If your company is running out of server space to hold all of its growing data, then you are not alone. The need for businesses to store data at an off-site location is growing faster than ever before; some reports out there have estimated around 70 percent per year. Thankfully, the ability to do this is now possible because of cloud computing, which is becoming more and more popular and accessible due to the expanding population of data centers sprouting up all across the globe.
If you are confused at to what exactly "cloud computing" is, here is a good explanation: cloud computing is a new hosting platform that is offered by cloud data centers and cloud providers. The great thing about it is that it provides businesses the ability to access powerful and reliable hosting based on cluster load-balancing servers and pay-as-you-go billing. It is basically virtual servers available over the internet. It's a way of increasing capacity or capabilities quickly without the investment of new infrastructure, new employee training, or new software licensing.
Cloud computing is a tempting choice for many businesses due to the potential cost savings it could provide. However, if you are thinking of moving an application to "the cloud," you are going to need to do your homework first to ensure that you are not only achieving the saving you desire, but the performance you desire as well.
First, take an in-depth look at your IT department's need for cloud computing and how it can help your business reach its long-term business goals. If you determine to move forward from there, it is important to consider the following three questions:
1.) Will cloud computing allow your business' applications to perform properly?
To determine this, you will need to look at how your application was built along with how it will operate in the cloud. Running a few performance tests before you choose a cloud provider can save you a lot of headaches in the long run by insuring that your application is compatible with how the provider built the cloud.
2.) Will your ability to use a shared infrastructure be hindered by any compliance considerations?
Depending on what type of application you are moving to the cloud, you will need to first check with your auditor to see if they will permit your firewall to become cloud-based. Some applications, especially those that involve credit card payments, must be firewall compliant in order to protect your customer's information.
3.) Can moving to the cloud fit my availability requirements?
If your business or organization has a high need for availability for its applications, it is best to find out first if the cloud provider you have in mind is able to meet your requirements. You can find this information out by combing though the provider's Service Level Agreement to see if they have provided this information.
By thoroughly going through and answering these three questions, your business will be on its way to making an informed decision in both choosing whether or not to move your applications to "the cloud" and also help you ask the right questions to determine what cloud provider will meet your individual needs. Making the right decision overall for your company will save you both time and money in the long run, and help you focus on what's important - running your actual business. After all, that is what you really want to spend your time on.
Sarah Pollock works as a Marketing Writing Coordinator for Global Communications Group, Inc. (GCG). We offer independent and unbiased data center consulting and data center facility tours to ensure that you find the right data center facility. Are you searching for the best data center service provider to support your business hosting and networking needs? At GCG, we represent all of the major data center service providers in the US and abroad. Data center solutions include colocation hosting, dedicated server hosting and networking services. Learn more about data center locations by visiting our brand new website: http://www.datacentermapping.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sarah_E_Pollock
The website has moved from www.datacentermapping.com to www.datacenters.com. Thanks!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.datacenters.com
Delete