Technology Solution Provider Warns CIOs: Consumer and Enterprise Cloud Computing Aren't the Same
When downtime is simply not an option, it is important that enterprise IT managers choose their cloud partners wisely, based on predefined criteria and industry best practices.
Farmington Hills, MI (PRWEB) January 30, 2013
CIOs considering moving mission-critical applications to the cloud must fully understand the inherent differences between cloud services created for consumer use and those designed to serve the more demanding needs of enterprise businesses. Well-publicized outages point out the need for enterprise-ready cloud services designed from the ground up with the enterprise in mind. These disruptions draw attention to the need for enterprise IT pros to make important decisions about where to locate cloud-based mission-critical infrastructure based on a thorough understanding of the associated selection criteria. To help, Logicalis, an international IT solutions and managed services provider(http://www.us.logicalis.com), has created a list of five important best practices IT pros should employ when choosing a cloud provider to serve their enterprise business needs.
“When downtime is simply not an option, it is important that enterprise IT managers choose their cloud partners wisely, based on predefined criteria and industry best practices,” says Kevin Gruneisen, senior director, Cloud and Data Center Solutions for Logicalis. “At the very least, an enterprise organization needs a cloud solution that offers significant performance capabilities, is secure and redundant, managed and monitored 24/7, and is flexible enough to be configured to meet the business’ exact needs. Even in a multi-tenant public cloud environment, each enterprise customer should be isolated and treated by the provider as if the cloud exists solely for them.”
Best Practices in Enterprise Cloud Computing
(1) Designed for the Enterprise: Select only providers that offer cloud services specifically designed on enterprise-class technology for enterprise organizations that require optimized environments with maximum up-time and a high level of security.
(2) Certified Engineers Manning the Operation Center: Look for a cloud provider whose resources are fully committed to providing cloud management, remote infrastructure management and service desk support to enterprise clients 24x7, and whose operation centers are staffed with highly skilled, certified engineers able to see the bigger picture and provide recommendations beyond the devices being managed.
(3) Service Level Agreements: The provider should have clear service-level agreements with well-defined response and resolution times spelled out, and they should be able to be customized to each enterprise client’s unique business needs.
(4) Security: All security policies and procedures should be built on industry standards that address a variety of regulations, and they should focus on risk management, audit compliance, and vulnerability analysis.
(5) Global Reach & Reviews: Less critical, but still important considerations include whether or not the provider has the ability to operate on a global scale, delivering a unified cloud experience for the customer and how often the provider is willing to meet with clients to review service levels and activity.
Want to learn more?
Visit Logicalis’ cloud computing microsite.
Watch a four-minute video about Logicalis’ public cloud, the Logicalis Enterprise Cloud (LEC).
Find out about Logicalis’ managed cloud hosting service for enterprise environments.
About Logicalis
Logicalis is an international IT solutions and managed services provider with a breadth of knowledge and expertise in communications and collaboration; data center and cloud services; and managed services.
Logicalis employs almost 3,000 people worldwide, including highly trained service specialists who design, specify, deploy and manage complex ICT infrastructures to meet the needs of over 6,000 corporate and public sector customers. To achieve this, Logicalis maintains strong partnerships with technology leaders such as Cisco, HP, IBM, CA Technologies, NetApp, VMware and ServiceNow.
The Logicalis Group has annualized revenues of over $1.2 billion, from operations in the UK, US, Germany, South America and Asia Pacific, and is fast establishing itself as one of the leading IT and Communications solution integrators, specializing in the areas of advanced technologies and services.
The Logicalis Group is a division of Datatec Limited, listed on the Johannesburg and London AIM Stock Exchanges, with revenues of over $5 billion.
For more information, visit http://www.us.logicalis.com.
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