If you are doing business in this modern age, there is a very good chance that some of your business processes have already moved into the cloud without you even knowing it. Even at companies that do all they can to retain control of data storage and processing, it is almost inevitable that employees will leverage third party cloud services, many of which they may not realise are even cloud-based, to streamline their day and make their work more accessible.
Maybe now you're starting to consider answering their demands by moving your entire infrastructure, or a large portion of it, to cloud hosting services. The benefits are clear: less infrastructure needed, and thus money savings. Less lost data. Increased availability. Higher speeds.
But not all clouds are made of the same stuff, are they? Here are three questions that you may want to ask your cloud hosting provider before you jump fully on board.
1. How scalable is the service?
One of the big benefits of the cloud that you may not have realised is access to more computing power or storage space as needed. Often with a simple upgrade in your plan, you can up-scale in an instant - this is a radical change from companies that handled everything in-house and had to rethink their entire infrastructure every time their company changed. It can also be very cost-effective.
But not always. The more versatility the better, so make sure that you understand the pricing structure by speaking with the provider beforehand.
2. What is the disaster recovery plan?
The cloud can offer more protection from tech problems, but you cannot just hand the responsibility over to someone else and expect it to be taken care of. Find out exactly how information is backed up and where it is stored, as well as what security measures are taken on-site to keep it secure.
And find out the protocol if a disaster occurs. How long will your servers be down? How long will it take you to be up and running again? Downtime is not acceptable, even if it was in the past.
3. How often is the network monitored?
The answer ought to be constantly. An expert cloud hosting provider will have different systems in place to monitor your network on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. They should also have a process for identifying issues before they become problems and letting you know beforehand so that they can be addressed. It's the only way to protect yourself and take full advantage of what the cloud can offer.
Full-scale cloud computing can offer a great deal when it comes to reducing costs, securing information sharing, improving efficiency and promoting business growth. But, as always, when the market becomes diverse, there are far too many options out there to assume that just any cloud hosting solution will do.
You have to ask the hard questions before you commit. And even then, it is sometimes better to move into the cloud one cautious step at a time. Good luck!
Hina
