At a Glance
A cloud strategy is a plan of how a business adopts and manages cloud technologies. To create a successful cloud strategy, you’ll need to carefully define your goals, select the right model and provider, address security and costs, phase the migration process, train your staff, and plan recovery, with ongoing monitoring.
Does My Business Need a Cloud Strategy?
The global cloud computing market is on track to surpass USD 5,150.92 billion by 2034, according to Precedence Research. Clearly, businesses are keen to make the move to the cloud, with it being a vital component of many organisations’ IT strategies.
But the fast-changing nature of the cloud market, new features, and product updates can make the transition difficult.
This is why it’s important to develop an effective business cloud strategy to avoid getting caught up in the whirlwind of technological distractions and focus on what matters to your business the most.
Our guide will walk you through what a cloud strategy is, why you need it, and the process of creating a robust cloud strategy for your business.
What is a Cloud Strategy?
A cloud strategy is a well-structured plan that outlines the best practices, tools, and services to use when implementing a cloud solution. Your business needs to view cloud strategy more than just a checklist of technical decisions; it should be viewed as a plan for how your company will integrate, manage, and make the most of cloud technology.
With a well-planned business cloud strategy, you’ll be able to run your business more efficiently, lowering costs and improving productivity. The right approach will allow you to quickly adapt to growth needs and market challenges, and give you a competitive edge.
5 Key Considerations for Building Your Cloud Hosting Strategy
Consider these five factors before you begin creating a cloud hosting strategy for your business.
1. Business Goals
Begin by defining the business objectives you want to achieve wi th the cloud.
Are you looking to scale up faster or trying to cut infrastructure costs?
Answering key questions will guide you in choosing the right platform, services, and hosting partner.
2. Type of Cloud
One of the first decisions you’ll need to make is choosing the cloud model for your business. You’ll have the choice between public, private, and hybrid cloud, and each model has its own merits and pitfalls.
Choosing a public cloud may seem like a cost-effective and scalable option, but you may want to take a closer look. Also, public clouds may not be as secure and flexible as private clouds. Hybrid clouds can offer you the best of both (private and public) clouds.
Do your research and assess your needs accordingly. If you want to learn more about private clouds, call us on +44 (0)2037 407 840 today.
3. Security
Businesses moving to the cloud often worry about the security of their data and assets. Different businesses, especially those in regulated industries, have different security needs.
You need to make sure your business’ cloud strategy accounts for strong security measures like data encryption, multi-factor authentication, and regular audits.
If your business is in a regulated industry, it’s especially important that your cloud provider meets compliance requirements, such as GDPR.
4. Costs
Moving your business solutions to the cloud is seen as the cost-effective alternative to on-premises infrastructure, but it can attract unexpected expenses if you’re not careful.
You can avoid incurring additional costs by implementing a cloud cost management plan with your cloud hosting strategy.
5. Choosing the Right Cloud Provider
Picking the right cloud vendor is as important as choosing the right cloud model. Look for a vendor that offers all the services you need, has a strong and credible reputation, and provides reliable customer support.
Make sure the vendor understands what your business does and has the relevant industry know-how. Check their service-level agreements (SLAs) so you know exactly what to expect after you sign up.
3 Simple Steps To Implement Your Business Cloud Strategy
Once you’ve determined your goals and chosen a provider, it’s time to put your well-laid strategy into action.
1. Phase Your Cloud Transition
Moving to the cloud isn’t about lifting and shifting assets and data from one point to another; it’s a phased transition. Move smaller, non-critical workloads first, then build the momentum as you ease into the process. Using a phased approach reduces risk and mitigates any challenges during the transition.
If you’re unsure how to move from an on-premise infrastructure to our private cloud, we can help. Contact our team to learn how we conduct a smooth migration process.
2. Train Your Team
To make the most of your cloud investment and migration, you need to have a team that’s ready to support it. Invest in cloud training and certifications to make sure your teams are on the same page.
Training can not only improve the way your cloud is managed and operated, but also make it easier to identify problems and troubleshoot them better.
3. Monitor and Optimise
A business cloud strategy is an ongoing effort, not something that you set and forget. As your business transitions fully over to the cloud, you’ll need to keep an eye on performance and costs, and modify functions as needed.
Cloud analytics tools make it easy to understand how your cloud infrastructure is making a difference to your business.
3 Challenges You May Face on Your Cloud Journey
The best laid-out plans can go awry, but preparing for the challenges that come along the way can make all the difference. Here are three challenges you may face on your cloud journey, and how to deal with them:
1. Underestimating the Complexity of the Cloud
Cloud adoption and implementation are more difficult than they look, especially if you’re working on hybrid or multi-cloud environments. It’s important to plan ahead for any complexities that may arise, so you’re not caught unaware.
Dealing with these complexities becomes easier when you sign up for BlackBox Hosting’s managed cloud hosting services. We take care of everything, from the infrastructure to the storage and security, while you focus on what matters the most: your business. Start your 30-day trial.
2. Not Planning For Disaster Recovery
Shifting your business to the cloud can be a complex journey, and it’s easy to overlook backup and disaster recovery options. Make sure you include backup and recovery in case of a disaster or your system fails, so you can minimise downtime and recover your data quickly.
BlackBox Hosting’s BaaS and DRaaS services can keep your SME well prepared and help you bounce back quickly even when you’re facing the most unexpected events.
3. Neglecting Vendor Lock-In
Vendor lock-in is a risk that many businesses overlook or neglect. It’s important to choose a provider that has clear, transparent, and easy terms for switching providers. You don’t want to be locked in with a provider that makes leaving expensive or difficult.
BlackBox Hosting takes pride in our 100% client retention with no vendor lock-in, offering customer-centric services that put your business first.
How BlackBox Hosting Supports Your Business’ Cloud Strategy
BlackBox Hosting offers cloud hosting infrastructure designed to meet your strategic needs.
We support your business cloud strategy with:
- Private dedicated and private managed hosting solutions
- No vendor lock-in
- Clear and transparent pricing (you’re not punished for scale!)
- Clear service-level agreements (SLAs)
- Robust backups and recovery options with BaaS and DRaaS
- UK-based team with 24/7 support
- Sovereign GDPR compliant cloud hosting
We also offer RDS, co-location, and application publishing. To experience cloud hosting with a difference, contact us today.
