50 cloud computing tips

The Five Most Expensive Mistakes In Having Onsite Servers & Support © Xvand Technology Corporation 2009




© 2013 Xvand Technology Corporation | www.isutility.com | 832-204-4909 | [email protected]

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Is your in-house IT

system struggling to

adapt to evolving conditions?

If so, here are 50 quick tips to help you use cloud computing to

eliminate the risks of major capital IT investments, work more

securely, and scale up or down with business volume.








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“ “ The first step to cloud success

is determining whether it

serves a business need.

Click to tweet

this quote.



http://clicktotweet.com/e71go








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“ “ Click to tweet

this quote.

Clearly delineate the business

problems you can resolve by

moving to the cloud.



http://clicktotweet.com/AGfBx








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Determine the legal or

compliance constraints for

data or externally hosted

systems.


this quote.



http://clicktotweet.com/HNOiY








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this quote.

Outsource IT from “Day 1” -

technology is changing too

fast to keep up by yourself.




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http://clicktotweet.com/e6OSA






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Don't over-buy or get locked

into a cloud contract. You can

always buy more horsepower

later.


this quote.




http://clicktotweet.com/5gmZV

http://clicktotweet.com/5gmZV






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this quote.

Survey end-users on what they

need from cloud computing. All

sorts of strategies will be

revealed as a result.




http://clicktotweet.com/2kmb8

http://clicktotweet.com/2kmb8






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Build a holistic model for cloud

computing based on what's

redundant, what's inefficient

and where there are gaps.


this quote.




http://clicktotweet.com/eQrmU

http://clicktotweet.com/eQrmU






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this quote.

When weighing the cloud vs.

onsite, factor in the hidden costs

of discussing IT issues, utilities

and travel expenses.




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http://clicktotweet.com/We98d






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this quote.

Sign it’s time for the cloud:

You’re growing and can’t reliably

predict resource requirements

over the next few years.




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http://clicktotweet.com/Djo01






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this quote.


Client expectations have

increased and you need to

exhibit higher client service

levels.




http://clicktotweet.com/U43ei

http://clicktotweet.com/U43ei






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this quote.


You need to keep IT costs

predictable. Cloud costs are

relatively static.




http://clicktotweet.com/hARNf

http://clicktotweet.com/hARNf






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Your employees work on

disparate systems and use a

wide variety of devices.


this quote.



http://clicktotweet.com/Z3U2f








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this quote.


You’re putting too much effort

into hardware maintenance and

software upgrades.




http://clicktotweet.com/6ARd9

http://clicktotweet.com/6ARd9






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this quote.

Setting cloud expectations:

Personnel, data backup, disaster

recovery and compliance

costs need to be identified.




http://clicktotweet.com/RUb0Z

http://clicktotweet.com/RUb0Z






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Better service comes at a cost.

Cloud costs may seem higher,

but realize that you’ll no longer

have to budget for upgrades and

unforeseen IT issues.


this quote.




http://clicktotweet.com/xQe2h

http://clicktotweet.com/xQe2h






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Define what moving to the cloud

means. Hardware or software?

A single vendor or multiple

providers?


this quote.




http://clicktotweet.com/cfCzL

http://clicktotweet.com/cfCzL






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Realize that the cloud doesn’t

make IT experts irrelevant, it

makes them more strategic.


this quote.




http://clicktotweet.com/eauEo

http://clicktotweet.com/eauEo






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Ask a potential cloud provider

how user-friendly the solution

is. Request a free trial or testing

period to ensure a more

seamless process.


this quote.




http://clicktotweet.com/86Rmv

http://clicktotweet.com/86Rmv






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this quote.


to specify service levels. An

availability guarantee doesn’t

cover system performance or

support resolution times.




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http://clicktotweet.com/Si82J






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this quote.


about their encryption and

access security, as well as the

physical location of the data

center.




http://clicktotweet.com/eaak6

http://clicktotweet.com/eaak6






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this quote.


about your control over your

data. Ask to see their data

retention policy.




http://clicktotweet.com/noWOV

http://clicktotweet.com/noWOV






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this quote.


where your data is stored.

Some providers utilize offshore

companies for actual storage.




http://clicktotweet.com/0Zf9u

http://clicktotweet.com/0Zf9u






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this quote.


about price flexibility. Can you

add one seat, or do you have to

buy groups of 5?




http://clicktotweet.com/l0Vx3

http://clicktotweet.com/l0Vx3






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this quote.


to help forecast costs. Some

charge per usage, so set a cost

structure you can work with.




http://clicktotweet.com/56q5g

http://clicktotweet.com/56q5g






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this quote.


what happens if their cloud

goes down. Do they have a

redundant cloud site?




http://clicktotweet.com/I91vm

http://clicktotweet.com/I91vm






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this quote.


about their recovery interval.

How long will it take to restore

data and resume operations?




http://clicktotweet.com/84Mwc

http://clicktotweet.com/84Mwc






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this quote.


how quickly and easily it is to

add/remove software or users.




http://clicktotweet.com/4jb9Z

http://clicktotweet.com/4jb9Z






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this quote.


if they’ve been breached or

whether you’ll be notified

when/if they are in the future.




http://clicktotweet.com/SPUfx

http://clicktotweet.com/SPUfx






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Know your cloud provider.

