You need to improve your business’s cloud networking services. How can you find the best solution?

1 Define your goals

Before you start looking for cloud networking services, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve with them. Do you want to improve your productivity, reduce your costs, enhance your security, or expand your reach? How much data and traffic do you expect to handle? What kind of applications and features do you need? By defining your goals, you can narrow down your search and focus on the cloud providers that can meet your requirements.

2 Compare different models

Cloud networking services can be delivered in different models, such as public, private, hybrid, or multi-cloud. Each model has its own advantages and disadvantages, depending on your budget, control, flexibility, and reliability needs. For example, public cloud services are generally cheaper and easier to use, but they may not offer the same level of security and customization as private cloud services. Hybrid and multi-cloud services combine different models to optimize performance and availability, but they may also increase complexity and management costs. You need to compare different models and see which one suits your business best.

3 Assess the features and benefits

Once you have selected a cloud model, you need to assess the features and benefits of different cloud providers. You need to look at various aspects, such as bandwidth, latency, uptime, scalability, security, compliance, support, and pricing. You need to make sure that the cloud provider can deliver the speed, reliability, and capacity that you need for your data and applications. You also need to check that the cloud provider can protect your data from unauthorized access, loss, or damage, and that it follows the relevant regulations and standards. Moreover, you need to consider the level of support and customer service that the cloud provider offers, as well as the pricing and billing options.

4 Test the performance and compatibility

Before you sign up for a cloud networking service, you need to test its performance and compatibility with your existing systems and devices. You need to conduct some trials and simulations to measure the speed, quality, and stability of the cloud service. You also need to verify that the cloud service can integrate smoothly with your hardware, software, and network infrastructure. You need to identify any potential issues or challenges that may arise during the implementation and operation of the cloud service. You need to ask the cloud provider for any technical assistance or guidance that you may need.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?