Tips for using a cloud efficiently and securely

The confusion already starts with the terminology: Cloud is not equal to cloud, there are private, public, hybrid clouds or the currently trendy multi-cloud. In addition, there are various cloud business models to consider, such as the old familiar Platform as a Service (PaaS), Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and Software as a Service (SaaS) or the newer Containers as a Service (CaaS) and Function as a Service (FaaS). With so many options, there is no one cloud services strategy that fits every company, explains Lukas Höfer of IT service provider Consol. This means that companies generally need a partner who can provide them with individual advice and support in developing a customized overall concept.

According to the IT service provider, companies must pay particular attention to the following points in the run-up to cloud use:

• The path to the cloud begins with a review of the company's own cloud "readiness". A company should also use the frameworks of the leading cloud providers for evaluation, which cover both technical and organizational aspects. The frameworks also provide important support for the definition of cloud stakeholders and roles in one's own company.
• The cloud offering is very diverse: A company must clarify in advance of cloud introduction what it really needs and which offerings best cover its own requirements.
• Pay-as-you-go models often make expenses difficult to calculate: A company must carry out thorough planning; cost calculators from providers are helpful here, but by no means cover all aspects. Here, it is advisable to carry out proof-of-concepts and also adapt internal billing processes.
• The classic security model is of little value in the cloud environment: a company must look at new security concepts and build up or buy in the relevant expert knowledge. The various security guidelines of the cloud providers are also helpful.
• New compliance requirements and directives such as the DSGVO make the path to the cloud more difficult: Among other things, a company must clarify which data may be stored in the cloud at all, to which storage location and from where or by whom it may be accessed.

SMEs that do not have sufficient resources should definitely use the expertise of an external partner for the management of complex cloud environments and the orchestration and integration of various services, says Höfer. In this way, the challenges in terms of solution and service selection, costs and administration can be reasonably managed and a solid knowledge base can be built up in the long term through the practical experience of the experts.

The guide "Cloud migration for small and medium enterprises" is available for download.

Source: Consol

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