With multiple public cloud service providers competing in the space, choosing the best cloud service provider for your business is indeed a tough call. Before moving on to the criteria on the basis of which the CSPs should be chosen, let us look at the key cloud service providers, in today’s market: they are Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Google Cloud Platform (GCP). Although there are many other players in the market, as well, these three are currently ruling the CSP market.

Cost

Cost plays an important role when deciding migration as this is more of a revenue expenditure than a capital one.  There is no fixed method of comparing prices of different cloud service providers but, the total cost based on the usage can be compared. MS Azure, AWS, and GCP provide their costing structure based on usage. So, once you get an idea of your usage pattern, then it will be easier for you to work out the approximate amount for each CSP you are evaluating.

Architecture

While selecting a CSP, the architecture should be known. The incorporation of the architecture into the system is important. Each organization has a certain architecture that it works on. When they migrate from in-house data centres to a public cloud system, it is important to match the architecture as closely as possible to ensure the data is not disturbed and the systems keep working smoothly post-migration. This is one of the reasons which is fuelling the rapid growth of MS Azure in the cloud computing scenario. As most businesses are used to using MS applications throughout their organizations and process levels, it makes sense to them to migrate to MS Azure and make it a through-and-through Microsoft-supported technology system.

Security

Securing the applications and data hosted on the public cloud network is important. Take a detailed note of the security features of the cloud service provider. Make sure there is a backup to protect the data should there be any emergency.

Security being the top concern,  it is critical to evaluate the security features of the CSP.

Compliance

Try to choose a CSP who meets both the industry compliance standards and the compliance standards of your business, as well. Check for compliance standards such as the PCI, SOC2, HIPAA, DSS or whichever other compliance standard is followed by your organization, to meet the regulation standards of the industry you are operating in. Make it a point to understand the compliance standards that are required when the applications and data are hosted on a public cloud.

Support

This parameter needs to be evaluated carefully. The support provided by your Cloud Service Provider is important. Some premium CSP partners like Azure partners ensure premier cloud service and support to all clients. Having premier support access always helps as it ensures quick troubleshooting and also 360-degree support access through calls, emails, and chat support.

Manageability

Determining what the CSP expects to manage and what will be the level of manageability from their end is important. Different providers support different tools to work with different other services. It is important to state your requirement to the tee and also have the Cloud Service Provider assess if they can extend the kind of support you are looking for.

Service Levels

This factor is critical when the business has strict requirements like response, availability-time, support services, capacity and scalability. Ensure going through and signing a Service Level Agreement(SLA) with your cloud service provider to ensure timely and professional assistance from them, as and when needed.

Now that you have a quick checklist of the points to consider while choosing a CSP for your business, you are good to go. If you are wondering where to start looking for the best cloud service provider for your business, visit our website and learn more about our cloud computing services.

We are an ISO 9001:2015 company and are official Microsoft Azure and Azure Stack Partners in India. Focussed towards providing end-to-end cloud and technology services to startups and SMEs, alike, we hope to empower small businesses in India and abroad, to achieve technological prowess.