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A managed cloud service handles the complexity of cloud-based IT infrastructure so that in-house teams can continue working towards their business goals. Businesses looking to scale their operations need increasingly sophisticated IT environments. Cloud computing allows teams to do exactly that, yet a decision still needs to be made over who manages the cloud environment; managed cloud service providers fill this gap.
What is a managed cloud service provider?
Managed cloud service providers wholly or partially manage the migration, maintenance and optimization of a cloud platform. Cloud infrastructures vary between private, public and hybrid cloud platforms and each requires a particular skill set to manage it depending on the goals of the platform. Managed cloud service providers work with their clients to decide which elements of the IT environment will be managed in-house and which will be outsourced to the managed service provider.
What are the benefits of a managed cloud service provider?
While cloud environments are designed to be intuitive, they can be difficult to manage when deployed at scale. The skillset needed to manage the cloud environment goes beyond the standard experience of an IT professional, which means a business will need to either:
- Hire an in-house team of cloud engineers to manage the business’ operating systems, networks, cloud storage, data privacy policies and the various tools needed as part of the overall infrastructure.
- Employ a managed cloud service partner to handle this process so the rest of the team can focus on the core activities that generate revenue for the business.
The main advantage of a managed cloud service provider is that they provide cutting-edge expertise without bloating a company’s payroll. The responsibilities of a cloud engineer are broad, covering both infrastructure and application-level support. These responsibilities include:
- Securing the cloud environment, ensuring that sensitive data can only be accessed by specified team members on specified devices and for specified durations of time.
- Ensuring compliance with local data regulations, such as GDPR and the CCPA.
- Monitoring systems and providing 24/7 helpdesk support.
- Optimising the performance of the cloud environment by proactively identifying issues and deploying improvements throughout the cloud solution lifecycle.
- Managing the applications provided from the cloud platform
- Facilitating data backup and disaster recovery protocols, especially for those key applications that do not backup their own data
The specialisms needed for managing a cloud environment in-house are expensive and difficult to recruit for. These specialisms also need to evolve constantly to keep up with the advancements in cloud technology, which can be difficult for an in-house IT team to do when balancing their other important responsibilities within the business. A managed cloud services provider allows enterprises to leverage cutting-edge expertise while maintaining a lean, cost-efficient business structure.
How do I choose a managed cloud service provider?
As businesses scale their operations, their cloud management needs also evolve. The ideal cloud managed services partner will deploy the most suitable cloud platform for your needs, balancing the performance of remote teams and ensuring reliable access to sensitive data while complying with all relevant regulatory requirements.
Data privacy considerations for managed cloud
This is an area that few cloud service providers address. Data privacy must be a core component of every business’ workflow, especially businesses that serve customers across multiple territories. The perfect managed cloud services provider will secure sensitive data before, during and after a cloud migration to keep it in the hands of only those who are authorised to access it, and ensure continuous adherence to data security best practice, data governance policies and industry regulations, and data privacy laws.
Calligo is a privacy-led managed cloud service provider working with enterprises across the globe. As a next-generation cloud service provider, we go beyond the traditional managed services and offer ongoing, unbiased guidance on all aspects of cloud environments, including the total safety of your data. Calligo’s expertise includes everything from public cloud, hybrid and multi-cloud platforms delivered on Microsoft Azure to its own multi-jurisdiction public cloud platform CloudCore.
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