How To Choose a Cloud Services Partner

There are dozens of agencies and freelance developers that call themselves a cloud service partner, however picking the right cloud service partner can be challenging. Below we've outlined six considerations when selecting an agency or developer to engage.

Failure to recruit the right partner can result in an increased risk of data loss, compromised security, and a failure to complete a critical business project in a timely manner.

Six considerations when choosing a cloud services partner

In this article, learn how to select the best cloud services partner for your firm. Read on to understand six factors you should evaluate before settling for a specific provider.

Evaluate security

Data security is a significant concern associated with the use of cloud solutions. Unfortunately, identifying breaches is not always a straightforward process. In particular, studies show that it takes an average of 196 days to recognize the signs of a data breach.

When looking for a cloud services partner, it's crucial to confirm the safety of their preferred software. An ideal option should contain complex multi-factor encryption processes. These will allow you to restrict access to sensitive information.

It's also advisable to pick a company offering software with extra security features that you can use with other software.

For example, their platform should scan data in a connected CMR or network monitoring platform. With such features, you can examine shared files to detect malware and avoid its transfer.

The best way to ensure you pick a cloud services partner offering secure software is by assessing your needs.

After that, classify data by identifying critical systems that are more prone to breaches. Based on the analysis findings, select a company that offers a platform with tools designed for these areas.

Analyze service dependency

Cloud service partners often work with different software vendors. This measure is to meet the unique needs of clients in all industries. Companies that value their customers will only partner with brands that offer reliable and secure cloud solutions.

Hence, when weighing your service provider choices, determine if the companies' vendors are reliable. You can do this by looking for reviews about their software on online platforms. Also, request the service partner to provide references of clients who use the same tools.

Assessing the dependability of cloud service vendors you consider helps identify technical capabilities. During this process, you will also discover innovative and unique features of each platform. Based on this information, it's easier to pick a firm with reliable cloud partnerships.

Evaluate customer support

Sometimes cloud solutions experience outages due to problematic updates and technical errors. Such instances can affect access to data and, in some cases, cloud-based apps. Partnering with a company that offers quick and reliable customer support can help you deal with such issues.

When looking for a cloud services partner, it's vital to assess their customer support. Determine how fast they respond to concerns by looking for reviews on their website.

Apart from that, ask their experts how long they take to assist clients in solving cloud-related issues. You should also determine if they contact the software providers in case of complex problems.

An ideal cloud services partner is one providing dedicated customer service. During an outage, such a firm can direct your IT team on how to troubleshoot your devices.

Besides, they may send a technician to help you regain access and resume business operation within a shorter time. If the issue is beyond their technical ability, they may also connect you with the software provider for resolution.

Assess the technology used

Working with a cloud service company whose selected platform doesn't align with yours can affect efficiency. Assess the technology used by the firms you consider and choose the most suitable partner.

First, determine if their cloud architectures suit your workload. After that, confirm if they can customize the software to suit specific management needs.

A suitable cloud services partner should provide tailor-made or customizable cloud solutions. This way, you can integrate tools to streamline workflow and simplify file transfer. Since determining if the technology offered during the consultation stage may be time-consuming, it's advisable to research in advance. List your business needs by identifying the attributes you need in a cloud solution.

Some of the factors to consider are:

• Better resource use
• Process automation
• Disaster recovery
• Data synchronization
• Scalability

Once you identify the key reasons you need cloud services, use the information to narrow down
potential providers. Further, use it to predict the ROI you can expect partnering with a specific
company.

Look for Migration Support

When switching cloud solutions or adopting one, you need to transfer data. This migration process is often tiring and time-consuming without the right tools.

When looking for a cloud services partner, ensure the software offered doesn't have vendor lock-in features. These can prevent you from transferring information when you opt for a different cloud solution.

The key aspects you should look for in the software provided for easier migration are:

• Unstandardized data formats
• Geographic diversity
• Customized web services
• Compatible app architecture
• Custom configurations

Checking if the partners you consider provide user-friendly products will ease the transition. Moreover, you can avoid contracts that have clauses prohibiting or limiting migration. This will also prevent the challenges associated with manual data transfer.

Consider Costs

Another way to select the right cloud partner is by considering costs. Choosing a company that offers the needed services within your budget can improve efficiency and reduce financial strains.

During the deliberation stage, contact several brands and request cost estimates. After that, assess their pricing structure for individual aspects. Such include the software, management services, and installation process.

It's also advisable to consider the pricing model for the cloud platform they use. A suitable option is one charging users based on a set per second or minute rate. Such a model will help your company avoid standard pricing packages that are not cost-effective.

Contact Bitstrapped to start working with the best cloud services partner

Working with the best cloud services partner simplifies data management and protection. At Bitstrapped, we provide reliable Google cloud consultancy.

Our experts can create a customized cloud architecture based on your specific needs and help you adopt it.

We also offer data migration services that allow companies to adopt reliable and efficient cloud software.

‍Reach out to us today to schedule a consultation meeting.