Tell us about your infrastructure requirements and how to reach you, and one of team members will be in touch shortly.
Let us know which data center you'd like to visit and how to reach you, and one of team members will be in touch shortly.
Tell us about your infrastructure requirements and how to reach you, and one of team members will be in touch shortly.
Let us know which data center you'd like to visit and how to reach you, and one of team members will be in touch shortly.
When you use a public cloud service, the cloud service provider (CSP) takes full responsibility for the performance of that service. This means that you need to have full confidence in them. With that in mind, here is a straightforward guide to the 7 key factors to consider when choosing a cloud provider.
Core services like computing power, storage, and networking are the foundation of any cloud environment. Access to advanced tools such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) services, database management systems, and DevOps tools can provide significant advantages depending on your business requirements.
For instance, if your business relies heavily on data analysis, selecting a provider with robust AI/ML capabilities could streamline your operations. To be clear about what this means in practice, however, assess the integration capabilities of these tools with your existing systems. Also look at the level of customization available to tailor the services to your business.
Check the cloud provider’s latency metrics. Lower latency means faster response times. This is crucial for applications requiring real-time processing. Even if you are not using these now, you may wish to do so in the future.
Look for providers that offer strong uptime guarantees, typically specified in their Service Level Agreements (SLAs). An SLA that promises 99.9% uptime might seem sufficient, but for mission-critical applications, you might require even higher guarantees.
Examine the provider’s historical performance regarding outages and how they handle compensations for SLA breaches. Additionally, consider their incident response procedures and how quickly they can recover from outages. Reliable cloud providers should also offer redundant systems and backup solutions to minimize downtime and ensure business continuity.
Thoroughly check the security framework offered by the provider. This includes basic security measures like encryption for data at rest and in transit, as well as more advanced features such as identity and access management (IAM), multi-factor authentication (MFA), and compliance with industry standards like ISO 27001 or SOC 2.
Also, check if the provider offers disaster recovery services, ensuring that your data is protected and can be restored quickly in the event of a failure.
Evaluate the provider’s ability to support your compliance and data-sovereignty needs. Some providers offer specialized services to help manage regulatory and legal issues. These can include audit logs, automated compliance checks, and data-governance tools.
Reliable support is indispensable, particularly during critical moments such as system outages or security breaches. Evaluate the cloud provider’s support offerings, including the availability of 24/7 support, the average response time, and whether they provide dedicated account managers for large or complex deployments. Effective support can drastically reduce downtime and help quickly resolve issues that may arise.
A provider with a global network of data centers can host your applications closer to your users. This can help your applications to deliver their best performance by minimizing the impact of latency.
Hosting data near to its source and/or user base can also facilitate compliance with local data regulations. For example, if your business operates in the European Union, choosing a provider that has data centers within the EU can streamline your path to GDPR compliance.
It’s even better if a provider has a cluster of data centers in a geographical area. This makes it possible to store data across multiple locations in the same jurisdiction. It therefore strikes a balance between simplified data governance and protection against localized disasters.
A cloud provider’s ecosystem and partner network can significantly enhance the value of their services. This includes partnerships with third-party vendors offering complementary services, such as security tools, analytics platforms, or software development kits (SDKs).
A robust ecosystem can provide additional functionalities and integrations that are not natively available through the cloud provider. Additionally, a strong partner network indicates the provider’s commitment to innovation and continuous improvement, as they collaborate with other leading technology companies to expand their offerings.
When evaluating a cloud provider, consider the breadth and depth of their ecosystem, as well as how easily these third-party services can be integrated into your existing workflows.
Pricing structures in cloud services can be complex, making it important to understand the various models available. Most providers offer pay-as-you-go pricing, where you are charged based on actual usage. While this model is flexible, it can lead to unpredictable costs if not carefully monitored.
Subscription-based pricing, where you pay a fixed amount for a set of services, might be more predictable but could lead to overpaying if your needs fluctuate. Be aware of hidden costs such as data transfer fees, which can accumulate quickly, especially if your applications require frequent data movement between regions.
Additionally, consider long-term costs associated with vendor lock-in, where switching providers may incur significant expenses.
An IaaS provider offers a range of standard IT infrastructure such as servers, storage, and networking devices. Clients then virtually build their own infrastructure in much the same way as they would build physical infrastructure.
Infrastructure as a service (IAAS) is one of the most popular uses of the cloud. It is entirely safe when used properly. IaaS security does, however, need to be kept front and center at all times.
A simple guide of what cloud disaster recovery is, why it has become popular, and how to effectively create a disaster recovery plan for your business.
Discover the DataBank Difference today:
Hybrid infrastructure solutions with boundless edge reach and a human touch.