The emergence of cloud services has prompted companies to reallocate their IT expenditures from associated infrastructure costs to business requirements. In keeping with global patterns over the past several years, organizations have grown more willing and confident to move their critical data and computing workloads to the cloud, as well as more at ease and confident in their ability to do so as a strategic move towards corporate growth. Let’s explore how to choose the right cloud service provider to maximize your business efficiency.
Ten years ago, cloud services were still considered an emerging technology; today, they are far more developed. According to research, cloud revenue was $227.8 billion at the end of 2019 and is expected to grow to $266.4% by 2020 and $354.6% by 2022.
You may have an abundance of options as a technology leader tasked with deciding how to move critical IT business requirements to the cloud, given the competition among the growing number of cloud computing providers. Making an informed decision is crucial. It involves skillfully sorting through essential aspects like cost, scalability, availability, and security. These factors need consideration from a vast array of options. Often, options can prove to be superfluous to company requirements. When switching to cloud services, an organization should take the following important issues into account:
Choosing the right cloud version:
Cloud service providers offer Public Cloud services. These services involve customer apps and data hosted on a shared, secure infrastructure. Additionally, there are Private Cloud services available. These services are not shared with other businesses and typically involve dedicated hardware hosted on racks within a shared co-location facility. In terms of cost-effectiveness, convenience of use, and security compliance, public cloud services have advanced significantly in recent years. Nevertheless, private cloud facilities may need to maintain their infrastructure due to data and application security requirements.
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Evaluating the cloud’s requirements in light of business needs
The company would be better off characterizing and prioritizing business application and data demands and comparing them to what cloud vendors generally offer even before selecting the cloud vendor. This is a quick reckoner:
Selecting a Reliable Cloud Service Provider
Penieltech provides a wide range of PaaS, and SaaS services to meet the computing, storage, and networking needs of businesses. Additionally, Penieltech also provides ERP, CRM, HRMS, and POS Systems that help all businesses grow to their optimum level.
Important Things to Consider
Following a close examination of the business requirements, it could be wise to give special attention to the following aspects:
Data Security
It is crucial to confirm that the supplier complies with all relevant security regulations and holds the certifications (such as ISO 27001, PCI-DSS, etc.) that are relevant to the needs of the organization. Make sure the provider can store all data in the same geographic area as the end user if data localization is crucial.
Ownership Total Cost (TCO)
Cloud computing cost calculation can be a difficult task. Every vendor offers a wide range of discount schemes for computing and storage, as well as overall pricing (some depending on yearly commitments). Given how fiercely competitive they are, Indian suppliers would do well to engage in thorough and effective negotiation to drive a hard bargain.
Partnerships & Integrations
As part of an ecosystem, cloud providers frequently have a network of partners (system integrators, support services, marketplace vendors) that can provide a unique service and make the transfer, deployment, and operation of the cloud service easier. Verifying which pertinent integrations can benefit the end users is crucial.
The Bottom Line
Always assess the business needs first. Avoid chasing the latest flashy technology, which might not suit the application requirements. Don’t get carried away by the brand and buzz of a cloud provider’s service diversity. After the review and screening process, create a final scorecard. Assign points on a scale of 1 to 10 to each component. Gather input from various stakeholders during this process. Examples of these include:
- Features according to business requirements
- Needs for application integration, if any
- How much does a cloud solution cost, roughly speaking?
- Will the features be reduced or expanded in the future?
- How knowledgeable is the IT/Ops department?
Finally, it is crucial to think about a multi-cloud strategy for the long-term survival of the company.
The cloud industry is rapidly expanding due to the many advantages it offers businesses. Creative solutions are emerging to meet the increasing demand. These solutions aim to promote business excellence in the evolving landscape. Penieltech is a leading cloud software provider in UAE and other Middle East regions. Contact us today for a free consultation.