As cloud technology becomes more accessible, we see more and more firms externalizing their IT system. Data shows that by the end of 2020, 83 percent of enterprise workloads will be running on the cloud—for reference, the number stood at 60 percent in 2019 and a mere 45 percent in 2018.
With more mission-critical data and operations on the cloud, the task of choosing the right commercial hosting provider has become more difficult than ever. Selecting a trustworthy cloud service provider isn’t a straightforward task, but there are some essential factors that can help make the decision easier.
Let’s take a look at some of these procurement and selection aspects.
1. Service Roadmap
When choosing a cloud service provider, it’s essential to consider the service development roadmap of your intended vendor. Ask what measures the service provider is taking to ensure that they innovate and improve their services in the future as well as any growth plans that they have. Discuss what technologies they currently use and whether they plan to upgrade over time.
The service roadmap offered by the service provider must be compatible with your own. Shifting to a new vendor isn’t an easy task; it requires significant time, investment and planning. Not to mention, your employee productivity will suffer if you switch vendors or applications frequently. To prevent this from happening, ensure that the service provider’s offerings reflect long-term partnerships with their clients. For instance, at gotomyerp, we offer a wide range of services, including continued support and training for our clients after deployment.
2. Technologies
Check what technologies and cloud platform services are offered by your service provider, and ensure they match your own needs. Determine what standards, cloud services, and network architectures will suit your workload preferences and management best.
Additionally, you may need to evaluate what level of customization you want. For instance, industry-specific firms often require specific customizations and re-coding that all service providers might not be able to handle.
At gotomyerp, our technicians and software experts excel at Sage and QuickBooks cloud service. Now, QuickBooks is an excellent tool for small and mid-sized firms but can’t accommodate the needs of large, global organizations. Moreover, specialized businesses, such as those in the construction sector, need more customization and third-party integrations that we help implement.
3. Security Practices
Determine what security measures your cloud service provider intends to implement. You’ll have to consider the levels of:
- Governance processes regarding security
- Maturity of security protocols
A risk-based approach to security is often ideal because it helps service providers determine exactly which areas to prioritize and protect. According to the Ponemon Institute’s Cost of a Data Breach Report, the average cost of a data breach is $3.86 million. Additionally, small businesses are quickly becoming a favorite among hackers because they often have little to no security safeguards in place, making them easy targets.
Given how costly security breaches are, you must develop a preventative strategy with the service provider to safeguard your company’s assets. The security system must include physical controls where hardware is located, environmental safeguards in data centers, backup powers to ensure business continuity and customer data integrity protocols.
4. Disaster Recovery Plan
For more insights about the cloud service provider’s provision, check what kind of disaster recovery processes they offer. A disaster recovery plan is essential even with the best security mechanisms in place. A robust disaster recovery plan will include integrity checks, data backup and restoration, data scheduling, and the critical nature of data.
Prevent delays and the cost of losing critical business information in the event of a malfunction. The service agreement with your vendor should clearly outline roles and responsibilities, along with escalation processes.
If you’re looking for an ERP vendor or commercial hosting provider that provides secure Sage and QuickBooks cloud services at competitive rates, contact gotomyerp today! We offer top-class Sage cloud hosting services and QuickBooks hosting services to clients all over the United States.
As a full-service ERP vendor, our offerings include migration, optimization, licensing, support, and customization.
To get started, call (877) 888-5525 today!
