Server Shopping: What You Need to Know

If you've ever considered implementing a cloud server into your office processes, you know it is a daunting task. Without an IT background, the terminology alone is intimidating enough to make you forget about it. Luckily, I sat down with our resident AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, Ian Schaefer, to learn about the best way to set up a cloud network.

How can a cloud server revolutionize a business?

Ian: By decentralizing data and making it accessible everywhere, your team can succeed from any location. In the construction industry, especially, this is extremely important because most of the work happens outside the office and (usually) away from the server. Using a cloud server allows you to eliminate a substantial amount of overhead within any company – eliminate the cost computers, tech support visits, downtime from travel to and from the office, possibly even eliminating the need for an office entirely!

What are some different reasons for implementing a cloud server into your business?

Ian: There are a number of reasons companies look to move to the cloud. Unlike some of the goals, companies may need to relieve some of the pains of being anchored to one location or might wish to move away from older, more expensive physical hardware. Some companies will also look to move to the cloud due to the high cost of IT – departments built to manage networks, hardware, database, etc. become obsolete when you move your company to a managed cloud solution.

How should someone evaluate providers?

Ian: This is an interesting question because different companies provide different resources, so this will vary pretty heavily depending on your needs. Some of the most important metrics I use, though, include speed, reliability, availability (up-time), and support. Also, it is important to be upfront with the provider when evaluating your products – some hosting companies are built for managing data or files while others provide computing power (cloud computers), so it's important to be clear about what you want and expect so provides can be up front with offers.