At TIVIT, we’re here to help and offer ten questions you can ask cloud providers when evaluating their services, their possible platforms, and integration with yours.
Cloud-based products and solutions have become increasingly advanced over the past decade, offering greater scope and expanded capabilities.
Cloud computing service providers manage cloud solutions and services for technologies in various industries and sectors Major cloud service providers such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform continue to develop their platforms to create an end-to-end environmenti.e. business-class cloud infrastructure.
With increasing applicability, cloud services are gaining popularity as they meet different needs, both in terms of type and quantity.
But what should be considered when choosing a cloud computing service provider? We will show you!
10 key questions to ask when choosing a cloud service provider for your business
1. Does the provider support my application?
Support is one of the most important issues when choosing a service provider. Both for the migration of your legacy systems or applications (your own or from other providers) and for your cloud strategy, keeping in mind that they must be compatible.
The vast majority of applications currently run normally in the cloud, but it is important to understand the characteristics of your applications and whether they are adaptable to use this technology.
For example, if your company uses a specific vendor’s ERP, talk to your software vendor to make sure it can be migrated to your cloud model without a problem.
2. How can my company add cloud services?
You may contract with a managed service provider to achieve one goal, but end up wanting more.
Since your initial contract only covers the services you start with, it’s important to understand how adding services will affect your partnership in terms of cost and support.
3. What security services does the managed service provider offer?
When involving managed service providers in your cloud deployment, you must ensure that they have strong security systems in place to protect your data.
This also applies to data compliance; A managed service provider must disclose any data regulations with which it may comply.
4. Does the service provider support hybrid cloud/multi-cloud?
Many organizations are designing multicloud and hybrid cloud infrastructures, and you should ensure that your future managed service providers support these deployments.
Some service providers support only one public cloud provider, while others manage multiple cloud providers; Some can manage your on-premises infrastructure alongside your cloud. Knowing in advance what a cloud provider supports can help you determine which providers are right for your business.
5. Does the supplier offer an advance purchase advantage?
We live in an age where economics is on everyone’s lips and the vast majority of public cloud providers sell their cloud (mostly) through dollars. Some suppliers therefore offer a buy-in-advance model, i.e. the customer can buy in advance at a fixed price.
Likewise, if your demand changes, you can be sure that the supplier can guarantee the dollar price during your purchase, which does not limit readjustments.
6. What is the payment term?
The big players in the market offer payment for cloud services according to usage, very similar to what we are used to from bills for daily consumption (water, electricity, phone).
However, if your business needs to use a large amount, some service providers offer discounts based on increased usage. You need to know how to negotiate with suppliers to understand how these discounts work and what is the best payment date.
7. Is it good to know where data centers are located?
We know that by hiring a cloud service, our applications are located «somewhere» in the cloud, but have you ever thought that the response time could be better if the location is closer to you?
8. What does the responsibility matrix look like?
Good question! At the time of engaging the seller. What is the responsibility of each individual’s security measures? It is important to clarify that there can be several types of actions and that both parties are responsible.
9. Is the service provider likely to grow in the near future?
The managed cloud services market is still in its infancy, so many managed service providers are expected to expand their operations in the coming years.
As service providers continue to grow, organizations need to know what their potential managed service providers currently offer, what services they plan to offer in the future, and when they plan to implement them. If you know the plan of the service provider, you will immediately know what they can and cannot do.
10. How easy is it to switch managed cloud providers?
After working with a managed service provider for a while, you may find that it just isn’t right for you. It’s more common than you think, but unless you plan ahead for this scenario, the cost of switching from one service provider to another can be high.It is possible for your organization to choose and control its own security model to protect its content, applications, platforms, etc., but it is important to define where the service provider’s responsibility ends and yours as the customer begins.
Each supplier offers a model responsibility matrix and this must be clear to the contractor.
Deciding on the best cloud provider is a very important time for your business, but knowing which questions are important can make your journey to the cloud easier.
