Should the IT Industry Reconsider the On-Premise Model in Light of Cloud Vendor Challenges?

 

Cloud computing has brought numerous advantages, but recent experiences with major vendors like Oracle and Microsoft Azure raise critical questions about customer trust and control.

Take Oracle , for example. A recent auto-upgrade from Gen2 to Gen3 for Oracle Integration instances—including production environments—occurred without prior customer consent or comprehensive testing in lower environments. Such changes not only disrupt workflows but also demand significant retraining efforts, often at the customer's expense.

Furthermore, Oracle Cloud Support has shown inefficiencies. A two-year-old enhancement request to improve security—encrypting connections and protecting sensitive data—has seen no progress despite repeated follow-ups. Also, refresh activities are self-service and lack post-refresh customization, leaving customers to resolve issues caused by the vendor.

Microsoft Azure has its challenges too. A recent push to adopt TLS 1.3 in App Services by Cloud Defender led to widespread failures, as Azure's own APIM doesn’t yet support it. This misalignment between security recommendations and product capabilities creates unnecessary setbacks for businesses.

These examples highlight a growing concern: cloud vendors often prioritize their agendas over solving real customer problems.

Should the IT industry revisit the on-premise model, where businesses retain control and can better align solutions with their needs?