In the mad rush to move to the cloud, some organizations are putting the proverbial cart in front of the horse. They’re just looking for the best hosting, the preferred provider, or whatever the rest of the industry is using. But while there is always a case for best practices, maybe your organization should look at itself first. Why?
The best cloud solution for your business provides sufficient technology, but also supports your internal expertise and business model.
So, before deciding which cloud service will best meet your needs – you have to know your needs. Understand your specific use case, and take some time to identify the main business factors that will influence your choice.
These usually fall into three categories in the attached graphic – technical cloud platform capabilities (Is Azure best? Amazon Web Services? Google Cloud?), the skills and preferences of your internal experts, and your business drivers (the incentives and programs offered by the cloud providers, any existing relationships with the providers that will impact responsiveness, etc.).
The goal before choosing a cloud solution is to define the intersection of all three for your business.
Overall, you’re looking for balance and input. If, for example, technical capabilities are driving the conversation, you may find that the platform can end up hindering business opportunities. If you choose without the input of your experts, there’s a possibility of resistance to a non-preferred platform. And if you back-burner your business drivers while considering your options, even a best-of-breed solution can have a negative impact -- as in missed opportunities because you’re not fully engaged with the cloud services roadmap, and cannot align your strategy with the platform’s capabilities.
So, like any new relationship, don’t rush into the cloud before taking the time to understand what you want, and what you need. And remember that your needs may change, and technology evolves quickly – so a periodic re-evaluation of both, say, once a year, will ensure that your needs and your solution remain balanced.
Putting the needs of your business first will lead to a more informed decision, and a much smoother transition. For a deeper dive on how to define and act on these factors for your organization, check out my article or on how to choose the best cloud platform.