Navigating cloud computing investment choices

Whenever we have conversations with clients about cloud computing, they are usually complex and protracted. Most times, the goal of moving to the cloud is to save costs. But usually, the savings are less than the client initially expected, and the timeline to the end goal is longer.

The following questions usually are intended to discover answers to the following:

What are you willing and able to invest in in terms of money and time?  

Cloud services are almost always based on usage and are paid either monthly or annually. Be aware that as your employment grows and your data set grows, these periodic costs will grow as well. 

Onboarding of these services will involve upfront investments in terms of IT de-commissioning of the hardware and software being replaced, implementation of the cloud services, and employee time for training and the “learning curve.”  

You may also need an upgraded and/or redundant Internet service in order to have on-demand access to the cloud. You may need to upgrade your cybersecurity posture or readiness.

Does the proposed cloud services provider (CSP) have a service-level agreement (SLA) that meets the demands of your needs? 

Ask the following:

• How soon will the CSP respond to interruptions in services? 
• What happens when the CSP fails to meet the SLA? 
• Who is responsible for remediating security breaches?

Are there industry regulations or compliance issues that present roadblocks to your strategy?

Navigating industry regulations and compliance issues is crucial when formulating your cloud strategy. These legal frameworks can vary significantly across sectors, potentially posing challenges and requiring careful consideration to ensure your cloud adoption aligns with industry-specific legal and regulatory requirements.

What is your exit plan? What if conditions dictate a change in your strategy?

Ask the following:

• What is the plan for migrating away from the cloud?
• How much lost time will result in that case?
• How much will that migration cost? 
• What are the terms of an agreement with the CSP?
• How long are you locked in?
• What constitutes a reason for termination of the agreement?

While these are the questions we always ask, there may be other questions you must answer that are unique to your situation. The point is to be sure you have considered all the implications of moving to the cloud.

While there are many benefits, there are costs and risks as well. Your managed services provider or IT staff should be able to help you make the right decision if you consider all of the ramifications of such an important move.