Partnering with an IT outsourcing company that can manage your cloud resources from end-to-end is a valuable option to consider, as it can help your business save money, while optimising the use of existing infrastructure.
But what constitutes a reliable managed cloud services provider? In this article, we provide a guide on how to search for the best one, as well as a set of benefits that make it worthwhile.
Looking for a reliable managed cloud service provider? Alongside software and application development, EFutures also specialises in managed cloud services for enabling our clientele to make the most of their resources – and budget.
Talk to us today to know how we can assist you, no matter where you may be in terms of managing and optimising your existing cloud infrastructure.
Saving significantly on costs both in the short and long term have long since been one of the biggest advantages of IT outsourcing in general. Managed cloud services is likewise no exception, as it enables companies to forgo the administrative burden of hiring and managing in-house teams for monitoring and optimising cloud resources. This subsequently removes all associated overhead, office space and equipment costs, while allowing companies to consider managed cloud services in exchange for a fee.
This means that paying managed cloud service partners for mediating on behalf of your business is cost-effective, as all operations and deliverables are taken care of by their team. Additionally, businesses also have the option to hire dedicated teams to manage their cloud resources, so these team members aren’t shared with other clientele that the service provider also caters to. This is bound to be more expensive than regular shared team members, but it can still deliver value at a lower price than paying for an in-house team.
IT outsourcing companies are hubs for sourcing the best talent from around the world, owing to their remote work environments and geographical location never being a constraint when it comes to hiring new team members. What’s more, ever-evolving technologies such as AI and machine learning are now producing exceptional talent, which top IT and managed cloud service outsourcing companies are hiring day in and day out.
This means that in addition to availing cloud management services, a partnership with your IT outsourcing partner shall also pave the way for accessing and working with top talent in fields such as AI and workflow automation. Many leading managed cloud service providers are also partnered with generative AI companies, to enable custom model building, model training, and prompt engineering in order to build intelligent applications, as needed for their clientele.
Cloud solution companies such as AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud offer a wide range of allied capabilities such as cybersecurity, chatbots and AI for businesses to adopt. However, the right expertise is also required by businesses to determine which solutions are suitable, and how they can best be implemented to assure optimal performance and cost-efficiency.
Managed cloud service providers such as your IT outsourcing partner will have access to offshore AI developers, for instance, to assess your business’s specific needs, determine the right set of required resources, architect a relevant solution and execute on the very same. In other words, your business won’t only have access to the best managed cloud services – but also a wide variety of other IT-based services, all under one roof.
Your business may have regulations to adhere to, based on the industry or region you operate in. This is especially relevant for data, to ensure utmost confidentiality and integral use. Many leading IT outsourcing/managed cloud service providers specialise in serving businesses across a specific industry or market sector, thereby also consisting of the right experts, tools, processes and resources to adhere to any compliance standards that are expected of businesses.
Being able to access subject matter expertise for compliance directly from a managed cloud service provider is therefore highly convenient, and a definite advantage for businesses that choose to partner with one.
With numerous managed cloud solution providers out there, which one is ideal for your business’s specific needs? On the other hand, if you already partner with an IT outsourcing company, chances are that you may be considering them for your managed cloud service needs as well.
Either way, following the below steps shall help you decide if you’ve made the right choice.
Before connecting with your existing IT outsourcing partner or reaching out to prospective companies, it is essential to know the current situation pertaining to your cloud infrastructure, where any gaps lie, and what needs to be fixed. To conduct a thorough assessment, gather relevant team members to ask questions surrounding these concerns, and make a note of all the feedback that is shared. This shall then serve as your primary point of reference, when liaising with your existing IT outsourcing partner, or with prospects.
Whether you are discussing the possibility of delegating cloud management duties to your existing IT outsourcing partner or are approaching prospective companies for the very same, it is important to ask the right questions, and observe the quality of feedback you receive. Asking questions surrounding different cloud management operations is a great starting point, and these areas can include (but aren’t limited to):
Don’t forget to also share any silos, gaps and problems that exist in your current cloud infrastructure. The feedback you receive can be insightful in terms of how competent your outsourcing prospect is, and subsequently, if they can be trusted with the responsibility of managing your cloud infrastructure.
Are they offering valuable and specific insights on how to solve your business’s cloud problems, while also being cognizant of any constraints you may have, be it for budget or deadlines? Having an honest conversation internally with your team on how the conversation transpired can provide clarity on whether an outsourcing prospect is suitable and can be confirmed with a contract, or whether you need to keep looking.
Once you’ve established an operational workflow with your managed cloud solutions provider of choice, it is important to continue monitoring their performance. The KPIs you use to track overall system performance and cost savings can be repurposed here as well, as these can be traced over to how well your cloud resources are managed. If any lapses are noticed, it is imperative to correct these as soon as possible.
However, repeated lapses and delays may either require a recalibration of existing workflows, or even a reconsideration of partner efforts in order to maintain smooth operational performance and cost management of your cloud infrastructure.
Managed cloud services can be a boon for your business, as you delegate all cloud management responsibilities to an IT outsourcing partner you trust. Additionally, managed cloud service providers can also offer allied services such as cybersecurity, and hire AI engineers on behalf of your business, for building custom AI models.
However, conducting a thorough business assessment and screening prospective managed service providers (including any existing partners) is essential, to ensure you delegate your cloud management, cybersecurity and AI/ML responsibilities to a partner you trust.