Monday 19 June 2017

Watch Out for These Signs When Considering a Cloud Provider

Choosing the right cloud provider is definitely important when you choose to migrate to the cloud. Below are some things you have to watch out for during your search for a cloud provider.

1x1x1 Network Monitoring

The very first sign that will tell you that you are better off with a different provider is when their idea of a real time network monitoring is not 24/7/365 but 1x1x1. Your enterprise grade cloud must be able to provide a round the clock network monitoring and availability as well as access to a more advanced technical support.

Poor Data Center Location

When the data center of the provider is a mere room that adjoins their sales office wherein a window air conditioner cools down the whole place, you might want to turn your eyes the other way. This might be a bit of an exaggeration but ideally, the cloud infrastructure of your provider must be hosted inside a Tier 4 Data Center complete with access security, highest levels of certification, diverse internet backbone connectivity, redundant power supplies, and sophisticated climate control and fire suppression systems.

Upfront Payment and No Refunds

If the sales policy of the company requires money upfront with refunds not allowed, you might be better off with a different provider. You will surely want a cloud provider that will give you a comprehensive service schedule with clearly defined customer support levels and binding service level agreements.

Unsecured Cloud

If you ask the sales representative about cloud data security and he tells you that you shouldn’t worry because what happens in the cloud will stay in the cloud, you should just forget about hiring the company altogether. As far as the security is concerned, you cannot take the word of the sales rep for it.  Is the virtual infrastructure secured itself? Are the cloud and the supporting infrastructure certified and audited by strict standards?

Empty Promises

You will surely need a cloud provider that has a robust cloud infrastructure which is composed of best of breed technology, scaled and managed for an increasing demand for network and computer resources.

Concerns on Data Protection and Privacy

It will only speak for the need of ensuring direct and good connectivity to the cloud of your provider but also to issues of data protection and privacy. Is the jurisdiction wherein the cloud is being hosted has strict laws put in place which govern the handling of your personal information? Will the government agencies gain access to as well as seize data hosted on cloud with no due process? Who will really own the data stored on the cloud of the provider, and is this spelled out in the contract of the provider? You might be surprised with the truth.

No Public Cloud Solution

Off course, there are some providers right now which provide mass-market public clouds, the extremely low pay per use pricing models, yet they lack some sort of SLA. There is a big difference between public clouds and what you call multi-tenant and enterprise grade clouds. The latter cloud provider has stringent SLAs for availability and performance and can honestly and openly address concerns of customers about privacy, security, and handling of data stored on cloud.


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