Before your organization can leverage the cloud to its full advantage, you must understand which cloud solution is right for you. No two businesses are the same, which is why you need a unique cloud configuration for your business to take full advantage of the cloud. Different cloud services and solutions are available for each organization’s differing needs.
Before you can take full advantage of a cloud solution that’s a fit for your business, consider these factors.
Related Blog: Cloud Computing
Who Is Hosting and Maintaining It?
Managing a cloud solution is not an easy task. Unless yours is a large company focused on technology, chances are you don’t have the technical skill, time, or budget to manage a cloud solution on your own. It’s probably in your best interest to invest in a cloud solution that’s hosted and maintained off-site by professional technicians.
Hosting Options: Public, Private, and Hybrid Cloud Computing
Three different cloud models are available to small or medium-sized businesses—public clouds, private clouds, and hybrid cloud environments. Each cloud model offers different data storage capabilities and different levels of security.
Public
What makes a public cloud “public” is it is hosted by a service provider. Amazon, Google, IBM, and Microsoft cloud services enable customers to access and share basic computer infrastructures such as hardware, storage, and bandwidth. For example, Microsoft cloud-based services offer computing power, Microsoft cloud storage, and bandwidth when and where you need it. With Microsoft Azure and many other public cloud options, you also only pay for what you use. You can scale up and down as your business needs change.
Private
With a private cloud, a business has sole access to infrastructure resources. A private cloud can be located at an on-site data center or hosted by a third-party service provider. An advantage to a private cloud model is it provides greater security compared to a public cloud model since only one company is allotted access to it. Private clouds are also extremely customizable; however, they are harder to install.
Hybrid
A hybrid cloud model is a mix of public and private cloud resources and provides multiple options from different service providers. With this cloud model, data and applications move between a private and public cloud. (For example, data is stored on a private cloud, while applications are accessed via a public cloud.)
It is critical to compare and contrast the three cloud options before deciding which one is the best fit for your business.
How Much Flexibility Do You Need?
It’s natural for a business to grow over time; are you prepared for when your business does? Thinking about the future of your business is important. Aside from knowing where you want to be 5 to 10 years from now, it’s also important to ensure your infrastructure is capable of supporting change. The cloud is a great tool that helps organizations adapt to change; and no matter which solution you choose, you’ll have control over storage. The only thing you need to keep in mind is the expenses tied to expanding the storage for different cloud models.
How Much Security Do You Want?
Security is one of the most important parts of running a business. Certain industries handle and care for information that is extremely sensitive. Since cloud environments are virtual, it’s easier for hackers to gain access to your private information; therefore, it must be protected by security solutions. Not all cloud solutions offer the same level of protection. If you want to improve security beyond what public cloud services can offer, a private or hybrid cloud solution is probably your best bet.
Is your business ready to make the move to the cloud? Bizco Technologies can help you modernize your network with cutting-edge cloud services. No matter what the unique needs of your organization may be, our experts can help you determine the best cloud solution for you. To learn more about our cloud computing services and get started with your very own solution, contact us today.
