- Your business should follow these guidelines to choose the perfect cloud provider.
The modern business landscape is not what it once was. Statistics show that roughly 89 percent of all companies either have a digital-first strategy or plan to adopt one in the near future. Digital transformation is considered a critical change if you want your business to operate at maximum efficiency and meet the ever-changing demands of your very modern customers.
With technology being such an integral part of how your modern-day business functions, businesses today are faced with a new and often unfamiliar choice: how do you handle all the data that comes along with a technologically forward operation? In-house data storage has grown to be illogical, so cloud or at least hybrid cloud services are a must. The key is to find the best cloud services provider for your business. Here are a few factors to consider as you look for the best provider to partner with in your business.
Services Offered
All cloud service providers will offer a different collection of services, and each service may be of benefit to your business or your workflow processes. These services act as a valuable extension beyond just storing data. For example, some providers offer things like simple computing solutions and hosting applications. Best of all, most modern cloud providers offer extended services in a sort of on-demand fashion; you pay only for what you need. Therefore, the services offered are one of the most important things to look at when you are trying to find the best cloud partner to work with.
Software Update Management
How are software updates going to be handled by the provider? Logically, you will need updates that are easy and relatively instant so you are not dealing with interruptions or accessibility issues. Even though working with a cloud platform already means that you have access to the latest software at all times without expensive upgrades on your end, all providers handle updates in their own ways. Find out what to expect before committing.
Integrated App Performance
The apps that you rely on in your business should flow seamlessly with the platform. Remember, even though cloud platforms can look alike on a surface level, they are essentially different technological environments. Some will support the framework and functionality of the most important apps for your business for optimal efficacy, while some will not.
Security
A pretty alarming fact about data breaches is the fact that the average time between an actual breach and when a company notices is more than 200 days. Therefore, your goal with a cloud partner is to make sure the utmost security is in place to prevent breaches in the first place. A few important security features to look for in any cloud service provider include:
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- An excellent perimeter firewall
- Event logging that offers intrusion detection
- Data encryption, whether in transmission or at rest
- Firewalls for any additional containers or applications
- Strong on-site, physical security at the data center itself
Most cloud providers offer some pretty excellent security features, but even those that do not can be enhanced with the right parameters in place. For example, if you are using Microsoft Azure, and want a bit of added protection for Azure container instances, you can work with a third-party app to patch in added protection.
Consultations
When working with a cloud provider, there will naturally be situations when you need to consult with an expert or someone who understands the parameters and can give you information. Some providers are better at consulting capacity than others. If you don’t have in-house IT expertise to refer to when you have a problem with a cloud platform, it will be vital that you can get immediate assistance or at least assistance in a timely manner.
Manageability
How easy will it be to manage your apps and software on the cloud network? How much time and effort will be required on your end when changes have to be made? For the most part, it is important to look for the most manageable processes possible that will not require a lot of time and effort on your part.
Scalability
What you need when it comes to data storage and usage is bound to ebb and flow with the passage of time. The average company can manage as much as 162.9TB of data at any given time, and if you are just getting started in digital transformation, your needs are bound to grow more profound. You will need a cloud services provider that can accommodate the growing and sometimes waning data demands your business has.
The Best Cloud Services Provider Simplifies Digital Transformation
Whether you are just getting started as an entrepreneur with a small business or you are a well-established company in the process of making a digital transformation, cloud services will be an important topic. While it can take some time to secure the best-matched provider for your specific business, the end result can be a business that is much more capable of surviving in a highly digital world.
