5 Key Tips to Choose the Right Cloud Provider for Your Startup
- Written by Brigitte Evans
Cloud computing is not a new concept nowadays, but it seems that global business owners and entrepreneurs are only now realizing its true long-term potential as opposed to investing in an in-house IT infrastructure and managing in-house data centres. While there is nothing wrong with the latter, it’s important to note that the sheer costs of running an on-site data centre can have a significant impact on a startup’s budget, while cloud computing is not only more cost-effective but also brings numerous valuable features to the table. It might be worth looking into the features one can get from 4D Data Centres on their website here - 4d-dc.com.
What’s more, if there is anything that experienced business leaders have learned from years of success, it’s that you need to be resourceful and act on lucrative opportunities quickly in order to keep your startup afloat. That said, there are too many cloud providers out there for you to choose the right on right off the bat, so let’s take a look at five handy tips that will help you make the right choice and pave the road to success.
Start by assessing your long-term needs
Migrating to the cloud is not a task that you can take lightly, nor is it something you can do overnight. Rather, this is a grand undertaking that takes time, effort, as well as meticulous and continuous management to ensure that all of your company’s processes get carried over to the cloud without any setbacks, system failures, or loss of business. To achieve all of this, you need a sound migration strategy, and for your provider to make a strategy, they need to know your long-term needs, your goals, and your aspirations as a brand.
So, let’s start with some research and analysis. Keep in mind that there is a managed cloud service for every need and every type of business, so you won’t have to spend days and weeks on your analysis. You can start by choosing between a public, private, or a hybrid cloud plan depending on your long-term goals, so if your plan is to grow your business into a thriving Ecommerce brand, choosing a private cloud to host all of your business processes and enhance customer safety might be the way to go. Use this mindset to find the right cloud technology for your unique needs.
Consider the platform the provider offers
There are numerous cloud platforms you can choose from, and each requires meticulous enablement and management in order to unlock the true potential of the cloud for your company. For this and many other reasons, you have to choose your partners carefully, and pick the provider that can guide you every step of the way and manage your cloud platform for you.
This is why, for example, a managed Azure service is popular among businesses of all sizes, because Azure is inherently a complex cloud platform that requires a professional approach. The same goes for other cloud platforms and systems, so make sure that your provider or enablement partner has the knowledge, tools, and experience needed to manage every aspect of your cloud with ease.
Emphasize easy scalability in your search
One of the key benefits of cloud computing is that it enables companies to grow and expand seamlessly without sacrificing resources, efficiency, or availability. This is only viable if you’re working with a provider that can guarantee easy scalability for your business, and is able to accommodate your needs with easy application and data centre expansion – often the best solution is a provider that works on a hyper-converged infrastructure.
When your startup starts growing exponentially, you can run into numerous financial problems and other difficulties that can make on-site IT management difficult if not financially-unsustainable, but with cloud computing, you can scale your data centre and IT infrastructure easily and without incurring high financial fees.
Choose a provider with stellar cybersecurity
Speaking of finding trusted cloud providers, one of the main considerations you need to be aware of is cybersecurity. You should only shortlist the providers with exemplary cybersecurity track records, meaning that they emphasize data security in their products and cloud plans, and have a proven record of zero data breaches, data loss, or successful cyber-attacks of any kind. Now that ransomware attacks are on the rise around the world, it’s more important than ever before to choose reliable providers that use industry-leading security solutions.
Analyse and compare online reviews
Don’t let yourself get swayed by fancy storytelling and captivating marketing campaigns – you need to look for honest customer reviews and testimonials online in order to gain a clear picture of the provider and their trustworthiness. Compare customer reviews with professional opinion pieces to see which reviews are fake, and then proceed to compare various providers and their plans to find the most cost-effective solution for your needs without exposing your business to any long-term risk.
Cloud computing is quickly becoming the norm nowadays, simply because it brings numerous benefits to a startup and any growth-oriented company. Now that you know how to choose the right provider, you can safely migrate to the cloud and set your brand up for a successful future.
