Cloud services are becoming more popular than ever as corporations want to access their documents, presentations, photos, videos and other files from any computer or device from which they access the Internet. No longer are people limited to editing and viewing important information from the office or at home.
Tips to Consider When Choosing a Cloud Provider:
- Select a service that meets all, not just some, of your needs. You want a service that offers the security, performance and availability that you need and expect for all of your files.
- Is the price reasonable for the service you are receiving? Compare prices between various providers to determine if you’re getting a deal or paying significantly more for fewer options than you need to in the market.
- Storage space. Each cloud service offers a limited amount of storage space and bandwidth. Select a provider that provides adequate space for all your files with room to spare. It’s ideal to use a cloud service that has multiple plan options so that you can upgrade to a plan with more bandwidth and space if you eventually need to without switching to an alternate provider.
Warning Signs and Solutions for Potential Cloud Service Failures:
- Check the social networking and web presence of the company to determine how well they are doing. If their Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn company profile pages appear to be empty and deserted you should be on the lookout for a possible shut down.
- Press releases should also be available on a regular basis. If you do a quick search for press releases on the cloud provider you’re utilizing and fail to come up with any results, that is probably a sign that they are not thriving and you might be at risk of losing your data.
- Choose an alternate cloud provider to move your data to and do it as soon as possible. According to experts at www.construxsolutions.com, there are currently no laws regarding cloud providers and what they can or have to do with data when they go bankrupt. You may be at risk of losing sensitive and important documents if additional copies are not backed up elsewhere.
- Inquire about whether the source code and data is backed up elsewhere by the cloud computing company. A reputable company will go out of business with some dignity and not leave their customers in a tough position. You may be able to get access to the data to put it on your own machines or store it on an alternative server until you decide what the best solution for storage is.
Cloud computing services are popping up everywhere due to the on-the-go nature of our society in general, especially businessmen and women. Don’t let the possibility of a cloud service going belly up scare you away from using these incredibly convenient services. Be alert and keep an eye out for warning signs to ensure that your data remains safe no matter what.
About the Author: Chris Bennett is a network consultant and freelance writer for www.construxsolutions.com. Informed network infrastructure decisions are key to business success. Construx Solutions will ensure that optimal decisions are made in any given scenario for their clients.
