How To Choose A Cloud Computing Provider

As more and more companies look to the clouds for their business needs, I've been getting a lot of questions regarding the criterions to look out for when choosing a cloud computing provider. It's actually quite challenging to provide a general answer as each situation is unique, but here are five questions one can ask themselves to make more informed decisions for their organization. Read more to go through the five questions.

Which Cloud Services Is Necessary?

This is pretty straight-forward. Before looking for a cloud service provider, one must first know their needs as it will dictate the type of service(s) ultimately chosen. There are services for basic data storage or even extensive IT networking infrastructure with on-demand access to virtual servers, applications and software. Hence, know your needs first, then decide on what type of cloud computing service your organization needs to acquire. 

What Is The Pricing Structure?

These days, companies are becoming smarter and more efficient in how they handle their expenditure. Shrewd management of resources will automatically save costs which can be funneled into different areas of a working business. Thus, put a strong emphasis in researching the price structure of a cloud product/service; You should only pay for what you use. Be wary of large upfront costs and instead go for schemes that have pay-as-you go capabilities from the outset, with the option to add services as needed. 

How Secure Is The Cloud?

Security is a major concern for users, and cloud providers should have several standard security measures in place to store critical data in the cloud. The measures that potential users should look out for include firewalls, anti-virus detection, multi-factor user authentication & data encryption, and routine security audits. Some providers may already have White Papers on their website to answer these questions, so always be on the look-out for those as well!

What Customer Support Services Will I Need?

Unless somebody's been living under a rock, they will not notice that most modern businesses (especially startups) have continued and grown their operations without having a dedicated IT department or team. In fact, it's becoming more common these days for a company to outsource their IT services completely to save costs. In these situations, having good customer support from the cloud service provider will be a major boon in attracting and retaining clients. 

How Will I Access The Cloud?

Readily available access to company data is key for any employee, especially in today's on-the-go working environment. One should be able to access their business information from anywhere at anytime via the web simply by signing in to their provider's client login page. For true flexibility, always look for providers that are compatible across many devices, be it a desktop PC, smartphone or tablet. 

Conclusion

These five questions are only meant as a guide to choosing the right cloud provider for your unique business needs. Remember that to truly make an informed assessment, one needs proper research before, during and after the decision-making process. By the way, try giving TimeTec Cloud's website a test. You'd notice that we got all five questions covered, before you even have a chance to ask us. Cheers!


About the writer: Afiq Jauhari is a not-so-single Malaysian Malay male in his late 20s, previously working in a local banking institution before joining FingerTec Worldwide in 2012 as a Junior Copywriter. His interests include basketball, comedy and writing; and still dreams of becoming a well-liked, funny basketball coach with a few bestselling books.

P/s: Something's going to 'blue' your mind this January

As more and more companies look to the clouds for their business needs, I've been getting a lot of questions regarding the criterions...

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