Today, many businesses are increasingly migrating to flexible and cost-effective cloud computing technologies, with the support of third-party cloud managed services providers. The recent increase in cloud usage due to a worldwide pandemic has also accelerated the rate of cloud trends that are transforming IT in the future.
Cloud managed services are when a business outsources the IT management for their cloud-based services and technical support to a third party, a managed service provider (MSP).
It doesn’t matter what cloud environment you choose to adopt; cloud managed services providers (CMSPS) can provide the skills and support your organisation needs to succeed.
Depending on the services you need, they can take care of migration, configuration, optimisation, security, and maintenance, while you benefit from their skills and experience.
What is cloud computing?
Putting it very simply, cloud technology is the way we can access and store data and applications over the internet, instead of being on a computer hard drive. Cloud providers such as Microsoft have large and powerful servers hosting cloud service and invest billions of dollars in security and compliance.
Businesses accessing the cloud can choose to pay only for the services they use and can add or remove any services they wish to at any time. Some businesses opt for having a complete cloud infrastructure, which removes the need for physical IT infrastructure and the resources needed to support it.
What cloud options are available?
What one business chooses as their cloud solution may not be right for another business. This is when cloud managed service providers are helpful, as they can assess your business operations and current technology and offer recommendations and advice on how you can benefit from cloud adoption.
There are three main types of cloud available:
- Public cloud is on demand computing services run by a third-party provider (such as Microsoft) and shared by many organisations using the internet. The users aren’t responsible for technology updates or maintenance of any physical hardware
- Private cloud (also known as a corporate cloud) is when a business owns the hardware and software for its exclusive use and handles the maintenance and security. Often a business will outsource management of their cloud operations to a cloud MSP
- Hybrid cloud is a mixture of public and private cloud, often utilised by businesses that want to keep sensitive data on a private cloud but have the benefits of public cloud applications.
What are cloud managed services?
Many businesses turn to cloud managed services to look after their migration to a cloud platform and ongoing monitoring and maintenance.
Cloud MSPs are a third party who take care of migration, configuration, optimisation, security, and maintenance, allowing businesses to make the most of the benefits of cloud benefits. Depending on your business needs, cloud MSPs can also supply monitoring, reporting, performance testing and backup solutions.
Cloud MSPs generally offer service level agreements and fixed monthly pricing that allow businesses to reap the cost savings and efficiency improvements not necessarily available with in-house staff.
What are the benefits of cloud managed services?
Cloud computing today is essential for business growth, yet it can be beyond many organisations to make the shift on their own. Cloud MSPs bridge that gap, offering expertise and experience to businesses to achieve their specific goals.
Let us have a look at what you need to know about cloud managed services to understand why it makes sense for your business to partner with one.
Cost effective
Many businesses are drawn to cloud services in the hope it will help them reduce IT and network maintenance costs if they downsize onsite hardware and infrastructure. Cloud MSPs can consult with businesses to design and implement cloud options that free up server space, reduce the need to employ staff or invest in training, and lower expenditure in hardware and maintenance.
More time to spend on business
More than ever before, businesses are trying to find new ways to stay competitive and this means being more efficient with resources and time.
Outsourcing cloud management automatically frees up internal resources, so employees can focus on tasks that keep the business running smoothly and becoming more innovative.
Predictable expenditure
Much of business today happens in the digital space which has increased the pressure on internal IT departments to upskill to support a larger IT environment. There may be gaps in expertise or a lack of time and resources to effectively maintain and monitor a cloud environment, which can be costly.
Cloud MSPs can create the best solution for a business’ needs that fit within the budget, usually with a fixed monthly service fee.
When you outsource your cloud network and infrastructure to a cloud MSP, you save money, and free up internal staff to focus on what they do best. Outsourcing allows organisations access to new technology which improves business efficiency and output.
There are no surprises or hidden costs when calling out a managed service provider and most often the service plan offered by cloud MSPs is comparable to hiring internal staff.
Cloud experts on all service levels
Choosing a cloud MSP to take care of your business cloud environment means having an expert in your pocket whenever you need one. A comprehensive service level agreement gives businesses the assurance of service continuity and optimisation as needed.
Cloud MSPs are experts in the field and can offer best way forward strategies if a business chooses to scale up or down. Staying on top of the latest updates and new tech can be all consuming, while MSPs are already across what’s coming and can help your business to integrate these changes as needed.
Because this is their business, a cloud MSP will proactively monitor the cloud infrastructure to keep everything secure and prevent problems from happening. They’ll work closely with your business to put in place proper disaster recovery measures, to minimise disruption and down-time and ensure business as usual.
Future-proofing business growth
Today, organisations know investing in cloud services offers a strong future of growth and innovation. Businesses wanting to stay ahead of the competition and meet the demands of their market niche need to continuously have access to a wide range of technology and applications. Investment in cloud computing is an essential strategy to remain competitive.
A dedicated MSP will ensure your cloud operations are optimised for your business priorities. This frees up internal resources to focus on future innovations, paving the way for future growth.
Interfacing with vendors
Inhouse employees can need ongoing time and resources to train when new upgrades or technology is released. Cloud service providers are already prepared to manage these situations and ensure your business operations are streamlined.
When vendor-related service issues occur, cloud managed service providers can directly contact the vendor for troubleshooting and resolution. Cloud MSPs know the questions to ask when communicating with cloud vendors to find solutions to issues. Most often this happens effortlessly so your business experiences minimal disruption to operations.
