Developers and businesses from all around the world are trying to make the best use of cloud computing. After all, it is a technology that has eliminated the need to purchase and run all the required resources locally. Thanks to cloud computing, even companies that are just starting up are now able to go head-on with the bigger players in their game.
When you decide to go for cloud platforms, you have two options – private, and public clouds. In this post, we will only be focusing on the public cloud service providers and the things you need to ensure before you sign up with any one of them.
#1 Security
Security is the main concern for developers and businesses when they start using public clouds. These companies store their entire company and customer database online, which means that if the platform fails to secure the cloud, you will not only jeopardize your information, but also that of your customers.
The top public cloud service providers install layers of security to their platforms. Clouds that run containers (like Microsoft, Google, and AWS) should also provide container security. In addition to securing containers and container images, they should also provide the usual security measures like firewall, IDS, SSL, etc.
#2 Data ownership and privacy rights
You have the right to your data and the right to take action if your data is misappropriated. However, when you are signing up for one of these public clouds, you should understand their policies carefully, and sign up only when you have read their terms and conditions.
No matter how amazing the service is, or how cheap the costs are, you should never allow them full rights to your data. Also, if you ever plan on moving out of their platform, your data must move with you, and the provider cannot, in any way, retain your data. Ensure these things before you sign with a public provider.
#3 Performance
The performance bubble incorporates everything from computing speed to the cloud’s data handling capabilities. In most cases, the higher these numbers, the better performance your cloud will provide.
If you are looking to compare platforms and judge them based on their performance, make sure to check the reviews on their compute and app engines, AI platforms, Kubernetes engines, data processing capabilities, and so on.
#4 Scalability
Initially, businesses tend to start small when it comes to deploying their projects on the cloud. However, as time passes, they will surely try to increase the number of projects or the operation load on the existing ones. For this, the developers need an expandable environment. The cloud needs to have the scalability to support this expansion.
If you plan on starting with 20-30 devices at first, make sure that your cloud can support several hundred of the same devices when needed. The resources that are available to you should also be distributed properly among all the other devices.
Scalability is easier said than done, which is why some public clouds fail to deliver this feature properly, even though they advertise it extensively. If you are confused as to whether the cloud service providers are telling you the truth or not, you can simply check out their reviews, and find out for yourself.
#5 Costs
Costs will vary from cloud to cloud, but in most cases, these costs depend on what you want from your cloud service.
When you pick a plan, you will be given a list of features to choose from. These features can be related to the size of your cloud and database, storage type and capacity, the maximum number of devices you can connect, the maximum number of environments you are allowed to set up, and so on. The more features or resources you need, the higher the price you have to pay.
Try not to compromise good quality overpricing. It is better to have quality service with a lower number of devices than having poor service with a larger number of devices. If you plan on using the cloud for a limited time, you can check whether the provider offers ‘pay per use’ pricing.
#6 Customer support
Every once in a while, you might run into some problems with your cloud platform. Maybe the service is down, or you cannot seem to access some of the features. In these circumstances, you will have to contact the cloud owner (basically their support team) and ask them to help you out. Some of the more popular public cloud service providers like Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, Amazon Web Services, etc. have dedicated support teams that are available 24×7 to help you out. In case you plan on choosing a provider different from them, check their reviews to see how professional their support team is, and how quickly they come to your aid.
