So you have decided to take the next step and move your business’ website to the Cloud. The promise of a new frontier in data storage where it will transform from being stored on a server that you could see and touch down in the server room, to one that is out there and invisible can deliver extremely useful advantages to your small business.
You will have access to larger storage spaces that can be accessed from anywhere on the planet. You will not have to worry about the upkeep of the servers or their security, something that is usually the biggest headache for tech guys. You will cut costs drastically and have access to cutting-edge technology (depending on your provider, of course) and in short, it will all be good for your website, your data and hence, your business in general.
But all this depends on how wisely you have chosen your webhosting provider, because not all of them are as good as the flashy, eye-catching (read “hoodwinking”) advertising they use to woo their client base by. It is up to you, the small business owner, to carefully choose the perfect Cloud hosting provider.
And so, below are 6 points to consider when choosing your small business cloud hosting:
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Meeting the Regulatory Requirements of your Industry
As a business owner you are expected to follow all the regulations that have been put in place to safeguard and regulate your industry. That includes those that apply to your business’ website.
Therefore, one of the first things you should know about your Cloud hosting provider is whether their service complies with all regulatory requirements. You might have to be more specific and drill down further to make sure that they do in fact comply with the specific industry you are in: financial, legal, healthcare, etc.
This mistake could cause your business irreparable damages, it could ruin your reputation, cost you dearly financially and may even warrant some time behind bars.
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Data Center Classification the Provider Falls In
Data centers are classified into four tiers numbered I, II, III and IV. The classification is assigned to a data center on multiple criteria that include things like whether or not it is located in a dedicated, stand-alone building, the number of shifts the staff working in them have, the type of cooling used, the proven amount of uptime and maintenance downtime it has experienced in a year and its system components’ redundancy strategy that has been implemented.
Tiers III and IV are the ones your business should aim for as they are the classifications in which the best providers in the industry are found in.
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Location of the Data Centers
As you can imagine, not all servers found around the world are treated equally. There are some countries that make it a point to keep their servers as safe and secure as possible, while others, well not so much.
Check to see that all the servers of the hosting provider are located in a country (or countries) that are deemed to be compliant to the Information Privacy Law. The laws do not allow the disclosure or misuse of information held on private individuals. At the moment, there are about 80 countries and independent territories that have adopted these laws.
Make sure all the hosting providers’ servers are in such locations and you won’t have to worry (too much) about data breaches.
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ISO Certification
Not much needs to be said here except that any Cloud hosting provider that is ISO 27001 certified is the perfect candidate to select to host your website.
Such a provider will be at the top of the service provision game and will have all the necessary security controls implemented to ensure the safety of your data, which will also include secure data encryption.
If you find such a hosting provider, you should look into finalizing a deal with them.
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24/7 Support
Getting support right when you need it is integral. With all your data floating around out there, you can’t simply switch a server on and off to reboot it into working again. You will need reliable tech support that is not only available around the clock, but also adept enough to handle all your technical problems.
Make sure the provider you choose has a good record of resolving issues in the shortest amount of time and with one-time and lasting solutions – even if you have to pay extra to ensure it is in place.
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Billing Details
While it can be safely assumed that most hosting providers are professionals when it comes to the fees and charges they send to their clients, it doesn’t hurt to have a detailed billing system sent to you so that you can compare it with the data usage readings you have. A little check-and-balance never hurt anyone.
Follow the advice listed about and you should be able to find the perfect Cloud hosting provider for your small business.
