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7 Questions to Ask your Cloud Provider


7 Questions to Ask your Cloud Provider

This entry was posted on by Tammy Nyman.
understanding cloud providers

7 Questions To Ask Your Cloud Provider: It’s essential to make the right choice for your cloud provider.  If you’re looking, or already have adopted a cloud environment, it is especially important to understand security practices, data privacy, and the operational capabilities of each provider. In order to leverage the features and benefits of the Cloud, you must ask yourself this question: what factors guarantee that you will have a successful experience with your new cloud provider?  You need to do your due diligence by putting potential Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) under the microscope –namely asking several things from them to make sure they meet your needs. Below are seven questions to ask your potential cloud provider:

1. Where are your data centers?

Cloud Service Providers may store data on numerous managed servers, located in different geographic locations for various reasons, and you should know where and if it aligns with your business goals and any privacy limitations. By understanding where data is usually located can help you evaluate the related risks and benefits around data privacy.

2. How will I access my data?

Ensure that your CSP can work with you to develop an Access Control Policy that allows you to access your data when and where you need it. How do you add authorized users? How are users authenticated? Does your provider have systems in place to allow you to easily obtain your data on demand? – does their turnaround time meet your business requirements? Since your data will now be out of your office walls, it’s important to know how you will access your data at all times.

3. How is my data monitored and maintained?

Your prospective or current Cloud Service Provider should include a comprehensive set of monitoring tools. Find out what your provider has in place for monitoring, since your applications should be always online and require regular patching to minimize the risk a security breach. A monitoring system will automatically notify the provider whenever your systems need maintenance support. These monitoring systems should monitor several factors including anti-virus, hardware, software, security patching, and disk space. User audit trails are essential for tracking and identifying potential breaches by users and should be included.

4. Can we implement a “two-factor authentication” process?

Security being the primary concern, your cloud provider should demonstrate the security measures that they have in place. At times, firewalls, data encryption, and anti-viruses may not offer enough security for your business. This may require implementation of “two-factor authentication process”. Two-factor authentication requires both a password and a secure code that is synchronized with the central server. This significantly minimizes the risk of your account being accessed by a hacker since you typically receive the secure code via your smart phone.

5. What is your disaster recovery plan?

To prevent loss of data due to natural disasters such as floods and earthquakes, you need to ask if the provider has multiple location redundancy, in case one server (or part of the network itself) fails. Your cloud provider should be able to show you their disaster recovery plan and ideally show you results of a recent test. You should know in advance, for instance, where your data will reside in the case of a natural disaster in one of the server’s locations and the security measures taken to protect their own data centers.

6. What is your procedure for routine back-ups?

Since cloud providers have different ways of carrying out routine backups, it is essential to understand what measures are to be taken to guarantee the longevity of your data in the cloud. Be sure to also ask when and how often routine back-ups are performed, remember the more frequent the backup, the better your redundancy will be. Back-ups make it easier for your provider to restore service to a particular point and period in case of any failure. So its important to ask how far back you can restore your data (for example up to 7 days ago), and ensure this timeframe meets your business needs. During the backup process, your data should ideally be encrypted to ensure no one can access your data when it shifts from the live system to the backup storage platform.

7. What happens to my data if I cancel the service?

Sometimes, a partnership with a cloud provider just does not work out due to various reasons. Irrespective of the reasons, cancelling your service should always be an option that is discussed in the initial stages. Ask about the process to follow during cancellation of the service as well as if they offer assistance with transferring your data to your next provider. While no one wants a relationship to go sour, it is always a good practice to ensure data access during a cancellation of service is clearly stated in the contract.

These questions should help in your process of finding, assessing, selecting a Cloud Service Provider. Or if you already have a cloud provider, asking these questions can serve as an important reality check and as a guideline to update your service agreement.

MBC’s CloudReach Assessment can help your business find the right mix of Cloud and Legacy IT Services to meet your Corporate IT needs. If you want to learn more, contact us.

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Tammy Nyman
Tammy Nyman
EVP & Managed IT Services Expert
For more information call us at: (905) 307-4357 or fill out our contact form and we’ll reach out to you.

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