With so many businesses migrating their software and data to live in the cloud, you need to make sure you’re not creating storm clouds for your business. There are some important questions to ask, BEFORE you sign up…
Many people consider the Internet to be the Cloud, in which case any software applications or storage facilities located somewhere on the Internet could be considered as being in the Cloud. But that’s not very helpful for business owners and managers wanting enterprise-grade reliable processing and storage options.
After all, do you really want your business being looked after by some guy with a server in his bedroom?
In the true Cloud computing world, software applications and data storage are managed on a network of inter-connected servers located in different data centers throughout the world. The benefits offered by good Cloud computing firms are a well-managed, secure, scalable and often low-cost technical environment with lower risks from having increased redundancy from multiple inter-connected servers in multiple locations.
But Cloud computing firms are not all the same, and it pays to ask some questions.
1. Where is your Cloud located really?
Many so-called Cloud-based firms are imposters, simply hosting their servers in a single location in a data center. They sell using the buzzword of Cloud. They ride on the Cloud computing bandwagon presenting themselves as a Cloud based service, however using just a single data center location for hosting is not providing a legitimate and reliable Cloud service. It may be cheaper, but if this is mission-critical for your business, then you can’t afford for it to fail – especially if the failure could be foreseen.
If you choose a single location hosting service, the danger is that you miss the scale-increasing and risk-reducing benefits from hosting in the true Cloud environment where you are not reliant on a single location and therefore a single point of failure.
2. Will this Cloud App have scalability?
You may start out using a Cloud-based application which may perform well for you, but just because it’s hosted in the Cloud does not mean it is automatically going to be scalable for huge volumes of users, data traffic, data storage, report generation and other usage if and when it grows in popularity.
Scalability depends on how the system was built, how it is hosted and the resources including skills, time and money of the providers of the service. High growth curves can make it hard to keep up, so don’t assume scalability. Look for the warning signs of performance deterioration, slowness to fix bugs, and negative comments in user groups or forum. Search social media and search engines for comments about Cloud apps BEFORE you place too much trust in them to be part of your long-term future.
3. How will this Cloud software evolve and grow?
Again, this often comes down to the resources of the service provider. Even simple to use software is generally never simple to design or build. Software development is a complex and time-consuming game and there are always winners and losers. Back a loser whose development is stunted through lack of commitment or lack of resources and you’ll find yourself needing to change to another platform sooner than you may want.
4. How easily can I move away?
You may be reassured that you are able to cancel the service at any time, but that’s not the key issue. How can you get your data back – and in a useful format?
An often unforeseen risk is in the retrieval of your data if and when you wish to terminate the use of a Cloud computing provider. Many online services are easy to sign up to, and even easy to cancel, but it can be difficult and sometimes impossible to retrieve your data when you have terminated the service.
This is commercially driven and intentional on the part of the provider, but often will not be disclosed to you anywhere but in the extremely fine print, which you may never have read.
5. How secure is it really?
Many businesses question the security of Cloud computing environments, and rightly so. Good Cloud hosts probably provide a far more secure environment that many businesses could establish themselves. It takes devoted and dedicated highly skilled resources and constant vigilance to maintain good security. Not all Cloud providers have this, especially smaller hosting companies who may be struggling to profitably establish themselves.
A well-established hosting company whose business livelihood is based on providing good security will probably allocate plenty of resources to security, but you can’t assume this. Secure environments need very well-managed security policies, processes and systems.
Assume that the Cloud hosting company themselves won’t tell you much about their security, but ask them anyway. More importantly, ask online in forums and on social media about security breaches for organizations you are thinking of using.
6. How are backups managed?
You may be tempted to assume that your data is being backed up safely and reliably, but if you want to be able sleep at night then don’t assume. Ask. And also ask what needs to happen if backed up data needs to be restored. How long does it take, and at what cost?
7. Where are the dangers is the fine-print?
You probably think the Cloud provider would be taking a lot of care in the provision of your service, and they probably are – but is it “all care and no responsibility”? If something does happen and the service is not available for you or your staff or customers to use, then what recourse do you have on the provider? Surprisingly, often and most probably, none.
You’ve probably agreed to a whole bunch of terms to start the service and you may not have even read the terms. In simple terms, it might mean that when the service works – then this is great for you. And when it doesn’t, it’s just too bad. “Sorry,” they may say. “We’re working to fix it, but in the meantime, too bad, so sad. Says so in the fine-print!”
More Questions For You
These are some of the questions to ask about the Cloud provider, preferably before you start using their services. There are some even more important questions to ask yourself about your own business operations.
Do you put your information into the Cloud or not?
What information can and cannot go into the Cloud?
Do your clients want their data put into the Cloud?
What are the risks and possible consequences if customer data entrusted to you is stolen from a 3rd party Cloud service?
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