Cloud use case · ERP hosting
ERP hosting on cloud
Move Odoo, ERPNext, Tally or your other ERP off the ageing server in the back room onto a cloud server in the nearest GCC region, with secure remote access for every branch and backups you can restore.
Why companies ask us to host their ERP
Google Cloud Premier Partner
Google Cloud regions in Doha and Dammam.
We work with Microsoft Azure, Huawei Cloud and AWS
regions in the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Riyadh.
Vendor-neutral
we recommend the cloud that fits your ERP, offices and data rules.
Since 2007
with 1,500+ active cloud customers across the Middle East and offices in Dubai, Muscat and Doha.
In short
ERP hosting on cloud means running your ERP or accounting software, such as Odoo, ERPNext or Tally, on a cloud server instead of a machine in your office. Gulf Infotech, in the Middle East since 2007, architects and deploys the cloud infrastructure on Microsoft Azure, Huawei Cloud, Google Cloud or AWS in the nearest GCC region, and can run the server for you as a monthly managed service; your ERP partner keeps looking after the application.
What problem does ERP hosting solve?
What buyers tell us:
What buyers tell us
"Tally runs on one PC in the accounts office, and nobody can work when that PC is off."
"Branches connect over a VPN and the ERP is slow for them."
"Month-end closing grinds to a halt because the server is too small."
"Our auditor asked where the ERP backups go, and the answer was a USB disk."
Hosting the ERP on a cloud server fixes the hardware, the access and the backups without changing the software your accountants know. Users in every office, and those working from home, reach the same server; capacity grows for year-end without buying hardware; and a copy can be kept in a second region for disaster recovery.
Which ERPs can we host?
Tally (for example TallyPrime)
- How it is typically hosted
- A Windows cloud server; users connect over secure remote desktop from any office. See Tally on cloud
- Who looks after the application
- Your Tally partner or your IT team, with your existing Tally licence
Odoo (self-hosted)
- How it is typically hosted
- A Linux cloud server with its PostgreSQL database, reached in the browser
- Who looks after the application
- Your Odoo partner or your IT team
ERPNext (self-hosted)
- How it is typically hosted
- A Linux cloud server with its MariaDB database, reached in the browser
- Who looks after the application
- Your ERPNext partner or your IT team
Other Windows and SQL Server ERPs
- How it is typically hosted
- Windows cloud servers with SQL Server, moved as they are
- Who looks after the application
- Your ERP vendor or partner
Takeaway: we host and run the infrastructure for any of these ERPs; the application, its licence and its customisation stay with your ERP partner, so you keep the support relationship you have.
Which cloud regions are there in the GCC?
Oman and Kuwait have no region from these providers, so Omani and Kuwaiti ERPs run in the nearest GCC region. We pick the region by latency from your offices and any data residency rules you must follow; see data residency.
| Cloud | GCC regions | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Azure | UAE North (Dubai), Qatar Central (Doha) | Azure Hybrid Benefit can reuse Windows Server and SQL Server licences with Software Assurance |
| Google Cloud | Doha (me-central1), Dammam (me-central2) | In-country regions for Qatar and Saudi Arabia |
| AWS | UAE (me-central-1), Bahrain (me-south-1) | In-country regions for the UAE and Bahrain |
| Huawei Cloud | Riyadh; Abu Dhabi (UAE) upcoming | Hosted case by case, according to your compliance needs |
Microsoft Azure
- GCC regions
- UAE North (Dubai), Qatar Central (Doha)
- Good to know
- Azure Hybrid Benefit can reuse Windows Server and SQL Server licences with Software Assurance
Google Cloud
- GCC regions
- Doha (me-central1), Dammam (me-central2)
- Good to know
- In-country regions for Qatar and Saudi Arabia
AWS
- GCC regions
- UAE (me-central-1), Bahrain (me-south-1)
- Good to know
- In-country regions for the UAE and Bahrain
Huawei Cloud
- GCC regions
- Riyadh; Abu Dhabi (UAE) upcoming
- Good to know
- Hosted case by case, according to your compliance needs
What does Gulf Infotech do?
