12-27-21 | Blog Post
Building out a cloud strategy is often a daunting process. There is a lot to consider for your business when making the shift to the cloud. And while there are numerous benefits for deploying cloud-based solutions, there are also challenges that arise in the process of cloud adoption. Let’s explore a few of these challenges.
Today, there are hundreds of cloud solutions available on the market that span all different use cases. Identifying the right solution for your business is the first challenge you will face. To make this process easier on you, first outline your goals and what you want to accomplish with a cloud solution. You will then be more successful in narrowing your options to the best solutions for your business.
Once you have identified the right solution for your business, you will need to choose the right provider. Often, this is more challenging than identifying the solution. There are a lot of cloud providers out there that offer a variety of services, and often it’s difficult to tell the difference. It is important to select a cloud provider that understands and shares your business goals. Additionally, ensure that your provider has the proper certifications that your business requires for data security (ex: HIPAA, PCI-DSS). Customer service is the main differentiator for these providers, so make sure to talk to some of their existing customers to find out why they chose them.
One of the biggest concerns when it comes to cloud computing is security. And often, IT professionals face a lot of push back from Chief Security Officers when they bring up a shift to the cloud. The challenge of security is one that cloud providers are hyper aware of, and actively take steps to ensure their data centers are protected by top of line security parameters. For this reason, hosting your data offsite in a cloud repository can often be more secure than keeping it onsite.
A big advantage of cloud adoption is that you no longer need to maintain and upgrade your systems, your cloud provider does this for you. However, for some companies, depending on a 3rd party provider for level of service can be a challenge. It is important to ensure that your service provider’s SLA is in line with your expected level of service. It is also a good idea to ask your provider about the accessibility you will have to your cloud environment. In a majority of cases, the cloud is easy to access from anywhere at any time, but as a precaution it is a good idea to ask these questions.
A potential challenge that cloud adopters might face is a lack of control over data and issues changing service providers. To avoid vendor lock-in, it is important to understand the policies of data ownership and transfer of your provider.
When adopting a cloud strategy, it is inevitable that your business will face some challenges. The important thing is to find the right provider that will help you address and overcome these challenges. Additionally, it is worth noting that the benefits of cloud adoption often exceed the challenges. Learn why Otava is the right provider for your business today!