7 Essential Factors to Consider While Choosing a Cloud Management System

Companies currently are switching to solutions and integrating various cloud computing services, which tend to streamline all the complex procedures. The benefits of cloud management solutions and their shared responsibility model are limitless and not something we are unaware of. 

Even though migrating to a cloud management solution might seem to be an overwhelming process, choosing the best one is indeed much more confusing. With so many leading platforms like the Amazon web Services(), Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud services, and so much more, it is indeed a great hassle to choose one for your company.

According to the facts and figures, a report by Synergy Research revealed that AWS has about 33% of the market share. Microsoft has 13%, and Goggle consists of just 6%, which makes AWS one of the leading players in this industry of cloud management. 

Even though AWS is way ahead of its competitors, several other cloud management solutions are gradually branching out and offering a wide range of services for their users. Thus, if you are in a similar dilemma, here is a comprehensive list of the key features and factors you should consider before choosing a cloud management system for your company. Let's get started.

What are the essential features to keep in mind before choosing a cloud management solutions?

There are unique business characteristics and objectives of every company. Thus, with the list of factors below, you can access your needs and requirements and choose your company's best cloud management solution. Let's check them out.

Security is one of the most crucial concerns nowadays in every aspect. According to Statista, about 55% of organizations in the U.S store most of their personal and sensitive data over the cloud in the year 2020. 

Source: Statista

Thus, checking all the nitty-gritty details about the security measures taken by each cloud management olution is an absolute necessity. Analyze the different mechanisms used by these cloud management solutions, such as the shared responsibility model by AWS, Azure, or Google for protecting your vital data and information within the cloud. It is advisable to check out all the responsibilities and the aspects focussed on their security models and how that will profit your company.

Additionally, you can also look out for other security features which many new cloud management services offer and evaluate your profit margin accordingly. You might even need to implement a few third-party technologies, too, if required. Thus, thoroughly check the regulatory requirements and other concerns related to safety and security before investing in a cloud management solution. It is one of the core features required for a seamless operation.

  • Cloud Compliance

There are various compliance standards applicable to every industry or organization, such as GDPR, SOC 2, HIPAA, PCI DSS, etc. When you migrate your applications and other data into a cloud management solution, you need to ensure and understand if you achieve the compliance frameworks while using the specific cloud infrastructure.

  • Architecture

The cloud architecture within a cloud management solution is one of the integral factors which will help determine the quality of the workflow within your organization. The architecture of a cloud management solution has various aspects such as storage, migration, etc. The easiest way to solve the confusion of choosing the best cloud architecture is by investing in the previously used platforms. If your company works with Microsoft services, then high chances are you will get the customer licenses and a few credits for being a member of the platform already. Similarly, Amazon and Google services tend to prioritize their customers based on their usage. This also helps in better integration and consolidation after choosing the suitable cloud management solution.

  • Centralised management and reporting

There are countless different orchestration tools and services within a cloud management solution. Controlling, tracking, and monitoring all of them is crucial. A good cloud management solution will help in easily integrating and managing them for a comfortable workflow. But as a large enterprise, things might get complex here due to the wide range of tools and services available. 

A good cloud management solution will help you gain insight into various tools and services. It will offer a systematic report on various activities, which will help judge the output of the entire workflow.

  • Service Levels

Businesses primarily work on fixed deadlines related to availability, response time, capacity, etc. If things go wrong, having an adequate backup plan here is essential. The Cloud Service Level Agreements(Cloud SLAs) is an integral factor that helps to establish a sound and transparent relationship on both ends. This agreement is legally enforceable and is essential for every possible aspect between the customer and the provider. This serves as the fundamental trust base on both ends and makes them more reliable. 

  • Extensibility

Cloud technologies, as well as the cloud needs of the company, change over time. Investing in a flexible cloud management solution that will help integrate and add the right services and tools as per the changing requirements is essential. 

The eight extensibility and adaptability to the various changes in the future is beneficial on both ends. This will help meet the shifting demands for the company and leverage the power of better and newer cloud technologies gradually.

  • Support

There could be multiple issues that might arise within a specific technology since no technology is perfect. Cloud servers going down even for a few hours might result in severe losses. Thus, in such cases, you do not really want to hover cluelessly without any proper support. Choosing a cloud management solution with 24*7 tech support, even during holidays, is another absolute necessity for most companies. This will give a sense of assurance that you will always get adequate help about every possible concern and problem.

Final Thoughts

If you choose the right cloud management solution. It has the power to transform your entire company completely. This list of essential factors will help you judge the qualities of every cloud management solution and choose according to the requirements.