Are Your Cloud Services Reliable Enough?

Most of the time, it is not really the cloud itself that can let the business down but the cloud provider itself. However, can providers of cloud services realistically ensure zero downtime?

For the past few years, there are a lot of high profile cases of cloud failure, which have done very little in enforcing the public opinion regarding cloud reliability. But, what people usually fail to acknowledge is that it is not the cloud which cannot be counted on but the cloud services providers themselves.

These cases of failure of cloud service must never hinder people from making the most out cloud services. Instead, these should reinforce the need to hire the right and most appropriate provider. However, even with the suitable provider, is there a way to guarantee zero downtime? With the key ingredients below put in place, there is no reason why it cannot be ensured.

Network is Proactively Monitored

Every cloud services provider is going to claim to provide a round the clock support. Sadly though, not all of them can really delivery this promise. It is important that the core network is being proactively monitored 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year to assure an unbroken access to applications and data when they are required.

Next Generation Data Centers

The cloud services provider must make investments in the finest next generation data center technology to render a nonstop service which can grow together with the customer in time. The data center security must adhere to only the best practice standards and provide a round the clock support and monitoring. The data centers offering only anything less must be best avoided.

Flexible Application Platforms

Any cloud application, which include data, desktop and voice must be very resilient and flexible while subject to a round the clock support from the maintenance teams. The platforms must also be certified and compliant with the industry standards, adhering to the highest standards in terms of service and security.

Once all of these three elements have been combined, there will be a significant reduction in the risks of downtime. When providers of cloud services apply such standards and make continuous commitments to further enhancing their service, there is simply no excuse for any downtime at all.

It is very easy for the business to be drawn to the attractive looking Service Level Agreements or SLAs which promise an uptime of 99.999%. However, in most cases, the provider fails to honor these assurances, thus putting their customers in a very compromising position.

There is very little which can truly compensate for any damage which can be brought about by the lengthy outages that can possibly the credibility and reputation of a business and even cost thousands of pounds of lost revenues.

The next time that you hear about cases of cloud failure, never assume that the problem is in the cloud services since behind an unreliable cloud service is an equally unreliable provider.

Here is a list of cloud services providers in the Asia Pacific Region:

Telkomtelstra

Telstra

NTT

SingTel