Around 90% of large businesses have embraced cloud technology.
The cloud is a fantastic way to safely store important documents, improve team collaboration, and grow with your business.
If you want to find a cloud provider but aren’t sure which questions to ask, you’ve come to the right place.
Here are the top six.
1. What Security Measures Do You Have in Place?
When it comes to professional and personal data, security is paramount.
A reputable private cloud service will perform a vulnerability assessment to ensure your data stays safe.
The company should have a layer of protection against threats and uphold industry standards such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard.
2. How Flexible Are You?
Regardless of whether it’s cloud providers or customer support services, they must be able to scale with your business.
Scalability is crucial especially if you’re busy during certain parts of the year or are about to boom. Find a cloud provider with a flexible consumption license model as they can improve capacity when needed and remove it later on.
3. Can You Provide References?
Checking a cloud provider’s references and reviews is a fantastic way to glean their competence.
Ask to talk with current customers when the provider isn’t present and Google “(cloud provider name) review” to see their customers’ feedback.
4. How Often Are Your Service Outages and How Long Do They Last?
Don’t write off a cloud provider because they experience outages as it happens to them all. As a general rule, a great provider has few outages and they don’t last long.
Alongside the cloud provider’s types of services, ask about maintenance outages. These are scheduled ones where the cloud provider upgrades its software.
Find out when these occur so you can plan around them and if they occur during your business hours.
5. How Are You Protected From Natural Disasters?
It’s important you can access business information whenever so ask the cloud provider how they plan to protect your data. Regardless of the location, they’ll experience some form of a natural disaster.
Good questions to ask include:
- Do you have an Uninterrupted Power Supply?
- What is your Recovery Time Objective (RTO)?
Their answers will reveal whether the cloud provider can safely store your data even during a natural disaster.
6. Where Is Your Data Center?
Location is important for several businesses. For instance, if you store government-related work, then you’ll need a cloud provider based in the United States.
And if the location isn’t important, your cloud provider must have robust security systems to avoid potential issues.
That’s How to Find a Cloud Provider
Now you know how to find a cloud provider that best aligns with your business needs.
Ask the cloud provider for references, about their security measures, and whether your data is safe from natural disasters. Plus, a cloud provider must be scalable so they grow with your business.
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