How to Choose the Right Cloud Service for You

The movement towards the cloud has been gathering momentum of late. If your company is preparing to make this shift, finding a reputable cloud service provider is crucial in order to realize a successful transition. Many benefits associated with this transfer are widely accepted in the business industry.

A recent study has shown that 76% of the companies are expected to move to private cloud or public cloud. Most of these companies are concerned about the risk exposed to their business during the transition period. If you decide to shift to a cloud-based platform, you need to learn about this technology in depth. Do a thorough investigation by consulting with the existing users and researching online. The following are factors that will help you to choose the right cloud service.

You Need to Have the Right Network

Shifting to cloud technology could have an adverse effect on the company�s network. The effects on the network can include inability to access databases, applications and many other materials over the web. Therefore the company must plan to get a reliable and sufficient bandwidth to support the new mode of working.

Cloud technology is used by companies to store data files and deliver applications without using in-house servers. The efficiencies of this technology can easily be lost if the network is unreliable.

Can the Cloud Provider Offer the Right Support?

Technical challenges are likely to occur due to changes in business. A reputable provider should be able to solve your problem in a swift and efficient manner. A service level agreement will help you to understand who takes responsibility for the faults and how fast they can be fixed if they occur. You should bear in mind that the service level agreement should not be the standardized one. This is because all businesses are different and unique. That means every business has different service needs.

Cloud Security

When thinking about cloud deployment, the number one concern for most businesses is the security. Therefore it�s important to know who will be responsible for security, especially where confidential or sensitive data is concerned. Some service providers prefer leaving this to their customer. Cloud security is a very sensitive issue that needs to cover data center, devices and applications. This security should also cover compliance and governance issues, which should be sector or industry specific.

Check if the provider has a security policy suitable to your business. At the same time it should be compliant with the law.

Cloud Expertise

Your cloud provider should have the right technical expertise, industry accreditation and a long experience in the cloud industry. Look for service providers who have worked with similar companies like yours because they will know what can work and what can�t work. Remember to speak to other clients or check references.

There is definitely a lot for you to think about if you decide to shift your company IT infrastructure to the cloud. But the service provider you choose should be able to guide you, since it�s easy to find yourself overwhelmed. Your partner should take you from network security and design, all the way to implementation of the project and maintenance. An experienced partner will help you identify aspects that you never thought of and also to create a cost-effective solution.

By Max Taylor

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