For companies and public sector organisations that are planning a cloud migration, one of the most critical tasks to complete is choosing a cloud service provider. Even if you restrict your choice to the major players in the industry, that’s still 5 or 6 service providers to evaluate. To save you a little time and help you to focus on the most relevant points, we have put together a checklist that you can use when evaluating each contender. This checklist includes the most important factors you need to consider and should help to ensure that the service provider you choose can meet all of your needs.
5 key factors to think about when evaluating cloud service providers
Whether you are only considering cloud service providers in Australia or are conducting a global search, you will be able to choose the right service provider more easily by paying close attention to the following 5 factors:
- Performance
Each cloud provider that you evaluate will have their own service-level agreement (SLA). An SLA sets out the level and standard of service that you can expect from an individual software vendor or service provider. When looking at SLAs for cloud service providers, focus on availability guarantees (uptime) and details of how they will respond in the event of any interruptions to normal service.
- Data security
For data security, we are most concerned with accreditation. Cloud service providers with appropriate accreditation have demonstrated a certain level of security, which meets established industry standards. SAS70 Type II is one of the most widely recognised types of certification while other standards, such as FIPS-140-2 and NIST 800-171, will be of particular interest to government agencies who hold sensitive data.
- Scalability & elasticity
The ability to quickly scale cloud compute resources up or down, in line with changes in demand for apps and services, is vital for organisations that are keen to manage their cloud environment in the most cost-effective manner possible. Platforms with auto-scaling functionality score highly in this regard.
- Compatibility
To ensure a smooth transition from onsite servers to a new cloud environment, you should choose a platform that is compatible with the operating systems and software that you currently use on a daily basis. Platforms that are compatible with Windows Server, macOS and Linux should be easy to integrate into your existing IT systems without causing any major disruptions.
- Existing customers
If you prefer to leave the technical details to your migration strategy team but you still want to have an input in the decision-making process, you can evaluate individual cloud service providers by finding out who their most prominent existing customers are. Platforms that are supporting large organisations in the same sector as yours are more likely to be a good fit.
A service provider that scores highly in each of the above-mentioned areas should be able to provide you with a cloud platform that meets all your requirements, both now and in the future.
