<Cloud Computing and How to Choose your Service Provider />
The cloud refers to the way you can store data and access it later when needed via an internet connection. Cloud computing makes it easier for businesses to access crucial information virtually in real-time. This enables a more flexible and efficient way for businesses to get access to the data they need from any place, at any time.
Thanks to advancements in technology, cloud computing is no longer restricted to large corporations. In fact, there are many SMEs and start-ups who have started to harness the power of the cloud to store, access, and analyze large swathes of data. But, this is all possible if you find the right cloud computing service provider that fits your business’s needs. Keeping that in mind, here, we are going to take a quick look at how you can choose the best cloud computing service provider for your business, regardless of its size.
Choosing the Right Cloud Computing Service Provider
Whether you are looking for IaaS, PaaS, or SaaS, you are going to need the support and reliability of the right cloud computing service provider. Here are some ways in which you can ensure that you get the right cloud computing service provider for your business.
Latest Technologies
The right cloud computing service provider will not only have the latest cloud infrastructure and automation software but will also follow the right standards and security protocols to ensure that your data is safe and secure.
The cloud computing service provider that you choose to go with should offer solutions that are aligned to your specific needs and cater to your current technical requirements and workload. This is the reason why before you choose a cloud computing service provider, it is important to understand how much re-coding and other adjustments are going to be needed for your business processes to run smoothly.
Data Security
The safety and security of your data is a factor that should never be taken lightly, whether you are going to be using the cloud for the first time or will be migrating your data to the cloud. It is crucial for the cloud computing service provider you choose to meet all of the strict security standards, and more importantly, consider security as their top priority, even more critical than their cloud infrastructure and virtualization solutions.
Before you sign on the dotted line to use their services, it pays to do your due diligence and verify beforehand whether the cloud computing service provider is compliant with all of the current standards such as ISO 27000 series and other certifications. The location of their servers is also an important factor to factor in when it comes to choosing a cloud computing service provider (you wouldn’t want your service provider to have their servers located in a country that can be easily compromised now would you).
Also, when it comes to server location, try not to go with cloud computing service providers who have their servers located in countries that have had a history of security breaches. You need to make sure that the service provider has complete control over their servers and that you have 100% control over your data.
Performance
Whether you are looking to harness the power of the Public Cloud, Private Cloud, or Hybrid Cloud, two key factors to consider when it comes to choosing a cloud computing service provider are the performance and reliability of their service.
Sure, downtime's are an inevitable and uncomfortable reality of cloud computing services, and the infrastructure that goes along with it, but that doesn’t mean you should give a cloud computing service provider a pass even after you’ve noticed several red flags when it comes to performance and reliability issues.
That being said, while you should not rule out a cloud computing service provider simply because they are open and transparent about the issues they have faced in the past, you should find out exactly how many times you might expect downtime's to occur once your data is in the cloud.
One important question to ask the service provider is how they plan on solving such situations should they occur in the future, and what safety precautions they have taken to minimize the chances of downtime. Ask about the cloud computing service provider’s processes, responsibilities, tools, and disaster recovery procedures that are in place to make sure your data is kept safe.
Integrations and Partnerships
When it is time to choose a cloud computing service provider for your business, it is important for you to not think in terms of cloud infrastructure or automation software, but rather, in terms of ecosystems.
As the owner or representative of your business, it is more than likely that you use multiple digital tools to carry out various everyday business processes. These tools will most likely include analytics tools, CRM, and so on. It is crucial for you to have the same mindset when it comes to selecting the cloud computing service provider as well since they will also have a network of partners.
Keeping that in mind, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with these partnerships and integrations before choosing the cloud computing service provider.
Ending Note
Another important tip to roll off with is that it is recommended that you do business with a cloud computing service provider that is reputable and maintains a solid track record of high-performance cloud infrastructure, while offering Hybrid Cloud, IaaS, PaaS, SaaS, and serverless cloud computing solutions. Also, the service should not have a history of stability issues or legal issues. The cloud computing service provider that you opt for should be run by seasoned professionals and also have a healthy financial position.