You need to move your business to the cloud. How do you choose the right service?

Determining cloud service type as per your business goals and requirements is essential step in migration. This helps in getting appropriate solution for your cloud infrastructure and your operations. Now a days small and startups are easily attracting towards SaaS for faster adoptablity.

Its important to understand which Cloud service do you need starting to map with the 3 main services available: Infrastructure as a Service, Platform as a Service and Software as a Service, depending on how much you need/want to manage. For example, if you need Linux Servers on demand but don't want to manage the underlying hardware, you can choose Virtual Machine Instances (VSIs) from Infrastructure as a Service.

There are different types of cloud services: IaaS: Here, you get virtualized computing resources like servers, networking, and storage. It gives you flexibility, but you're responsible for managing the infrastructure. PaaS: In this, you can build, test, and deploy applications. You don't need to worry about infrastructure, just focus on your applications. SaaS: Here, you get ready-made software applications like email services, productivity tools. The cloud service provider handles maintenance and updates. Now, looking at my business, PaaS seems suitable because I don't have to worry about infrastructure; I can just focus on testing, deploying my applications. But still, choose according to what suits your business needs and budget.

Think of the cloud as a rented data center, eliminating the need for managing infrastructure and expenses related to physical facilities. With this mindset, you leverage built-in resiliency across different availability zones and regions. By understanding your requirements, you can determine whether Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), or Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) best suits your needs. Utilizing a combination of these services can significantly reduce total cost of ownership and accelerate the implementation of ideas, allowing for rapid scalability on a global level.

In navigating your company's transition to the cloud, it's imperative to meticulously assess the spectrum of cloud service options available. This entails a thorough consideration of Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS) offerings provided by industry leaders like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud. Each service type offers distinct advantages and suitability for diverse business requirements, necessitating a nuanced evaluation to determine the optimal fit for your organization's objectives and operational framework.

Deciding on the level of cloud service—public, private, or hybrid—is crucial for aligning with your business's specific requirements. Public clouds offer cost-efficiency and vast scalability, making them suitable for businesses looking for flexibility and quick deployment. Private clouds, while more expensive, provide enhanced security and control, ideal for businesses with strict data privacy regulations or unique performance needs. Hybrid clouds, in my view, offer the best of both worlds, allowing businesses to leverage the scalability of public clouds for less sensitive operations, while keeping critical workloads secure in a private environment.

After analyzing requirements and determining cloud service types as per network requirements, one could really work on planning and/or optimization cloud service model. Mostly companies work on Hybrid cloud, while SMEs and startups go for Public cloud only

Assess the level of cloud service required for your operations. Determine whether a public, private, or hybrid cloud solution is most appropriate based on your security, scalability, and compliance requirements. Providers like IBM Cloud and Oracle Cloud offer comprehensive options tailored to different organizational needs.

Public clouds are cost-effective, private clouds offer better security, and hybrid clouds provide a mix for flexibility. Hybrid, for obvious reasons, is a more popular choice.

Level of Cloud Service: Public Cloud: Shared resources with other users, offering scalability and affordability but with less control. Private Cloud: Dedicated infrastructure for your business, ideal for high security and control needs but comes at a higher cost. Hybrid Cloud: Combines public and private clouds, offering a balance of control, flexibility, and cost.

This step is entirely dependent on your business offerings and requirements. Cloud has a wide range of services and product to offer. We need focus on required ones only

Prioritize services like scalability, storage options, data analytics, and security. Ensure the selected cloud service aligns with your business requirements.

Evaluate the specific features and capabilities of cloud services offered by various providers. Consider factors such as storage options, compute power, networking capabilities, and data analytics tools available through platforms like Alibaba Cloud and Salesforce.

In this situation based on my business need I have choosen features offered by AWS, such as Elastic Load Balancing for distributing incoming application traffic, Amazon S3 for scalable object storage, and AWS Lambda for serverless computing. These features align with client needs for scalability, reliability, and flexibility.

Features of Cloud Service: Storage: Assess how much data you need to store and what type (structured vs. unstructured). Security: Evaluate the provider's security measures, data encryption, and compliance with relevant regulations. Scalability: Ensure the service can adapt to your changing storage, processing, and user needs. Backup and Disaster Recovery: Look for robust backup options and disaster recovery plans to minimize downtime in case of disruptions.

Compatibility of Cloud Service: Operating Systems: Verify the cloud service supports your preferred operating systems (Windows, Linux, etc.). Applications: Make sure the service is compatible with the critical business applications you rely on. APIs: Check if the cloud service offers APIs for integration with your existing systems and tools.

If you go to one of the three big hyperscalers, this is a no-brainer. All of them offer hundreds of services for almost every use-case. Just keep in mind you're increasing vendor lock-in with every service you build on.

Ensure compatibility between your existing infrastructure and the cloud service you choose. Consider factors such as operating system support, database compatibility, and integration capabilities with tools like Docker, Kubernetes, and Jenkins.

