Having a company website hosted by a third-party provider has long been the de-facto option for businesses looking to have an Internet presence.
Now, thanks to the power of the Cloud, having all or most of your company’s IT needs hosted by a Cloud service provider is also becoming increasingly attractive.
What’s great about hosting?
The business case for hosting software and infrastructure is strong:
- It’s the best option for businesses that don’t have enough money up-front to invest in new hardware and software.
- You don’t need to worry about infrastructure maintenance and administration since it will be handled by the hosting provider.
- It’s an excellent option for businesses that don’t have their own dedicated IT staff to handle day-to-day system maintenance.
- Capital expenditure is transformed into operational expenditure.
- Backups, maintenance and upgrades are done seamlessly for you.
- Cloud allows you to outsource the management of your entire technology infrastructure, based on your unique hardware, software, maintenance, management, support and back-up requirements. At the other end of the spectrum, you may just want your servers to be hosted in a secure data centre.
Know what you’re paying for
Whatever you require, your service provider should be able to tailor a solution that meets your needs at a price you can afford.
Remember, however, that while price is important, there is often a thin line between an affordable, aggressively priced solution and a ‘cheap and nasty’ experience.
Do your homework; compare what is being offered and look out for hidden ‘extras’.
If your service provider offers optional extras, know precisely what these are and how much they are going to add to your total bill.
Cloud services should give you peace of mind, delivering the speed, security, technology and stability you need for your business IT, at a fraction of the cost of attempting to do it all yourself.
What tips do you have for businesses wanting to enter the cloud? Tell us in the comments section below…