OneNote in a Secure Local Networked Environment

[onefear]

We developed an individually designed document management system in OneNote 2016 that allows us to manage highly confidential documents in a secure local environment.  Right now, for example, there we have an individual Notebook devoted to each case (and as you might expect these Notebooks are thick with links to files stored in the local network environment).  As I understand it, one of the primary differences in the migration of OneNote out of the desktop Office environment to its existence as Windows 10 App is its future inability to point OneNote to local data that is not cloud-synced.  A couple of questions:

1.  Is this understanding correct?

2.  If so, is there any workaround that could keep these data out of the cloud? 

3.  If there is no workaround, I would assume that it is possible to securely segregate synced cloud and local data in a way that we could continue to use our individually designed OneNote system.  Is there hope for this?

Thanks much.

Clay Johnson

[#2]

1: Yes

2: using the Win 10 Onenote app - no

3. I believe you can download and keep the 2016 version and use that with your local onenote files

[#3]

Thanks @adam deltinger.  I understand that I can continue to use OneNote 2016, and we will.  However, Microsoft will end mainstream support (patches and updates) for OneNote 2016 on 10/13/2020, and will end extended support for OneNote 2016 on 10/14/2025.

I need help figuring out whether, if decisionmakers can get comfortable with the security of local files synced to OneDrive, then the functionality of the OneNote Windows 10 app will permit continued use with our current notebooks (and linked, synced files), migrated to the App.  I have seen some threads here with migration links.   Theoretically, my employees would continue to work with local files synced to a secure OneDrive folder, and work with OneNote with the linked files at the OneDrive level.  Is OneNote going a direction that might permit this?

I understand the reluctance with continuing to develop two like products, but I would be very sorry if an application as powerful and configurable as OneNote 2016 devolved into merely an educational notetaking app.  Thanks again.

Clay