With the constant innovations and changes in cloud technology, it may be time to re-think your cloud service provider. Using cloud hosting has a lot of benefits for your company, including reducing costs, flexible storage, as well as ensuring uptime and increasing security. We've selected 4 of the main reasons why your organization should be considering a new cloud service provider and have detailed them below. Switching providers is work (considering a large amount of data to be moved, time spent evaluating providers, etc.), before you make the move ensure you've truly weighed the costs and benefits to make sure you're making the best move for your organization.
1. Pricing
Prices are constantly changing, and not always in the downward direction. Some providers may change their pricing significantly and some have even been accused of getting customers with low initial costs and then increasing their pricing after the first year contract expires. Some providers charge for certain services such as 24/7 support that other providers include in their monthly services with no additional cost. These additional charges can add up over time, making some providers more expensive than they initially appear.
When comparing plans and pricing, a warning must be issued, ensure you're comparing apples to apples rather than apples to oranges. When comparing your current plan to a new provider's quote make sure the plans are truly comparable, meaning storage, services, speeds, and contracts are the same. Some businesses get excited about what appears to be a cheaper plan, leave their current provider, only to be disheartened when they realize the new provider isn't as great or as cheap as they previously imagined.
Keep in mind that switching providers can often be a fair amount of work and time, the cost savings provided by switching providers should be significant enough to justify the transition.
2. Security Issues
Paul Kubler, a digital forensics and cybersecurity examiner at LIFARS, a cybersecurity intelligence and incident response firm, says that if a provider is not prioritizing security on all levels then he would recommend immediately switching providers. He states that if your provider is not taking security seriously, your data might as well be public information.
Paul says it all, if you feel that your provider isn't taking your security seriously it's time to switch. The security of your data is paramount and could have significant impacts on your bottom line and reputation if mishandled. Having an SLA that includes details about your security requirements is key to establishing a clear understanding from the get-go.
3. Problems With Your Service Level Agreement (SLA)
Some service providers fail to provide SLAs. SLA's are key to protecting both the client and provider, they create peace of mind for both parties, establish clear and measurable guidelines for the relationship and provide recourse for unmet obligations. It is highly recommended that your organization request an SLA from your provider, if they are unable to meet this request, I would suggest considering a different provider. An SLA protects both parties and establishes a legal contract, I would be suspicious of a provider that doesn't want an SLA or at least doesn't give you a darn good reason for why they don't want one. If you do have an SLA with your provider but find that it doesn't meet your changing needs or you find issues with the current agreement, suggest making changes. If these changes can't be accommodated, changing providers is a viable option.
4. Your Needs Are Not Being Met
Whether your needs aren't being met because your needs have changed or simply your provider isn't meeting the needs discussed in your contract, a change of provider should be considered. Discuss with your provider and re-iterate your needs, if they're still not able to meet them (depending on the importance and severity of the problem) you may need to change providers immediately. If your needs have changed and your current provider is unable to meet these new demands you may need to bring in a second provider to assist with these new needs or switch providers entirely. For example, not all providers offer platform as a service (PaaS) or Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS). These are highly valuable services, if you aren't considering them now you may require them in future, it's important to choose a provider that offers a wide portfolio of services, supporting your business as it expands and evolves.
Are You Looking for a new Cloud Service Provider?
If you're thinking about switching to an offshore cloud hosting provider, consider Athena Cloud. Headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, we are a cutting-edge company that offers private and hybrid cloud solutions. If you're looking for tailored cloud solutions from a reliable provider, contact us to speak to one of our representatives today.