Tips on Finding the Right Cloud Computing Company

Chose with Geography, Proximity, and the Non-Cloud Processes of the Company in Mind

Cloud Computing Environments have not fully evolved to the point where you never need to see your trusted, Senior Technology Advisor. 

A firm that demands Quarterly or Bi-Annual reviews of:

1. How well the Cloud Computing Environment is working?
2. Any problems that need to be addressed?
3. Any hardware/software that can be moved into the Cloud?
4. Testing backups, disaster recovery drills.
5. Now that your business is spending LESS ON DAILY MAINTENANCE, INCORPORATE SENIOR NETWORK CONSULTANTS INTO YOUR TECHNOLOGY DECISIONS.

Chose a Firm That is More than Just a Cloud Computing Company

1. Cloud Computing works.
2. Cloud Computing is not for every company
3. Cloud Computing can be used in conjunction with on-premises technology (even including a server, or router, or a heterogenous workstation to handle a certain process for the business.
4. To have the same company responsible for all is valuable, cost effective, and as any business owner/technology professional knows - the fewer vendors to point fingers (or simply get on the phone) is very valuable.
5. Further, not to over-simplify. If all you have is a hammer, every problem and solution will look like a nail.

Test the Environment

1. Do not sign a long-term contract for you and your employees without seeing and testing the environment.
2. Choose a small, executive project that utilizes only the Cloud Computing Environment to see how it works.

Judge These Items of The Cloud Computing Environment AND Company

1. Speed
2. Ease of getting to your job functions (is it easy to get to your data securely or do you have to sign in multiple times)
3. Continuity of Service – ask for uptime reports
4. Will you have a Primary Senior Network Consultant that will continue to learn about your business or will you simply be given the key to the system and a contract you can’t get out of?
5. Do they have a 24/7/365 Help Desk and…
6. Where do you call if something doesn’t work – and what are the qualifications of that/those people (are these processes outsourced, offshored, is it your Primary Consultant, is it one of their Team Mates, or are you shuffled to a simple FAQ page)
7. Is the Cloud Computing Company experienced in your Vertical Market? This is quite important since, not to get too technical, but Cloud Computing Companies with experience in, for instance, Financial Companies, will have already worked through integration of many potentially needed applications that can simply be switched on for your account and the employees you want to have access to.

Experience - Cloud Computing is relatively new, most will be 1-8 years old, therefore:

1. Look for Cloud Computing Companies that have a solid offering but have been in business providing technology services for much longer.
2. Ask specifically about Virtualization experience. Your company in a Cloud Computing Environment means you will be a part of a solid, multi-tenant environment that utilizes very, very complex Microsoft or VMWare technology. You want to turn to one company to overcome problems; no finger pointing or inexcusable downtime.
3. Number of Current Businesses on the System
4. Don’t be the first of 100 companies on a Cloud Computing Environment.
5. Don’t choose the largest if you want a say in which applications (such as privately written software) to run on the system with the full support of the Cloud Computing Company.
6. To that point, ask how proprietary software applications are incorporated into the system.

Price

• All will have similar price points as Cloud Computing Companies look to build even more economies of scale. Therefore, a good indicator of the processes and procedures of a Cloud Computing Company is the relative simplicity of determining your potential costs.