Data security is of paramount concern for businesses. Organizations grapple with the dilemma of entrusting their data to external platforms for translation, raising valid concerns about confidentiality breaches. In this article, we'll dive into how on-premise machine translation changes the way businesses protect their data and ensure privacy.
To get a better understanding of the principles behind machine translation, be sure to check out our article “Machine translation: what it is”, which goes into more detail about this technology and its capabilities.
Machine translation and privacy risks
Confidential information refers to any non-public information, including documents, correspondence, instructions, etc., related to the activities of a company or its clients. Disclosure of confidential information entails its transfer to third parties by any means, which may result in legal liability, particularly when a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) is in place.
Lise Lyngsnes Randeberg, president of Tekna, conducted Google searches on Translate.com and discovered that texts translated through the website were stored in the cloud, accessible to anyone online. These translations included sensitive information from major Norwegian companies, such as notices of dismissal, plans for workforce reductions, passwords, code information, and contracts.
Google's terms state that information uploaded via services like Google Translate may be analyzed and used by the company. DeepL's privacy policy mentions that user-uploaded information is used for training their neural network, and users are cautioned against translating personal data using the free service.
This suggests that when translating confidential information, it is advisable to use paid machine translation services. Employing solutions that store data within a local network or private cloud can help prevent data leakage.
How can on-premise machine translation solve the problem of data leakage?
On-premise machine translation is a process performed locally on a user's own hardware or network infrastructure, rather than relying on external cloud-based services. This means that sensitive or proprietary data can be translated securely without ever leaving the confines of a company's servers.
Consider this scenario: There is a multinational corporation with offices around the globe. Each day, employees exchange vital documents, contracts, and communications that need to be translated accurately and securely. However, due to the sensitive nature of the information, the company is wary of using cloud-based translation services that could potentially compromise their data security.
In this scenario, the corporation decides to implement on-premise machine translation software. By doing so, they install the translation system directly onto their internal servers, ensuring that all translation processes occur within the company's own network infrastructure. This approach allows the company to maintain complete control over their data, safeguarding it from external threats.
On-premise machine translation: guaranteeing data security
- Confidentiality:Since everything stays in your own system, it's ideal for translating confidential information that can't be uploaded to the cloud. This is especially crucial for industries like healthcare, finance, or government that handle sensitive information.
- Potential cost savings: Local solutions come with a fixed price, which is economically efficient in the long term, especially for organizations with large translation volumes. Cloud services frequently employ a pricing model based on the number of words translated, a cost that might escalate through time.
- Customization: On-premise solutions often allow companies to tailor the translation engine to their specific needs. The system can be trained on domain-specific terminology, glossaries, and style guides, leading to more accurate and consistent translations.
- Offline functionality: On-premise translation can function even without an internet connection, which can be beneficial for remote locations or situations with unreliable internet access. While Google Cloud Translation API relies on an internet connection for its operations, Lingvanex On-Premise Software provides an offline solution.
- Unlimited number of users: This means that every employee within the organization's infrastructure has access to translation services without limitation, allowing for collaboration across various departments. Whether it's a small team or an entire company, on-premise machine translation ensures productivity across the organization.
Choosing on-premise machine translation
- Hardware requirements: The software may have specific hardware requirements, like powerful servers and storage capacity. Upgrading existing hardware or purchasing new equipment can add to the initial cost.
- Upfront investment: On-premise solutions require initial financial outlay. This includes the cost of purchasing the machine translation software licenses, as well as the hardware needed to run it.
- Ongoing maintenance: There are ongoing costs associated with maintaining the system, including software updates, server maintenance, and potential technical support from the vendor.
- IT staff requirements: On-premise solutions require in-house IT staff with the technical expertise to install, configure, manage, and maintain the system. This can be a challenge for organizations with limited IT resources. Nevertheless, there are companies like Lingvanex that handle this task and offer clients all the necessary services.
Lingvanex: your trusted partner
The Lingvanex On-Premise Translation Software is an enterprise-level solution for secure and private machine translation within an organization's infrastructure. Here's what you can expect from this on-premise translation software:
- Scalability: The on-premise software can handle large volumes of text, documents, and audio translation with high throughput and stability. It is capable of processing billions of symbols per day. The system requirements include a robust CPU, ample RAM, and a compatible GPU for optimal performance.
- Pricing: Lingvanex offers the on-premise translation software as an annual or monthly subscription with prices starting at €200 per month, whereas Google Cloud Translation API charges $20 per million characters. The more content an organization translates, the more cost-effective the on-premise solution becomes compared to cloud-based alternatives.
- Сustomization: Lingvanex On-Premise Software stands out for its customizable translation solutions, granting users the flexibility to adapt translation models to their exact requirements, and what's more, this customization comes at no extra cost. In contrast, Google's Cloud Translation API offers customizable translation at a price of up to $300 per iteration.
- Speed: While Google Cloud Translation API's latency is subject to the fluctuations of your internet connection, Lingvanex On-Premise Software consistently operates within an impressive range of 3,000 to 20,000 characters per second. Furthermore, the responsiveness of Lingvanex On-Premise Software is unparalleled, as it swiftly processes translations in a mere 0.002 seconds.
- The diversity of languages: The on-premise software supports translation into over 109 languages, including less common languages like Afrikaans, Basque, and Luxembourgish.
- Integration: The solution can be easily deployed on a local PC, corporate intranet/extranet, or cloud hosting, and seamlessly integrates with various business applications and document workflows. While Google API requires purchasing an expensive support package, Lingvanex On-Premise Software offers free support, obtaining answers to technical questions.
Conclusion
The decision to adopt on-premise machine translation depends on your organization's specific priorities. If data security, customization, and control are paramount, and you have the budget and technical resources, on-premise solutions offer a powerful and secure approach to business translation. The 'On-Premise Machine Translation Market' survey projects an increase in demand and investments in this technology by 2032. Lingvanex keeps improving to help more companies integrate this technology into their business. Research suggests that an increasing number of companies will opt for such a solution for their needs in the near future.
