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5 Questions Enterprise CIOs Need to Ask Potential CSPs

Cloud_Platform_Buyers_Guide_350The following is an excerpt from Solutions Review’s 2016 Cloud Platforms Solutions Buyer’s Guide, to view the full report, which includes a market overview of the top 28 cloud service providers, download if for free here.

How does your cloud platform keep my business safe from security threats?
What security features, services and compatibilities does your prospective vendor solution support? Check for compatibility with other security solutions, such as third party Identity and Access Management solutions, as many cloud solutions— IaaS especially— do not have IAM as a native feature. The combination of two compatible, best-fit solutions for your business and security needs merits your consideration.

How does your cloud solution work with the rest of my business and technology environment?
Cloud solutions can get along very easily with the rest of your infrastructure, but if you are going to need extensive tie-in middleware between the cloud platform and the rest of your business, ensuring all the technological pieces fit together will be well worth your time.

What support offerings do you have?
Support can be critical to ensuring the success of implementation and operation. Compare the different support options your prospective vendors are offering and see how well they align with the support needs you have determined from

How easy would it be to switch from one solution to another if things don’t work out?
Let’s face it, sometimes the solution that looked like the best for your business turns out not so great. Ask the vendor upfront and directly how they will help you move away from their solution and towards someone else’s if something goes wrong (don’t settle for “it won’t go wrong”). Their response will shine a light on the business flexibility and risk management that the company and their solution provides, and potentially on the culture of the company that you’re thinking of working with.

Cost(s)?
Don’t be fooled into thinking this means only asking about sticker price. With almost every solution, there are likely to be hidden costs. Consider that “free” open-source solution, for instance; without support and other enterprise-focused service offerings, you could at the very least find the need to siphon off critical IT resources from other projects. At most, you might confront the high costs of a failed initiative. Opportunity costs should also be considered for what you could do with certain IT resources and money.

Need some help figuring out the language of cloud computing? We’ve got your back.

From APIs to VMs, Solutions Review’s A to Z cloud computing IT glossary has definitions for 50 of the most popular cloud computing terms and acronyms that you’re likely to come across.


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