Which AEM you are using and why?

[gkalyan]

There are lot of threads where the differences are pointed out about AEM on cloud and on perm, AMS.

I wanted to start a discussion to see how each of us come to a decision of whether to be on prem vs cloud vs AMS.

What are you current using?

Why you took that decision?

[BrianKasingli · Accepted solution]

Here are the differences between AEMaaCS, AEM On-Prem, and AMS, broken up in the contexts:

1. Infrastructure and Maintenance:

• AEM as a Cloud Service (AEMaaCS):
  • Infrastructure: Fully managed by Adobe on cloud infrastructure.
  • Maintenance: Adobe handles all updates, patches, scaling, and infrastructure management. This ensures the platform is always up-to-date with the latest features and security updates.
• AEM On-Prem:
  • Infrastructure: Hosted on the customer’s own servers or data centers.
  • Maintenance: The customer is responsible for all updates, patches, and infrastructure management, requiring dedicated IT resources and expertise.
• Adobe Managed Services (AMS):
  • Infrastructure: Hosted on Adobe’s cloud infrastructure but tailored for the customer.
  • Maintenance: Adobe manages the infrastructure and maintenance, including updates and scaling, similar to AEMaaCS but with more customization and control options for the customer.

2. Customization and Control:

• AEMaaCS:
  • Customization: Limited compared to on-prem, as it is designed to be a SaaS solution with a focus on standardized configurations.
  • Control: Less control over the underlying infrastructure and more reliance on Adobe’s standard configurations and service offerings.
• AEM On-Prem:
  • Customization: Maximum flexibility and control over the environment, configurations, and custom developments.
  • Control: Full control over infrastructure, including hardware and software configurations, but at the cost of greater responsibility for maintenance and support.
• AMS:
  • Customization: More flexible than AEMaaCS but less so than on-prem. Offers tailored configurations and services to meet specific customer needs.
  • Control: Balanced control, where Adobe manages infrastructure but the customer has input on configurations and customizations.

3. Scalability and Performance:

• AEMaaCS:
  • Scalability: Designed for automatic scaling based on demand, providing seamless performance management.
  • Performance: Optimized by Adobe, with built-in features to handle large-scale deployments and traffic spikes.
• AEM On-Prem:
  • Scalability: Depends on the customer’s infrastructure and IT capabilities. Requires planning and resources to scale effectively.
  • Performance: Managed by the customer, with potential variability based on the setup and resource allocation.
• AMS:
  • Scalability: Offers scalable solutions managed by Adobe, with tailored performance optimization based on customer needs.
  • Performance: Optimized by Adobe, with a focus on meeting specific performance requirements agreed upon with the customer.

4. Cost Structure:

• AEMaaCS:
  • Cost: Subscription-based pricing model with predictable costs. Includes infrastructure, maintenance, and support.
• AEM On-Prem:
  • Cost: High upfront capital expenditure for hardware and software. Ongoing costs for maintenance, updates, and IT staffing.
• AMS:
  • Cost: Typically a combination of subscription-based and custom service fees, depending on the level of managed services required.

Why Customers Choose Each Solution:

AEMaaCS:

• Advantages: Lower maintenance burden, automatic updates, and scalability. Ideal for businesses looking for a modern, cloud-based solution with minimal IT overhead.
• Reasons: Organizations with a preference for cloud solutions, limited IT resources, and the need for rapid deployment and scaling.

AEM On-Prem:

• Advantages: Complete control over the environment, full customization, and data residency within the customer’s infrastructure.
• Reasons: Enterprises with stringent security, compliance, or data residency requirements, and those with existing investments in on-prem infrastructure and expertise.

AMS:

• Advantages: Managed infrastructure with customization options, balancing control with reduced maintenance burden. Tailored services to meet specific business needs.
• Reasons: Organizations seeking a middle ground between full control and managed services, requiring tailored solutions and support from Adobe.

In summary, the choice between AEMaaCS, AEM on-prem, and AMS depends on the organization’s specific needs, including control, customization, maintenance capabilities, and cost considerations. Each option offers unique benefits suited to different business requirements and IT strategies.

[KBWEB]

To add to the excellent comparison by Brian:

When deciding which platform to pick if you want to stay current with the latest product development, one crucial factor is to pick AEMaaCS. Adobe is heavily investing in this platform, and engineering teams are implementing new features for AEmaaCS first. Some of the features will be backported to AEM on-prem at a later date. Some features will not be backported at all.

Hope that helps.

[aanchal-sikka]

@gkalyan 

Cloud:

One of the key factors that is pushing users towards Cloud is the AI capabilities.

Whether it is Sites/Assets, numbers of new features are being added to Cloud.

Thus, customers who are looking for velocity are gradually planning to move to Cloud.

Other factors have been performance, infrastructure being managed by Adobe, auto-scaling available during peak seasons.

In general, any new customer is recommended to use Cloud.

On-premise / AMS:

These are generally customers who have been using AEM for long. Thus, have already been on AEM 6.x version.

Unless necessary, they might not opt for Cloud. Thus, if they have a good IT team, have no Cloud-specific needs, have preference to keep content on their own infra, they might continue to use AEM 6.x unless the needs change.