Before planning to migrate, Compatibility testing and POC to be done for checking continuity, consistenty and reliability of our system. It can involve multiple/all stakeholders and vendors

Ensure the chosen cloud service integrates with your current IT infrastructure, applications, and workflows. Verify that data transfer and migration processes are well-supported. Assess compatibility with your operating systems, databases, and other essential components. The minimum disruption you can achieve during the migration to the cloud, the better.

Evaluate the provider's track record for uptime and service level agreements (SLAs). A reliable service ensures consistent accessibility and performance. You can get these easily through online reviews.

A large number of organizations use cloud as DR (Disaster Recovery ) or backups site for maintaining reliability during and/or after incident, so reliability of cloud setup has to be ensured first.

Prioritize reliability when selecting a cloud service provider. Look for providers with a proven track record of uptime and performance, backed by robust data centers and redundant network infrastructure. Companies like Microsoft Azure and AWS offer SLAs guaranteeing high availability and reliability.

Reliability of Cloud Service: Uptime: Look for a provider with a high uptime track record to minimize service disruptions. Performance: Consider factors like network latency, bandwidth availability, and processing power to ensure smooth operations. Redundancy: Verify the provider offers redundant infrastructure to ensure service availability even during hardware failures.

Utilizing monitoring tools and performance metrics to track service availability and response times, ensuring adherence to SLA guarantees. Conducting load testing and performance benchmarking to assess how the cloud service handles varying levels of traffic and workload demands. Effectiveness of backup and recovery solutions, multi-region deployments, and failover mechanisms in maintaining business continuity during outages or disasters. Reviewing the cloud provider's failover capabilities, including automatic failover, health checks, and fail back procedures, to ensure seamless transition and recovery in case of failures. Monitor resource utilization patterns and scale resources dynamically based on workload requirements responsiveness.

The efficacy of cloud service support is crucial for leveraging cloud technologies effectively. Market analysis is key to identifying cloud providers with excellent customer engagement and a broad global community. Organizing events like meetups, training sessions, and cloud clubs, along with consistently updating documentation, is vital for knowledge dissemination. Introducing new services and features that streamline operations and minimize human errors significantly enhances a provider's value. Moreover, assessing the diverse plans cloud providers offer to find those that align with business requirements is essential. This process supports teams in efficiently finding solutions to their challenges.

Support of Cloud Service: Availability: Choose a provider offering 24/7 customer support through various channels (phone, email, chat). Expertise: Ensure the support team has the expertise to address your specific needs and technical issues. Response Time: Evaluate average response times for support inquiries to determine how quickly you can get assistance.

Consider the level of support provided by cloud service vendors. Evaluate factors such as technical support availability, response times, and expertise in areas such as cloud migration, security, and optimization. Providers like Google Cloud and IBM Cloud offer comprehensive support options tailored to enterprise needs.

Choosing a cloud service with reliable support is essential for smooth operations. Evaluate the provider's support offerings, including response times, expertise, and availability. For example, AWS provides different support plans like Basic, Developer, Business, and Enterprise, offering varying levels of assistance and response times. Consider your business needs and the criticality of your applications. Opt for a provider that offers 24/7 support, comprehensive documentation, and a vibrant community for troubleshooting. Prioritize providers with a track record of prompt resolution of issues and proactive support to ensure uninterrupted service and minimize downtime.

Take Advantage of Free Trials Many cloud providers offer free access to their services for a limited time. Use these trials to test and analyze how the services can benefit your business. Take advantage of these opportunities to experiment with different services and find the ones that best meet your needs before making a final decision.

Moving to cloud is easy, all you need is a credit card! Getting value is another story. To choose the right cloud service, start by asking yourself: why do you want to move to the cloud? Is it for cost savings, scalability, faster innovation, data monetisation? etc. Be realistic about these expectations – the cloud offers benefits, but it's not a magic solution. Next, identify your critical business requirements. Do you need high performance for specific applications? Are you bound by strict compliance regulations? What level of security is non-negotiable? Do you have required skills for migration & Ops? Only when you have clear understanding of your business needs and realistic expectations can you effectively truly achieve your goals.

Consider the cultural fit and alignment of values between your business and the cloud service provider. Look for providers that share similar values regarding innovation, sustainability, diversity, and corporate responsibility. A strong cultural fit fosters collaboration and long-term partnerships, driving mutual success in the cloud journey.

Finally, consider additional factors such as cost-effectiveness, scalability, and vendor reputation when choosing a cloud service for your business. Conduct thorough research and consult with industry experts to make an informed decision that aligns with your company's goals and objectives.

There are surely more factors to consider when it comes to moving your business to Cloud. In my experience it is crucial to have: 1. Cost transparency: it would enable predictable pricing models 2. Vendor lock-in: always consider that a cloud provider is not there to stay forever. Pricing and terms could change. If your infrastructure is built of AWS (example) only. That would lead to extra costs and strong dependency on Amazon. 3. Also security & compliance - Choose a provider which culture aligns with your own. Finally, keep in mind that you can always go multi-cloud. I recommend choosing AWS for Infrastructure, GCP for data-related projects, and Azure for everything else that you can't decide where to put. (just kidding)