Assess
we measure the current server (processor, memory, disk, month-end peaks), list who connects from where, and check your ERP vendor's requirements for the cloud server.
Design
provider, region and server size; network to branches; remote access; backup and disaster recovery; and a cut-over window outside month-end.
Build and migrate
we build the cloud server, secure it, move the data and test with your key users and your ERP partner, with a rollback plan.
Run
as a monthly managed service, we patch the operating system, monitor the server, run and check backups, scale for year-end and send a monthly view of cloud costs. If you prefer, we set the server up and hand it over to your IT team.
How is ERP hosting priced?
Cloud hosting is billed as servers, storage, backup and network, pay-as-you-go or on a one- or three-year commitment that lowers the price of servers that run all the time; Azure, for example, lists savings of up to 72% for reserved servers. Customers in Oman, the UAE and Qatar are billed by us locally, in local currency, including the cloud consumption. Your ERP licence stays with your ERP partner. The monthly managed service is custom-priced, based on your servers and the support you need.
Cloud consumption is one part of the cost. Design and deployment, migration of the ERP server, training and support are separate, paid components that we scope and quote with you. Our short cloud assessment is free; the full cloud assessment is a paid consulting service.
What are the typical steps?
- Step 01
Discovery
server, users, branches, peaks, backups and ERP vendor requirements.
- Step 02
Design
provider, region, size, network, remote access, backup and DR.
- Step 03
Test migration
copy to the cloud; key users test real transactions with your ERP partner.
- Step 04
Fix and rehearse
tune performance and rehearse the cut-over.
- Step 05
Cut over
outside month-end, with a rollback plan.
- Step 06
Run
close watch through the first closing, then normal operations.
Durations are indicative estimates that depend on users, data size, branches, your ERP partner's availability and how quickly decisions are made.
Cloud services in your country
Frequently asked questions
Can you host Tally on cloud?
Yes. We build a Windows cloud server in the nearest GCC region, secure it and set up remote access, so your accountants and branches use Tally from any office or from home. Your existing Tally licence and your Tally partner stay as they are; we look after the server, network and backups. We test with your users before switching over, outside month-end.
Can you host Odoo?
Yes, the self-hosted Odoo editions. We build a Linux cloud server with its database in the nearest GCC region, secure it, set up backups and give your Odoo partner the access they need. The Odoo application, its modules and its customisation stay with your Odoo partner or your IT team; we run the infrastructure underneath.
Which cloud is best for ERP hosting?
The one with a region close to your offices that meets your data rules and fits your existing licences. Azure is often cheapest for Windows and SQL Server ERPs if you hold licences with Software Assurance, through Azure Hybrid Benefit. Google Cloud and AWS offer in-country regions in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain. We compare them on your actual server size.
Can the ERP data stay in my country?
In the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, yes, on an in-country region: Azure UAE North or Qatar Central, Google Cloud Doha or Dammam, AWS UAE or Bahrain, or Huawei Cloud in Riyadh. Oman and Kuwait have no region from these providers, so Omani and Kuwaiti ERPs usually run in the nearest GCC region.
Will the ERP be slow for branches in other cities?
Not if the network is designed for it. Branches connect to the cloud region over a site-to-site VPN, and desktop ERPs such as Tally run over remote desktop, so only screen updates cross the network rather than the whole database. We test latency from each branch before choosing the region.
Can you host ERPNext, Odoo, Tally and other ERPs?
Yes. We host ERPNext, Odoo, Tally and other ERPs on the cloud: the cloud server, operating system, network, remote access, backups and disaster recovery, as a monthly managed service or as a set-up we hand over to your team. Your ERP partner keeps the application, its licence and its support. If you are choosing a new ERP rather than moving one, talk to us about Zoho Books or Microsoft Dynamics 365.
Plan an ERP move that survives month-end
Tell us which ERP you run, on what server and from how many offices. We will come back with a hosting design, a cost and a cut-over plan.