What to Look for When Choosing a Cloud Storage Provider
As cloud storage technology is becoming more widely used across all industries, many companies are making the switch to Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS).
A survey by Forbes magazine found that 74% of Tech Chief Financial Officers said that cloud computing had the most measurable impact on their business in 2017. Forbes also predicts that the value of the cloud computing industry will reach $162B by 2020, more than double its 2015 value of $67B.
With technology trends showing a clear inclination for more forward-thinking storage systems, it’s no wonder that many enterprises are ready to make the transition to fully managed cloud storage providers.
Those that are in the market for a cloud hosting provider may be intimidated by the sheer amount of choices out there. You need to be aware of many different aspects of cloud storage plans, such as costs, the availability of support staff, as well as the configuration of your choice of platforms. So, here are three things to look for when choosing your IaaS host.
1. Storage Types That Are Right For You
Although they all fit under the umbrella category of ‘cloud storage,’ there are lots of more specific types that are better suited for certain applications and industries. Some of these cloud storage options include:
- Enterprise file sharing: Also known as ‘file sync and share.’ This storage system allows an enterprise to save all relevant files to a centralized cloud storage provider, allowing team members to add, access, and edit files from anywhere with an internet connection.
- File backup and archive: By creating a copy of existing files, and storing them in a secure, off-site location, companies can slowly begin the transition to cloud storage without a full overhaul of their current file system, as well as ensure that their information is never lost to server failure, natural disasters, or accidental deletion.
- Object/block/file storage: This scalable cloud storage model is popular due to its versatility. Objects allow smaller increments of data to be accessed at a time, while block storage is most useful for high file size applications, such as big data analytics.
Of course, there are many unique configurations of storage options that can be combined to create your ideal cloud hosting scenario. It’s a good idea to create a lists of your needs when setting out to choose a cloud storage provider, so that you can easily identify which plans will work for your enterprise.
2. Security & Compliance
One of the primary concerns of people considering the switch to cloud storage is data security, and for good reasons. Many organizations are used to being responsible for the security of their own data, making the idea of a transition to third-party hosting a bit hard to swallow. This is why it’s so important to thoroughly research potential hosts, and to create a list of security must-haves. This is not only for your peace of mind, but also for the longevity of your enterprise’s cloud storage. Depending on your industry, you should do research on the relevant data protection laws such as:
- PIPEDA – The Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act. A Canadian law governing the way in which private organizations collect and use personal information in the course of commercial business.
- The GDPR – General Data Protection Regulation. An act concerning the procedure of data protection and privacy for citizens and enterprises in the European Union.
- HIPAA – Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. An American law that outlines the security provisions necessary for the storage of medical information.
Your chosen web host should be 100% compliant with these laws, and should have transparency and accountability throughout the process. This will help you have confidence in your cloud storage provider, as well as to avoid unexpected issues down the line.
3. Support
In the case of an unforeseen problem, your cloud storage provider should be available around the clock to support you, and get your systems up-and-running as soon as possible. Your cloud storage support team should be effective, easy to communicate with, and knowledgeable on your unique cloud storage needs. Look for 24/7 support staff, and ensure that you can easily establish a line of contact with them before you need to. By creating a strong relationship with your provider, and being proactive about staying in contact, any issues that do come up can be solved much quicker, reducing the stress of downtime.
As cloud storage becomes ever-more popular in the commercial sector, there’s never been a better time to make the change to seamless, powerful, and well-supported off-site data management. Cartika offers scalable, customizable, and fully compliant infrastructure, letting you focus on the day-to-day operations of your enterprise. If you’re ready to take the next step in bettering your business or organization through cutting-edge technology, contact Cartika today.
