Choosing a Managed IT Cloud Service Provider: Key Considerations

The demand for cloud computing in Europe is expected to reach a new high by 2029, hitting a market size of €346.24 billion, according to Statista. This obviously means that an increasing number of businesses will shift to the cloud.

But, even today, more businesses are migrating to the cloud. In fact, cloud computing is considered a critical component of IT infrastructure, with 85% of companies preferring a multi-cloud strategy, according to Deloitte. This heavy reliance on the cloud emphasizes the growing need for reliable managed IT cloud services. However, choosing the right one can be challenging since no two providers are the same.

To help you make an informed decision, this article will discuss key considerations for choosing a managed IT cloud service provider so that your IT infrastructure meets the demands of an ever-evolving digital landscape.

Read on!

What Is Cloud Managed Service Provider?

A Cloud Managed Service Provider (Cloud MSP) is an expert partner who partially or fully manages your company’s cloud environment — infrastructure, application, platform, and services. They can handle everything from migration to optimizing cloud performance, security, and continuous maintenance, ensuring that your systems work smoothly and without issues.

Today, many companies are partnering with cloud MSPs to replace or supplement their in-house cloud IT staff. This way, they can focus on their core business activities while benefiting from the extensive knowledge and cost-effective solutions of their cloud MSP partner.

Benefits of Using a Managed Cloud Services Provider

There are dozens of reasons why a reliable service provider should manage your IT cloud environment. Let’s discuss just a few of them here.

Cost Efficiency

Maintaining an in-house IT support team full-time can be quite expensive. According to Euro Dev, the least you can expect to pay yearly for any new hire is €80,000. Imagine what an IT support team made up of five tech experts will cost. And we’re not just talking salaries. You’ll have to spend on training, office space, equipment, and more. All these expenses can quickly add up.

Partnering with a managed IT cloud service provider can eliminate this expenditure. Instead, you typically pay a fixed monthly fee (much less than hiring directly), which means greater cost certainty and predictability.

Improved Security and Compliance

The cloud is known for its reliable security. However, breaches still happen. Incidentally, 68% of these breaches happen as a result of misconfigured cloud infrastructure. While no one is above making mistakes, the chances of this happening can be minimized if you leave this job to the experts.

Cloud MSPs have dedicated security teams that can implement and maintain robust security measures, protecting your business from cyber threats and ensuring compliance with industry-specific regulations and standards. Plus, if a breach does happen, they offer a quick incident response to minimize damage and get you back on track.

Focus on Core Business

No one knows your business better than you; this is why you should focus your energies on business growth and let the experts handle technical details like cloud IT infrastructure and systems.

That’s exactly what we did for GOAT Interactive, a major player in the African iGaming market. They needed around-the-clock data monitoring and reporting without tying up their development team. We stepped in, set up a managed services team, and took over system management and issue resolution 24/7. With our team on top of monitoring and incident handling, GOAT Interactive’s developers can now concentrate on creating innovative products.

Expert Management and Round the Clock Support

Downtime can seriously impact businesses, with losses ranging from €40,000 to €200,000, depending on the industry. That’s why having a good infrastructure management service is so important. Managed IT services, the umbrella term that includes IT infrastructure management, cybersecurity, cloud services, and network management, provide around-the-clock management and support to keep systems running smoothly. According to Scoop Market, they ensure 99.99% uptime, which effectively removes the worry of downtime.

Continuous Innovation

Access to the latest technologies is one of the most significant benefits of partnering with a managed cloud service provider. Because they are always on top of the latest trends and technologies, working with this company means that your business will always leverage the latest cloud technologies and innovations, giving you a competitive edge. This also means the latest security patches, software updates, and feature enhancements.

Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity

The COVID-19 pandemic and the recent hurricanes affecting different parts of the world have once again shown that disaster recovery and business continuity should be emphasized. When things go south, your business may not be able to activate its business continuity plans (BCP) because you’re trying to save lives and properties.

This is another advantage of cloud MSPs: developing and implementing comprehensive disaster recovery plans to protect your business from data loss and downtime should situations like these arise. By regularly backing up critical data and applications, cloud MSPs can help you bounce back quickly when disaster strikes.

Read more: https://symphony-solutions.com/insights/managed-cloud-key-considerations

Symphony Solutions is a Cloud and AI-driven IT company headquartered in the Netherlands. We are a premier software provider of custom iGaming, Healthcare, and Airline solutions.