Choosing the Right Cloud Partner
#1 What additional services does the CSP offer?

Choosing the Right Cloud Partner
The question of moving company operations to the cloud is no longer “if,” but “how” to do so.
Moving to the cloud is not as simple as flipping a switch. The right CSP will be indispensable in helping you plot your path. Together, you’ll determine the type of cloud configuration that’s the best fit for your business — whether that’s 100% cloud, on premises or a hybrid environment.
An experienced CSP will advise you not only on how to move infrastructure and applications, but on what to move and when, and how to optimize workloads to achieve the best performance. For example, with Azure you have options on how to move existing VMware virtualized servers to the cloud. You can move them byte for byte into Azure virtual machines (VMs), or you can supplement existing VMs with Azure service for high availability and disaster recovery. Which option is right for you? The right CSP has the in-depth knowledge of both Azure and your industry to guide you to the right choice.

Choosing the Right Cloud Partner
#3 Does the CSP have experience optimizing cloud environments?
Your CSP should be able to advise you on the most cost-effective architecture for the performance that you need. Find a CSP that can analyze your IT spend and keep you from being charged for services you don’t need. Your CSP should be able to identify resources that are underutilized and suggest ways to upgrade to make better use of what you have.

Choosing the Right Cloud Partner
#4 Does the CSP have expertise in your industry?
An industry-insider CSP understands how you can use AI and analytics to make better use of your data. For example, we applied industry knowledge and advised a realestate company on cloud services that can help it analyze existing data to more quickly evaluate properties on the market.
Understanding your industry is also essential to understanding your business security requirements as well as industry-specific security and compliance requirements. You want a CSP that can help you ensure that good governance and security is in place before, during, and after your migration.

Choosing the Right Cloud Partner
#5 What is the maturity level of the CSP?
A mature CSP is also likely to have a strong relationship with the company offering the cloud platform. This is particularly important for small and medium-size businesses that might find it difficult to get direct access when needed. If your CSP has a good working relationship with the Microsoft Azure group, for example, you can benefit from their access to information and expertise at the source.

Choosing the Right Cloud Partner
#6 Does the CSP have the capabilities to meet you where you are?
roadmap. Your CSP must be able to evaluate your current environment and determine how a cloud implementation can be used to make it more efficient and to help your business reach its goals. That means your CSP needs to know all about hardware, software, applications and services in data centers — whether on premises or in the cloud.
