Five Tips To Pick The Best Cloud Based Service For Your Tech Start Up

Finding the right cloud-based service for your start-up tech business can be tough. There are several cloud-based services on the market, which vary in price, features, and size of storage. The three biggest competitors, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP) offer a variety of options, with different costs and promotions to suit your needs. Other smaller services like Rackspace and IBM Cloud are more specialized but offer most of the services AWS, GCP, and Microsoft Azure provide.

When choosing a cloud-based service for your business, the following tips can help you decide which option is best for your tech start-up, based on your company’s requirements:

Architecture

There are several factors to consider when trying to decide which architecture is right for your cloud-based service. Workflow, storage capacity, and storing and retrieving data are important, and it is best to choose a vendor that will provide these services with easy integration and consolidation. Also, take note of which organization your company works with the most frequently. If you are already heavily invested in the Microsoft universe, Azure maybe your best option, since it offers its customers some free credits, and gives their customers any necessary Microsoft licenses. If you rely more on Amazon or Google’s services, their cloud-based options may be a better choice.

Cloud Security

Knowing the security goals for your start-up tech will help you decide which security measures offered by each provider will suit your needs. Research what mechanisms different providers utilize to preserve your applications and data. You should also understand what areas your provider is responsible for keeping safe, and what areas you are required to keep secure.

Find out what features are provided with your service, and if you will need to supplement your cloud security with a third-party partner’s technology. AWS and Google Cloud list their paid products, security features, and partner integrations on their websites, making this a relatively easy process if you are considering their products. Security should be a top priority when choosing

a cloud-based service, and it is critical to ask detailed questions regarding your industry and any regulatory requirements you may need to comply with.

Cloud Compliance

Your cloud architecture platform should help you meet all compliance standards that are applicable to your industry and organization. Whether your tech start-up must comply with the requirements of HIPAA, PCI DSS, SOC 2, GDPR, or any other frameworks, it is important to know which compliance provisions your cloud-based service meets for your company. This is a crucial step to maintaining your business and should be an important factor to consider when choosing a provider.

Service Levels

Consider what needs your start-up tech has in terms of response time, capacity, availability, and support. You should examine the Cloud Service Level Agreements (Cloud SLAs) of various providers before selecting what provider is right for your start-up. This document reveals the legal requirements for the security of your data hosted in a cloud service, and how your company will be protected if something goes wrong, such as a cyber hack or security breach.

Costs and Support

You should decide what form of customer support is best for your start-up tech business based on your tech support needs. Some services offer help quickly, via email or a phone call. With other cloud-based providers, customer support is only offered through a chat service. Whatever you decide, ask questions about what level and form of support will be provided by a particular provider. Make sure their support feature is compatible with the needs of your business.

Price will play a big role when it comes to deciding which cloud service provider you choose. There are a number of costs involved in choosing a cloud-based service, including both the sticker price and any associated costs (like having to supplement some features of your cloud-based service with third-party vendor options). The pricing structure of the three major providers varies, making it easier for you to create a cost-efficient, tailor-made service that will suit your company’s needs.

Insuring Your Operations

Having the right insurance can help protect your company when things go wrong. From cyber claims to system failures, building an insurance package to protect your work can keep you in business and help you meet contract requirements.

No matter which provider or service you choose, the right insurance is crucial for protecting your operations. Contact us today to help you decide which coverages are right for you.

*We are an insurance agency. This article is provided for general information purposes and not specific advice on any product or service. For help with insurance please call our office.