of course, you will get your answer from dedicated Redmine devs or enthusiasts if you present your problem on Redmine forums or such.
Most hosting providers, however, should be at your disposal 24/7 if you encounter any problems with your hosted Redmine that requires a fast solution where time is of the essence. Having a dedicated nonstop online IT support is a must in this business.
So, what do you say – which of these options do you think would be better for you – having an in-house Redmine, or letting a hosting provider handle all the technicalities for you? We're eager to hear your opinion in the comments below!
