Summary: Find out how Sage 100 hosting works, what it actually covers versus what you still manage yourself, and which providers you should add to your short list.
You’ve heard it’s an option. You’ve heard a lot of companies made the switch after COVID. Now, with the announcement that Windows Server 2022 is hitting its mainstream support end date in October 2026, you’re wondering: Is cloud hosting for Sage 100 right for my company?
To help you decide, here’s a quick explainer on what it is, how it works, and some of the top providers.
What Is Sage 100 Hosting in the Cloud?
It’s a simple concept:
Right now, you store your Sage 100 data on your own, in-house servers. That means you have at least one server to maintain, update, back up, and power. You have physical office space to house it. And when your server hits end of life, you buy a new one and migrate your Sage data. Oh, and your team has to be in the office (or on a VPN) to access Sage.
With cloud hosting for Sage 100, your Sage data is stored on secure servers at a hosting provider’s data center. Your team can securely access Sage from anywhere. You are no longer responsible for maintaining, updating, backing up, powering, and housing the server – they do all that for you. And when your server hits end of life, there’s nothing for you to do, because servers are someone else’s problem, not yours.
Sounds like The Dream, right? So, why isn’t everyone doing this? Well, because of the fine print.
The Fine Print on Cloud Hosting
“Fine print” sounds scary. It’s not. But the details add subtle shading that makes cloud hosting the right move for some companies and not others. If you despise managing your servers, you have a growing number of Sage 100 users, and you choose the right provider, odds are that cloud hosting will be one of those things you wish you’d done sooner.
Before you jump in, though, you should know that:
- You’ll still manage Sage 100
Your hosting provider will manage your server. They do not manage your Sage 100 system or your Sage data. You or your Sage partner is still responsible for that. Sage updates? On you. Adding new user licenses? On you. Backups of your Sage data? Totally managed by your hosting company.
Bottom line: if managing your server is super-easy for you right now, Sage hosting won’t make much of a dent in your time- or cash-savings.
- It’s subscription pricing
Typically, cloud hosting costs include an implementation fee and a monthly fee based on your user count. Cost effectiveness has a user-count sweet spot. If you have very few users, the cloud-hosting base fee may feel too high. If you have a ton of users, the cloud-hosting base fee may legitimately be too high.
Bottom line: the best way to assess costs is to add up your in-house costs (e.g., your IT provider’s hourly rate, backup systems, new server and equipment costs, security monitoring tools, and the cost of downtime). Then compare those to Sage 100 hosting costs. Often, companies are surprised by how much they’re already spending in-house.
- There are good and bad hosts
Start looking at costs, and the first thing you’ll see is that AWS and Azure are far more affordable than everyone else. Consider yourself warned: you get what you pay for. You’ve been managing Sage 100 in-house all this time. You know it can be a bit “picky” at times. And you also know your Sage 100 system is actually a Sage 100 ecosystem made up of a bunch of different interlocking apps. If you host your Sage system on some big-box, discount cloud provider like Azure, no one will know how to help you when your system acts up. In fact, it’ll feel like you’re calling the joy that is Microsoft support because (ouch) you are.
Bottom line: a good Sage 100 hosting provider has Sage 100 expertise. They know how to perfectly configure your server for your precise Sage setup, and they know not to break those settings with a routine update.
A Few Options for Sage 100 Cloud Hosting
I’ve convinced you not to host through the Azure or AWS in-house teams, right? If not, I’ll just say it plainly: don’t choose AWS or Azure to host you. Choose an experienced Sage hosting provider instead. (They may use Azure or AWS themselves, but you won’t have to deal with Azure or AWS’s support teams.)
You have a range of options, but we tend to recommend what is best for YOUR business so contact us today!
Have More Questions?
Because we’ve been one of the top Sage partners for a long, long time, VBCC’s large and diverse client base uses a range of Sage 100 hosting providers. (And many self-host, too.)
Since my team has worked with pretty much all the hosting providers, we know from experience who’s a great option and who’s not so great. We’d be happy to help you choose your best fit based on our experience and your unique needs, but in order to help you, we’ll need to know more about you.
