How to Maximize the Benefits of Cloud Computing
It’s almost hard to remember what office life was like before the cloud. Every file you worked on was confined to a single physical location, whether it was the hard drive of a computer or physical media like CD-ROMs and floppy discs. You could send someone a file by attaching it to an email, but that would create a copy that existed independently of your original.
The cloud brings portability, ease of collaboration, scalability and security to the business world. In a remote and hybrid work environment, it’s become an essential tool, and its basic capabilities are table stakes for a productive workforce.
But don’t settle for the minimum: Here’s how to maximize the benefits of cloud computing.
Choose the Right Cloud Service Provider
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution for a cloud service provider. Which one is right for your business will depend on your unique needs and goals. Here are some considerations to help you get started.
First, take the time to understand the specific needs of your business. Evaluate your current infrastructure, workflows, and future growth plans. This understanding will serve as a solid foundation for assessing potential cloud service providers.
Look for providers with a proven track record of reliability, performance, and security. Check their uptime guarantees and service-level agreements (SLAs) to ensure they can meet your business's demands. Check for what each vendor offers in terms of:
Security
Assess the provider's security measures, data encryption practices, access controls, and compliance certifications.
Customer support
Consider the responsiveness, availability, and quality of support provided by each vendor. Prompt and reliable support can make a significant difference in resolving issues or addressing concerns efficiently.
Scalability
Ensure that providers offer the flexibility to scale resources up or down based on your business needs, allowing you to optimize costs and effectively meet changing demands.
Data storage
Assess the provider's data storage infrastructure, reliability, and backup mechanisms. Determine if they offer geographically redundant storage to ensure data availability and protection against hardware failures or natural disasters. The physical location of the cloud server may affect its responsiveness — if possible, look for one with data centers in your geographic region.
Integration capabilities
Consider your existing systems and applications and assess how easily they can be integrated with the cloud provider's services. Seamless integration is essential for efficient workflows and data exchange between different platforms.
Pricing models
There are a bewildering array of options for pricing with cloud service providers, so it’s important to dig in and determine the actual cost of ownership over time. Consider factors such as pay-as-you-go options, resource allocation, and any additional costs associated with storage, data transfer, or support. Seek transparency and clarity in pricing to avoid unexpected charges.
Optimize Cloud Infrastructure and Performance
Cloud infrastructure is generally configured to work out-of-the-box, but there are still ways you can optimize performance, improve efficiency and adapt it to better suit your workflows. Here’s how to maximize the benefits of cloud computing by optimizing infrastructure:
Load balancing
One key benefit of cloud computing is the ability to distribute your workload across multiple instances. When you take full advantage of the cloud’s processing power, you can dramatically improve your performance. Use load balancers and auto-scaling groups to ensure you’re getting the most out of your resources, even during peak times.
Automatic scaling
Imagine having to buy a new server, configure it and bring it online just to meet a spike in demand! Fortunately, with cloud computing it’s far easier to spin up new resources as needed. Use the auto-scaling features provided by your cloud service provider to automatically adjust resources based on demand. With this feature enabled, you can meet workload fluctuations without manual intervention.
Faster data storage and transfer
No matter how fast an internet connection may be, it still has to obey the laws of physics. If you’re in Oklahoma and your cloud provider is in Singapore, you will experience noticeable latency in your cloud applications. Implement intelligent caching to keep frequently-accessed data in your local memory, and choose a provider with a content delivery network (CDN) that uses multiple servers to reduce latency.
Network and database optimization
It’s important to configure your cloud network to prioritize traffic flow and minimize latency. This is especially crucial when implementing Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) or dedicated connections — these enhance security, but might slow down performance unless they’re compensated for. You can also reduce latency by optimizing your databases. Indexing, partitioning, and caching strategies can significantly improve database query performance, enabling faster data retrieval and processing.
Monitor and measure performance
Keep a close eye on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) like response times, throughput, and resource utilization. Regularly review and fine-tune your cloud infrastructure based on changing requirements and performance metrics. Continuous monitoring, analysis, and optimization are key to maintaining optimal performance and cost efficiency.
Make full use of your cloud services
Once you have chosen the right vendor and optimized your service, there’s only one step left: make sure your workflows and tools are configured to maximize the benefits of your cloud service.
Use cloud-native services and features
Explore and leverage cloud-native services and features that are designed to enhance productivity and performance: Take advantage of serverless computing, managed databases, containerization, and other cloud-specific technologies to streamline operations.
Foster collaboration and integration
Cloud-based computing is ideal for helping teams work together, even if they’re not in the same physical space. Use cloud-based services for communication, document creation and storage, brainstorming and beyond. It’s also worth seeing how your cloud-based services integrate with your current on-premises systems — it’s likely there are ways you can combine the two for more seamless workflows.
Implement backup and disaster recovery
The vast storage space available in the cloud makes it easier to put robust data safeguards in place. Make sure you’re using your provider's tools to automate backups and put a plan in place for business continuity in case of a disaster.
Implement cost management strategies
The scalability and flexibility of the cloud make it easier to control your spending and fit your level of service to your needs. Monitor and analyze your cloud spending regularly; most cloud providers offer cost management tools to help. Cost optimization features like reserved and spot instances can help reduce costs without impacting performance.
Equip your team with cloud optimization skills
According to the 2023 Workplace Learning Report, cloud computing skills are among the most in-demand for engineering and IT roles. Help your team boost their knowledge with LinkedIn Learning courses including the Build Your Cloud Computing Skills path.