Web-based CMMS vs Network Based CMMS

There are basically two different type of scenarios for CMMS and companies must decide which works the best for them as what might be the best option for one company may not be the best choice for another company. So lets briefly introduce the two options and then briefly discuss each one.


For starters, those who are not familiar with CMMS perhaps an introduction is in order. CMMS or Computer Maintenance Management System is in essence a record or database of an organizations maintenance operations. This allows those in charge to have a record of maintenance, spare parts, repairs, etc. Once a company decides to employ CMMS they need to decide will they be taking a web based approach or a network based approach to CMMS.
A web-based approach to CMMS means that the software the runs CMMS is housed on computers that your company typically don't own. It is common for the software to be running off of a server or running on servers that make up what is called a server farm. It is important to point out that when using a web based approach the physical location of the servers running the CMMS software could theoretically be anywhere in the world. However, typically these servers will reside in the United States. You might ask what is the benefit of using a web based solution. One of the biggest advantages to a web based approach is that you can access your CMMS from anywhere in the world. All you need is an internet connection and you are ready to connect.

Another benefit this approach provides is that you don't have to worry about the maintenance and repair of the powerful servers that are required to run the CMMS software. If there is a hardware failure, that is not your problem.

The second CMMS approach is the network approach. This typically means that instead of your software running on a server outside of your company the CMMS software will be running on a server that is running somewhere within your company and your IT staff would be responsible for the upkeep and the maintenance of not only the CMMS software, but also the server hardware. So if there is a failure, your company is responsible for the repair. One popular benefit of this approach is you usually have a faster response due to you not having to contend for traffic over the internet.

That is the two basic methods of implementing CMMS. After weighing the pros and cons you can decide which CMMS solution fits best with your needs.