Under the HiTech Act, violations

can be imposed upon cloud

providers if data is exposed.


this quote.




http://clicktotweet.com/G3vK6

http://clicktotweet.com/G3vK6






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Security-sensitive organizations

should not resort to public

cloud email.


this quote.




http://clicktotweet.com/ldQ0u

http://clicktotweet.com/ldQ0u






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this quote.

Make sure that the cloud

provider’s agreement

recognizes your rights to

control access to data.




http://clicktotweet.com/148MN

http://clicktotweet.com/148MN






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this quote.

Determine what happens to

your data if you sever the

relationship or the cloud

provider goes out-of-business.




http://clicktotweet.com/5H2Ud

http://clicktotweet.com/5H2Ud






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this quote.

When working with a cloud

provider develop exit clauses to

mitigate the pain of vendor

lock-in.




http://clicktotweet.com/ADRUf

http://clicktotweet.com/ADRUf






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this quote.

Select a “private” cloud, rather

than a “public” to reduce

inadvertent or malicious access

to your data.




http://clicktotweet.com/u604q

http://clicktotweet.com/u604q






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Be sure the cloud service

agreement specifies service

time parameter maximums

and who is responsible for

disruptions.


this quote.




http://clicktotweet.com/Q9q5f

http://clicktotweet.com/Q9q5f






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Make sure your cloud provider

can archive emails in an

efficient and secure matter –

without additional charges.


this quote.




http://clicktotweet.com/f2pf1

http://clicktotweet.com/f2pf1






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Service Level Agreements

should address how the cloud

provider will protect your data

and include a “Right to Audit”.


this quote.




http://clicktotweet.com/zulF2

http://clicktotweet.com/zulF2






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Create provisions to get your

data back when/if necessary.

Predetermine what you can do

with it once you get it back.


this quote.




http://clicktotweet.com/2QOaD

http://clicktotweet.com/2QOaD






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If you choose a hybrid cloud

remember that local data will

still require backups and

software compatibility.


this quote.




http://clicktotweet.com/EedSe

http://clicktotweet.com/EedSe






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When moving to the cloud

make sure to have adequate

internet bandwidth and a

contingency line.


this quote.




http://clicktotweet.com/B6Z9a

http://clicktotweet.com/B6Z9a






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this quote.


operate your current system in

parallel for 2 weeks to reduce

the probability of data loss.




http://clicktotweet.com/5gB0e

http://clicktotweet.com/5gB0e






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this quote.


remember to migrate any

historical data to the new

system, if required.




http://clicktotweet.com/GIsO0

http://clicktotweet.com/GIsO0






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this quote.


Give yourself ample time to

plan out and test your

migration.




http://clicktotweet.com/kL6Ba

http://clicktotweet.com/kL6Ba






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this quote.

Know your cloud provider’s

record with uptime and transition

time, and get a guarantee with

some financial teeth.




http://clicktotweet.com/21x9e

http://clicktotweet.com/21x9e






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this quote.

Determine how you will control

which users are allowed to do

what in which cloud

applications.




http://clicktotweet.com/3MK9a

http://clicktotweet.com/3MK9a






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this quote.

Ask to test the cloud solution.

Send a note to customer service;

the promptness and helpfulness

will tell you a lot.




http://clicktotweet.com/j121d

http://clicktotweet.com/j121d






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this quote.

Ask: Are the applications you’ll

move to the cloud sensitive to

timing delays? Will you need to

limit streaming video?




http://clicktotweet.com/Ud_ay

http://clicktotweet.com/Ud_ay






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this quote.

Design a cloud implementation

plan. How to manage change,

training, etc. Ask the provider to

assist with the plan.




http://clicktotweet.com/G4Pah

http://clicktotweet.com/G4Pah






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Make sure the most tech-

illiterate can work in the cloud.

Have end-users test speed and

functionality before the

transition.


this quote.




http://clicktotweet.com/G1V_a

http://clicktotweet.com/G1V_a






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The best piece of advice that I

was given regarding cloud

computing is simply “get on

board or get left behind.”


this quote.




http://clicktotweet.com/e4ayc

http://clicktotweet.com/e4ayc






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Looking for more

cloud resources?

• Pros & Cons of Cloud Computing: http://info.isutility.com/cloudcomputing_prosandcons

• IT Cost Calculator: http://info.isutility.com/Cloudcomputingcalculator

• 9 Steps to Choosing a Cloud Vendor: http://info.isutility.com/HoustonITOutsourcingGuide

• Educational Webinar: 5 Steps to The Cloud: http://info.isutility.com/cloud-computing-webinar

• 10-Step Disaster Preparedness Plan & Template: http://info.isutility.com/disasterpreparedness

.



http://info.isutility.com/cloudcomputing_prosandcons



http://info.isutility.com/Cloudcomputingcalculator



http://info.isutility.com/HoustonITOutsourcingGuide



http://info.isutility.com/cloud-computing-webinar







http://info.isutility.com/disasterpreparedness

