Key Considerations for Choosing a Managed IT Cloud Services Provider

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.

Key Considerations When Choosing a Managed Cloud Services Provider

Now that we know the benefits of working with a cloud managed services provider, let’s discuss how you can select the one that will best work for your organization. Remember, there are hundreds of them out there, so you have to be intentional about your choice.

Customer Support

One key consideration is the quality of customer support. If customer support is poor, you can expect that your needs will not be met on time, and this can put your business in trouble. A good customer support system should be available 24/7, with quick response times and expert staff capable of resolving issues efficiently.

Pricing and Cost Structure

According to Statista, 84% of enterprises surveyed say that they struggle with managing cloud spend. This is one of the areas where managed IT cloud services help. However, you also have to play your part by ensuring that you choose a partner with a clear cost structure.

Your managed cloud services provider should offer transparent and flexible pricing so that you can enjoy the cost-effective benefits of this approach. In fact, look for providers with pay-as-you-go models, flat rates, or custom plans that you can tailor to your business requirements.

Hybrid and Multi-Cloud Capabilities

According to Flexera’s 2024 State of the Cloud Report, 89% of businesses currently have a multi-cloud strategy, while 73% use a hybrid cloud approach. This makes it critical to select an MCSP that can manage numerous cloud platforms seamlessly. In fact, even if you don’t currently have a hybrid or multi-cloud strategy in place, be sure the provider you pick is capable of efficiently managing such settings because you may implement these models in the future, and you want to be able to enjoy the benefits of both public and private cloud solutions or multiple cloud providers.

Service Level Agreement (SLA)

The SLA is an agreement between you and your service provider that defines the type of managed IT cloud solutions and the level of service they will provide to your organization. This document typically outlines performance guarantees, uptime commitments, and penalties for non-compliance. It makes sense to peruse this agreement properly and ask questions if you’re not sure about any section. A strong SLA is vital to ensuring reliability and accountability.

Reputation and Experience

You also want to pay close attention to the provider’s reputation and track record. In particular, access their expertise across key areas like services offered, security compliance, data residency and sovereignty, and certifications.

Services and expertise. Does the provider have experience in your industry? Can they handle your unique business configurations? Remember to also check for AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud certifications.
Security compliance. Ensure that they adhere to regulatory regulations such as GDPR or SOC 2, depending on your industry. For example, if you intend to adopt cloud computing in healthcare for the US market, it’s essential to ensure that the provider is HIPAA compliant.
Data residency and sovereignty. Confirm where your data is stored and if it complies with regional data regulations.
Certifications. Look for ISO/IEC 27001 certifications, which indicate robust security standards for information security management systems (ISMS).

Migration/ Onboarding and Integration

If you’re yet to switch from on-prem infrastructure to the cloud, you should seriously factor in the ease with which the provider can transition your business without affecting operations. As much as possible, evaluate their migration and onboarding processes, as well as how smoothly they can integrate with existing systems, including legacy applications.

A bad migration could mean costly downtime and data loss. In fact, 93% of companies that lose their data centers for over ten days end up filing for bankruptcy within a year. That’s why a stress-free cloud migration is important when choosing a service provider.

Summing Up

While there is nothing wrong with managing your IT cloud infrastructure in-house, working with a service provider can be a game-changer for your business. You’ll save on the cost of maintaining a full-time IT staff, which can be rather expensive; plus, you and your team will be able to focus on creating market value while someone else manages the complexities of your IT infrastructure. It’s a win-win for everyone. Of course, at the end of the day, it all boils down to the provider you choose to work with.

When you choose Symphony Solutions for managed IT cloud services, you’re getting a partner who genuinely cares about your success. We take care of your entire cloud ecosystem, covering the initial setup, incident management, system monitoring, knowledge management, and more, providing a stable cloud environment while keeping a close eye on security and compliance.

Plus, if you need cloud-native application development, we can help with that, too! We want you to focus on what really matters—your business goals—while we handle all the technical details. With Symphony, you’ll enjoy a reliable service that allows you to transform your cloud journey with confidence.

FAQs

What Is Cloud Managed Service Provider?

A Cloud Managed Service Provider is a company that helps businesses manage their cloud services. They offer support with things like infrastructure, applications, and platforms to make sure everything runs smoothly and efficiently. Instead of handling all that in-house, companies can rely on MSPs to take care of it for them, freeing up time and resources.

What Is an Example of a Cloud-Managed Service?

One example of a cloud-managed service is cloud monitoring. This service helps businesses to monitor their cloud-based infrastructure and applications remotely. It provides real-time visibility into system performance, enabling IT teams to identify any potential issues and take proactive measures to prevent outages or disruptions.

What Is a Cloud Management Service?

A Cloud Management Service (CMS) is a platform where businesses can manage everything related to their cloud setup. It brings together the control of infrastructure, networks, apps, and data into one platform, allowing businesses to monitor and manage their cloud environment easily.

Choosing a Managed IT Cloud Service Provider: Key Considerations

What Is Cloud Managed Service Provider?