Maintaining cloud-based applications and infrastructures requires time and effort. To do this properly, expertise in cloud technology and the ability to keep up with the latest and changing technologies is necessary. It is important to consider the capacity and drive you have for this purpose. Many organisations decide to assign some or all of the accountability to a managed cloud services provider. With managed cloud services, you immediately get access to cloud engineering skills and experienced insights. Factors such as security, compliance and cost regulation are managed by experts who know the newest tools and standard procedures. This allows you to experience the benefits of the cloud rapidly while avoiding common cloud issues. The managed cloud services provider keeps the system running properly and safely, so the internal team can focus on improving the business value through innovation.
Having a managed cloud services provider is the quickest way to take advantage of cloud features while evading the typical issues. The provider makes sure everything is secure and working efficiently, allowing the internal team to focus on developing changes that are beneficial to the business. It takes time and expertise to maintain and oversee cloud-based systems and applications, so it is important to consider the amount of time and resources needed. Many companies choose to hire a managed cloud services provider to take on some or all of this responsibility. This immediately provides access to cloud engineering knowledge and expertise, as well as the latest tools and procedures to ensure things like security, compliance, and cost management are taken care of. This way, businesses can quickly leverage the benefits of cloud computing while avoiding any common problems, and the managed cloud services provider keeps everything functioning smoothly and securely, freeing the internal team to focus on improvements that create value.
2 ways managed cloud services can help your organisation
Focus on your business, not your backend
When you engage specialists to oversee your cloud infrastructure, you can be certain that it will be properly maintained and taken care of. For certain organisations, this is also the most efficient way to offer 24/7 assistance without overburdening the internal team. By eliminating the strain of keeping backend systems functioning, more time and energy can be devoted to activities that will facilitate business progression and make your customers happy.
When entrusted to experts, you can be sure that the cloud environment is managed and maintained properly. For some companies, this is the best way to provide 24/7 support without taxing their internal team. Eliminating the difficulty and strain of keeping backend systems functioning gives time and mental energy to more engaging projects that help business expansion and improve customer satisfaction.
Keep on top of cloud best practice
The services that are offered by leading cloud vendors, such as AWS and Azure, are changing constantly, and the amount of third-party tools created to do special tasks is continually growing. Staying current in this ever-evolving environment takes a lot of dedication and concentration. By engaging with a managed cloud services provider, they will do the difficult work so you can gain the rewards. As time passes, dependability, performance, and cost-efficiency will continue to get better.
The inventory of services made available by leading cloud companies such as AWS and Azure is consistently progressing, and the quantity of outsider tools that can do specific duties is constantly on the rise. Remaining aware of this ever-changing landscape necessitates commitment and concentration. When you enlist the help of a managed cloud services provider, they take care of the hard parts while you reap the rewards. As the days go by, dependability, capability and cost-effectiveness are continuously better.
What does managed cloud services involve?
Managed cloud services providers can work at the infrastructure level or focus on specific applications. They’ll typically evaluate your environment and help determine the best way to support it based on your needs and budget. This might include:
24×7 on-call support
In the case of an issue that the internal staff can't handle, the managed cloud services provider is the next step. This structure provides an economical way to get access to professional cloud engineers when it is most necessary. Problems are solved more quickly, decrease the time to recover, and improve the system's availability. This can be supplied on a discretionary basis or as part of a more extensive support system.
If an issue arises that the internal team cannot take care of, the managed cloud services provider will be called upon. This approach provides a cost-efficient way to obtain assistance from cloud professionals when it's needed the most. With this, problems can be solved more quickly, the amount of time it takes to get back up and running is minimised, and the system's reliability increases. This can be supplied temporarily or as part of a bigger maintenance plan.
Full or partial operational responsibility
This model enables the provider to take charge of vital parts of daily activities. This may encompass anything from supervising and improving efficiency to budget management and security. Not only can they detect and rectify problems, but they can also use techniques like tagging, optimising the size and automating processes across the system to maximize cost control.
Through this model, the service provider is kept to take care of essential elements of everyday activities. This can encompass anything from observing and refining performance to expenditure management and protection. In addition to recognising and correcting issues, approaches such as labelling, right-sizing and process mechanization may be implemented across the system to optimize cost control.
Continuous improvement
If a product has ongoing performance issues, it may be due to technical debt that was not addressed when it was moved to the cloud. To solve these deep-seated issues, a dedicated effort is needed, and this is often provided through Kaizen (continual development) time in managed cloud service agreements. This will help ensure the product is functioning optimally, and taking advantage of the cloud's capabilities more completely.
If a system is often having performance issues, this could suggest that there are underlying complications related to technical debt that weren't attended to during the transition to the cloud. Tackling these deep-rooted complications requires a focused effort and this is something that can be included in a managed cloud services agreement in the form of a monthly allowance for Kaizen (ongoing improvement) projects. Doing this over time will help build operational proficiency and take full advantage of the cloud capabilities.
Managed cloud services tools, approaches and services
- Application deployment and management
- Architecture guidance
- Alerts, monitoring and reporting
- Backup and disaster recovery advice
- Cloud cost management
- Database management and administration
- DevOps automation tools
- Rightsizing for optimum provisioning
- Security and compliance management
Helping you flourish in the cloud
Moving to the cloud can be expensive and ineffective if your team lacks the skills, confidence or capacity to unlock its benefits. For many organisations, managed cloud services is the most logical way to avoid the pitfalls and reap the rewards of cloud.
With expert operational management of the cloud environment, it’s easier to accommodate rapid change without harming stability. This creates a positive ripple effect, both within the IT team and across the wider organisation. So, you can adapt to changing circumstances or new customer demands, knowing that systems and applications have the resilience and flexibility to cope.
