In-the-Cloud LIMS: A TCO Analysis

1. Introduction: The white paper discusses the need of a global and economical architecture of Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) for life science industry. Total cost of ownership (TCO) of the ?Software as a Service (SAAS) based? or ?In the cloud? LIMS has been analyzed to understand its applicability as a standardized and cost effective solution to the current laboratory data management challenges faced by life science industry. 2. Main: There is growing demand of a standardized and economical LIMS architecture from life science industry due to global R&D operations, lack of budgets, strictness of regulatory bodies towards data integrity and need of compatible platforms for sharing knowledge/data within organization and third parties (CROs and CMOs). Different companies have adopted different strategies to mitigate their respective challenges in the field of laboratory data management. In the cloud or SAAS based LIMS offers a standardized way to help commercial and academic institutions in managing their laboratory data across the globe. Lack of investment in hardware and high degree of scalability helped SAAS based architecture as a true platform to implement global and standardized LIMS. The market of in the cloud LIMS is expected to grow at better rate than compare to other format of LIMS in near future, though there are few concerns in industry about the hidden costs and data security. 3. Recommendation: Procurement decision makers must analyze the total cost of their existing and in the cloud LIMS on the long term basis. In the cloud LIMS do not require the buyer to invest directly in the hardware but subscription cost believed to be composed of hardware charges. The main cost advantage is in reduced or no labor charges for maintaining the software and hardware. Also, there is less risk as buyer needs not to pay upfront for the software license.