Choosing A Long-Term Cloud Platform Solution

When choosing a long-term cloud platform solution, it’s sometimes difficult to know where to begin. Every major vendor is vying for your attention with clever and sometimes overly flattering marketing campaigns that make the decision even more difficult.

Every cloud provider is “the only one of its kind,” and the “number one solution,” if we listen to their marketing team. We all know that it’s impossible for them all to be the best, but how do you even begin to differentiate between them?

According to an article written by Nick Earle for CloudTweaks, there is a three-phase approach to help figure out where to begin and what to look for. First, understand how your company is using cloud today and what its future needs may be. Then use that knowledge to better understand that your company needs to achieve through cloud, and then make sure those choices are setting you up for the future.

Understanding your current infrastructure means that you need to know where your company is now, and where you want it to go in the future. To do this, you need to understand what cloud services are already in place at your company. It’s important that you turn to your own IT department and not outside vendors when discussing what you already have in place, what isn’t working or is a waste of time and money, and if your current solution is scalable enough to adapt to the future.

To maximize cloud effectiveness, you should focus on a sourcing strategy that delivers flexibility to meet business needs and the agility to quickly adapt to an evolving business landscape. This will help you decide if you should build a new custom platform, buy a cloud platform from a vendor, or both.

Hybrid cloud platforms are a way to store more sensitive data a private cloud while storing less sensitive data on a public cloud. When utilized correctly, hybrid clouds offer you a way to complement existing resources without additional costs while freeing up staff time to focus on other things.

One of the most important things to think about when looking for a cloud platform solution is, what will your company look like in the future? The solution needs to address your immediate needs while being flexible enough to respond to growing business conditions. As your company evolves, your cloud platform should grow with it.