When selecting a cloud provider, your company may be tempted to go with one of the big players in the cloud market. In terms of sheer numbers, AWS is the clear leader, capturing a third of the market.
While high-profile cloud providers have many good qualities, it can often be complex and burdensome to choose the right solution. That’s in addition to the difficulty that comes from scaling up and keeping track of rising cloud costs. The cloud was born, in part, to make life easier for IT. In some cases working with a large, impersonal provider can often result in unforeseen hardships, even if the base technology is what customers are looking for. Your company shouldn’t forget that there are a variety of other choices when searching for a cloud provider. Several cloud providers offer services that are comparable to the big players while differentiating themselves with additional advantages.
THE FAIRYTALE IS REAL
cloud-computing-with-firstlight-cloud-providerWhen looking for a cloud provider, your company is in a position similar to that of the lead character in the fairy tale Goldilocks and the Three Bears, in which Goldilocks had to select the best choice out of three options. Just like the chairs in the story, one cloud provider might be too big; another, too small. But, inevitably, there will be one that is “just right” ― or, in other words, one that most closely fits your business requirements.
If you choose a big cloud provider, you may need to compete with other customers for attention and may find the buying experience difficult to navigate. If you choose one that is too small, you may not get the quality of service you need.
A “just right” cloud provider will have robust data centers in a variety of geographical locations and a secure, low latency network. It will also offer a range of cloud services, such as backup, high availability and disaster recovery. This “just right” cloud provider will deliver the value you need while still giving you the attention you want.
A PERSONAL TOUCH
With a “just right” cloud provider, your company is more likely to get individual attention. The provider will work with you one-on-one to design a customized cloud solution. You can have face-to-face consultation with members of the technical and engineering team.
Individual attention makes complex and risky processes, such as cloud migration, a more pleasant experience that will lead to a successful outcome. A cloud provider that can become a trusted partner will work with your company to reduce downtime during the transition and help you ensure that testing is done so your cloud deployment is successful.
THE RIGHT CONNECTION
the-right-connection-with-firstlightCloud performance is dependent upon connectivity, so finding a cloud provider that supports its services with a low latency fiber network is crucial. When the provider can offer everything you need, including connectivity to your headquarters and branch locations, as well as the robust computing resources you need to move workloads into the cloud, you’ll end up with a total solution that can have guaranteed quality from end-to-end. That’s something that the high-profile cloud providers can’t offer to most customers.
WHAT AM I GETTING FOR MY MONEY?
Another consideration when looking for the right cloud provider is predicting cost. Some large providers have convoluted pricing structures. The complex buying experience with big cloud players leads to what’s commonly known as “runaway cloud spending” – buying more than you need or want because of rigid tiered pricing that’s difficult to track and seemingly requires a Ph.D. to decipher. Costly options and premium-level add-ons add insult to injury. That’s not usually the case with those “just right” providers.
For companies in the Northeast, FirstLight is the right choice for cloud. We offer an entire portfolio of cloud services including infrastructure as a service, disaster recovery, backup and recovery, and a geo-redundant, high availability architecture to ensure your company maintains business continuity. All our cloud offerings are supported by an extensive, low-latency, fiber optic network that stretches across the Northeast.
For many industries with compliance concerns, it is important to know the practices of the cloud provider, including the transparency of seeing 3rd-party audits and keeping track of where data is located (often needing to be within the United States). When you partner with us for cloud, you can rest assured that you’ll have access to this information and will have a valued partner that will be part of helping you achieve your compliance requirements.
As a good neighbor, we have support staff available 24/7 for our cloud customers. Looking for a “just right” cloud provider? Look no further than FirstLight.
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