One way higher ed institutions are remaining agile amongst constant change in the industry is to focus on future proofing. With campus IDs sitting at the intersection of technology and operations, colleges and universities have a unique opportunity to make immediate improvements to these systems and leave a lasting impact.

Campus ID technology can either be an “on-prem” system or a “hosted” system. On-prem is when ID technology is stored on campus servers and managed by the institution’s IT department. If the technology is stored in the cloud and managed by the campus ID technology provider, that system is referred to as hosted.

Hosted systems typically offer long‑term financial savings, reduced operational burden, and increased flexibility — all important elements when future proofing an institution.

While many campuses still operate their campus ID system on‑prem, the industry is steadily moving toward hosted solutions. Hosted systems typically offer long‑term financial savings, reduced operational burden, and increased flexibility — all important elements when future proofing an institution.

If your college or university is evaluating whether to remain on‑prem or move to hosted, now is an ideal time to reexamine the true costs and benefits.

Why institutions have historically gone on-prem

For decades, on‑prem campus ID systems were the default. Let’s explore a few reasons why.

• Lower upfront cost
  • From a budget‑planning standpoint, on‑prem implementations often came with a smaller initial price tag. For institutions under pressure to keep expenses low, this was an attractive option.
• Control and familiarity
  • Some IT teams preferred maintaining ownership of their physical servers, system monitoring, and update schedules. These were systems they understood and could manage with their own processes and personnel.
• Legacy infrastructure
  • Many campuses implemented their campus ID system years ago, before modern hosted environments were available. Once installed, the inertia of an existing on-prem system may keep institutions in place longer than intended.

While these reasons were logical at the time, modern advancements have disrupted the on-prem ecosystem. Understanding the hidden costs of on-prem helps reveal why these systems struggle to scale and be truly future proof.

The hidden costs of staying on‑prem

Although on‑prem solutions may be less expensive upfront, they often come with expenses that accumulate over time.

• Ongoing hardware investment
  • Servers, storage, backups, and networking equipment must be maintained and eventually refreshed. These lifecycle costs repeat every few years and can be unpredictable.
• Maintenance and monitoring
  • On‑prem solutions require continuous system upkeep. Manual patching, security updates, troubleshooting, and emergency response are just some examples of the technology maintenance required. That work is either absorbed by IT staff or outsourced at additional cost.
• Staffing pressure
  • Many campuses are operating with smaller IT teams than they had even a few years ago. Every hour spent on maintaining an aging on‑prem system is an hour diverted from strategic projects that support enrollment, student experience, and other operational efficiencies.
• Risk exposure
  • Power outages, network failures, or equipment degradation all sit squarely on the institution’s shoulders. These risks carry both financial cost and operational disruption. Many colleges and universities would rather offload this security burden to a technology provider that has protections and consistent monitoring built-in.

When looking to the future, these cumulative expenses often outweigh the initial savings of staying on‑prem.

The case for a hosted campus ID system

Hosted campus ID systems eliminate a significant portion of the ongoing expenses associated with on‑prem, while also preparing your college or university for the future. Below are some specific benefits of a hosted campus ID system.

• Reduced capital expense
  • No more servers to purchase or refresh. With hosted systems, your technology provider handles the server maintenance, shifting your cost to predictable operating expenses. This makes budgets cleaner and more consistent.
• Offload the IT stress
  • Updates, patches, and system monitoring are handled by the provider. This provides relief for small IT teams, allowing them to focus on high‑value work that moves the institution forward instead of routine maintenance.
• Improved uptime and security
  • Hosted environments have reliable servers and enterprise‑level security monitoring that most individual campuses can’t easily replicate.
• Scalability
  • Whether you’re adding new locations, expanding access control, or implementing mobile credentials, hosted systems can scale far more easily than on‑prem.

Hosted campus ID systems present a financially sound, operationally efficient, and future‑ready alternative to on‑prem environments.

When evaluating the full lifecycle, most institutions find the long‑term financial outcome favors hosted systems, even if the migration requires an upfront investment. Hosted systems also allow for more flexibility, giving you the opportunity to add new features as your institution grows and technology advances.

What to look for in a hosted partner

If you’re looking to make the move to a hosted campus ID system, it’s important to research your options and choose the right provider. A provider with an expansive partner ecosystem, clear security and compliance frameworks, a documented migration process, and ongoing customer support is essential.

First, consider all of the transactions that your campus IDs facilitate and permissions they grant. A provider with a large, established network of partners will be more likely to facilitate all these transactions. If there are functionalities the provider can’t support directly, chances are they have a partner they integrate with to support your needs.

A hosted campus ID system offers secure infrastructure, encryption, monitoring, and audit-ready environments, which are essential for protecting sensitive data.

Since campus IDs store and transmit a vast amount of sensitive data, it is critical that your technology provider has the proper security and compliance frameworks to keep your students’ personal information and payment data protected. Going hosted is more secure because it provides a dedicated and isolated environment for campus systems, reducing the risk of data breaches and security incidents. A hosted campus ID system offers secure infrastructure, encryption, monitoring, and audit-ready environments, which are essential for protecting sensitive data. Additionally, hosting services often have experienced teams and resources to manage security risks and ensure compliance with industry standards like PCI DSS and SOC 2.

Finally, a provider that has a documented migration process with ongoing customer support will ensure the transition from on-prem to hosted is a success. It is important that the implementation team has a thorough understanding of what migration entails, including an estimated timeline. Once migration is complete, the right provider will offer continued support through regular check-ins and be available to answer any questions.

Hosted campus ID systems present a financially sound, operationally efficient, and future‑ready alternative to on‑prem environments.

Your campus ID technology provider is more than just a vendor. They should be a partner, working alongside your campus to improve operations, boost student success, and prepare for whatever changes the future may hold.

Start future proofing today

If change is the only constant, it’s important that your institution future proofs to ensure the continued success of your college or university. Hosted campus ID systems present a financially sound, operationally efficient, and future‑ready alternative to on‑prem environments. Although the upfront investment can feel daunting, the long‑term benefits, reduced maintenance, improved flexibility, and predictable budgeting can make the transition a strategic move.

The institutions that begin planning now will be best positioned to control their timelines, manage costs, and deliver the dependable, flexible experience students expect. Stay ahead of the curve — strategize with your team and see how TouchNet can help you go hosted.