A Cloud Service Provider (CSP) is an
organization that provides cloud computing products and services by
which companies can run their IT applications, storage, databases, and
other services in the cloud platform. However, did you know that there is
more than one type of cloud? There are many clouds like private cloud,
community cloud, public cloud, hybrid cloud, and more.
But the question is, with hundreds of
CSPs out there, how to pick a suitable one? You may wonder how they all
differ and which is the best. Some hosts pride themselves on value and affordability, while others emphasize reliability and customer support.
Things to keep in mind while choosing a Cloud Solution provider:
1. Type of Service
Cloud computing services are broadly
classified into three types. Before choosing any of them, you should
briefly know their benefits.
IaaS or Infrastructure as a Service: In IaaS, the entire infrastructure is managed by the cloud service provider.
The
customer only needs to manage his applications and data. Some of the
examples of IaaS are Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, Google
Cloud Platform (GCP), Rackspace, DigitalOcean, and Linode.
PaaS or Platform as a Service: In PaaS, customers don’t need to worry about installing software or managing servers.
They only need to develop their
applications on top of the platform provided by the PaaS vendor. Some of
the famous examples of PaaS providers are Heroku, Salesforce, and AWS
Elastic Beanstalk.
Saas or Software as a Service: Saas
means that all you will have to do is log in to use an application like
Google Apps, Microsoft Office 365, and Dropbox.
2. SLA
It’s essential to understand what service level agreement (SLA) you need before choosing a cloud solution provider.
An SLA will determine how much support
you get from your provider, how fast they respond to your requests, and
what happens if there are issues with availability or performance.
It’s also crucial for an SLA to include penalties if your cloud service provider doesn’t meet promises.
3. Uptime
The availability of your cloud services is one of the most important factors that dictates which cloud service provider to use.
Most cloud providers guarantee 99 % uptime, but reading the fine print is essential to see what that really means.
Even a few minutes of downtime can impact your productivity if you are dependent on the data or apps in the cloud.
For example, if you are an eCommerce company and your website goes down, you lose money every minute it is offline.
4. Support & Customer Service
When it comes to hosting, there’s
always a chance that something can go wrong. When this happens, you need
to be assured that your hosting provider will be there to help you
solve the problem when it arises.
Make sure you get 24 x 7 support from
your cloud solution provider so that you can run your business
operations with ease without worrying about any issues or downtime.
You must also ensure that providers
offer multiple channels of communication so that you can get in touch
with them anytime through phone, email, or chat support for fixing any
issues.
5. Price
The price associated with a cloud solution provider is often an important factor to consider when choosing
a partner. Make sure you understand the pricing model and know exactly
what it will cost you to use.
A reputable and best cloud solution
provider will offer a transparent pricing model and will always take the
time to explain how it works. If you’re unsure about anything, don’t
hesitate to ask questions.
6. Cloud Compliance
Suppose you do business with companies that are subject to governmental regulations.
In that case, you need to make sure
your CSP can comply with those regulations as well as your own company
policies regarding security and privacy. An excellent way to get started
is by checking out their website thoroughly.
7. Security
Another important thing that needs to
be considered while choosing a cloud solution provider is security. You
need to understand that security protocols in every cloud are not the
same.
So, ensure that they use robust
encryption methods like 2-step authentication as well as SSL encryption
while transferring data over an internet connection or storing it on
their servers.
This will help you protect your precious data from hackers and other cyber threats.
The Bottom Line-:
Picking the suitable CSP is not the
choice; it’s a necessity. To reap all the benefits of cloud technology,
you must choose the cloud partner that offers high-standard solutions
and round-the-clock support.