Like many companies, yours probably stores at least some of its
business files, documents and information in “the cloud.” This is the widely
used term referring to the seemingly infinite data storage capacity of the
Internet.
Using the cloud generally means lower IT costs, because you
don’t have to deploy a lot of expensive hardware and software on-site and it’s
scalable — in other words, you can easily expand or diminish your data storage
capabilities as necessary. Most cloud services also feature automatic backups
and updates.
But these inherently great features don’t guarantee you’ll get a
good return on investment. To make the most of the cloud, you’ll need to
identify and follow some best practices. Here are two to consider.
A carefully vetted provider
Moving from on-premises, server-based data storage to
cloud-based data storage requires a different mindset. You’ll be unable to
physically look at and touch a server box and say, “That’s where my data is
stored.”
This makes it critical to choose a cloud services provider you
can trust and build a strong relationship with as a true business partner. Ask
potential providers for the names of two or three of their clients you can
speak with about issues such as level of security, responsiveness and
technological sophistication.
Well-defined objectives
You need to pinpoint your recovery time objectives and recovery point objectives (that is,
the most critical data points for your business) concerning the backup and
recovery of your data in an emergency. Be sure you’ve clearly communicated
these to your cloud services provider.
Your provider should be able to work with you on an
individualized basis to ensure that your objectives will be met. You don’t want
to find out during a crisis that you’ve lost mission-critical data.
Worth considering
If you haven’t ventured into the cloud yet, give it some
consideration — these services are becoming increasingly common. And if you
have, be sure you’re getting your money’s worth.
© 2016
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