The Coronavirus Cloud Computing Survival Guide for Businesses

For years, the cloud has provided businesses with the resources necessary to remotely process large amounts of data, build and run mission-critical applications and services, and collaborate with partners across the globe. Now that companies have to confront the realities of coronavirus and its business impact, users are turning to cloud computing to mitigate the effects that the pandemic will undoubtedly bring. However, if a business doesn’t adequately prepare its cloud solutions to deal with the effects of coronavirus, it’s likely to lose valuable assets and suffer inefficient operations.

That’s where this coronavirus cloud computing survival guide comes in. We compiled the best advice and practices for building and running the most effective cloud solutions possible during this uncertain time. Read below to discover how your company can keep operations running smoothly as COVID-19 impacts the working world.

Looking for more info on cloud solutions and how your business can use them effectively during this crisis? Our free Cloud Managed Service Providers Buyer’s Guide contains profiles on the top cloud managed service providers for AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud, as well as questions you should ask vendors and yourself before buying. We also offer an MSP Vendor Map that outlines those vendors in a Venn diagram to make it easy for you to select potential providers.

Securing remote cloud access

Cloud-based solutions can usually be accessed from anywhere in the world; all an employee needs is a device to access the tool’s portal. This means that all a worker has to do to use cloud solutions from home is access to the Internet and/or any required software. Because of how easy it is for people outside your office to access cloud solutions, your company needs to have the proper access control measures in place. Location-based access control isn’t an option when employees are working from home, so having a role-based access control solution, in addition to multifactor authentication, ensures that only the right people are accessing critical cloud-based business resources.

Proper resource management

Businesses need to give workers the resources they need to run corporate applications and services, and the cloud can be the perfect solution. Cloud servers host mission-critical apps without putting a strain on local resources, which also relieves the stress of storage space on user devices. This is also useful for voice and video communications — critical tools for maintaining communication outside of the office, but also tools that can put a large strain on resources. Every company needs to make sure that they have the cloud space necessary to handle the influx of voice and video traffic if cloud-based communication tools are used. Otherwise, you run the risk of not having the proper channels for employees to talk to each other or receive official updates from the company.

Keeping the cloud secure

Hackers aren’t going to take a break because of the coronavirus, so your security team can’t afford to slack off either. There may be malware specifically designed to target companies weakened by the effects of COVID-19, and you don’t want to wait until that malware invades your system to find out. If you use a public cloud deployment, consult with your cloud provider about its native cloud security tools and how the vendor can help keep your cloud data safe. You also want to ensure that external connections from your employees are secure, encrypting data that gets sent from your servers to your workers outside the office.

Looking for a managed service provider for your cloud solutions? Our MSP Buyer’s Guide contains profiles on the top cloud managed service providers for AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud, as well as questions you should ask vendors and yourself before buying. We also offer an MSP Vendor Map that outlines those vendors in a Venn diagram to make it easy for you to select potential providers.

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