When deciding to adopt an Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) model and move resources out of the data center and into the cloud, it’s easy to assume that the cloud provider’s security and stability are nothing to worry about. After all, that’s the business they’re in, why wouldn’t everything be top-notch? While you may be right, it’s still crucial to evaluate your current San Diego cloud service provider to make sure your data and your business’ longevity are safe. Here are four important questions you need to ask your cloud company right away.

1. Is my infrastructure shared or private?
   Not all hosting is created equal. Providers can cut costs and offer lower rates through shared hosting, where customers’ systems exist on the same infrastructure. While this is good for the bottom line, it’s not ideal from a security standpoint. If your cloud service sits on shared infrastructure and you’re concerned about security, ask what provisions they make for segmenting data, and consider moving to private infrastructure if their answers are not satisfactory.
2. How are your financials?
   If you didn’t vet your cloud provider’s financial records during the onboarding process, it’s not too late to do so. While some cloud companies are established and solvent, others may be just getting by. The last thing you need is for your hosted infrastructure to disappear overnight due to your provider hitting a financial snag.
3. What about your security and controls?
   This is one question that encompasses a range of areas. While it’s hard to cover every single area where security is a concern, our San Diego IT support specialists share a few key places to look. Which cloud company employees have access to your data? Are employees screened and bonded? What are the cloud facility’s security measures, both physical and data-related? What security certifications does the provider possess and how often are their procedures audited?
4. What are your SLA’s?
   What uptime guarantees does the cloud provider offer? More importantly, what forms of remediation are offered if the provider can’t uphold their SLA’s? The best, cheapest and most secure cloud platform is still no good if it’s frequently offline and you have no recourse.

Have other questions about cloud service for your business? No problem! Call (760) 650-3300 and an experienced and friendly IT consultant from Syndeo Communications will be more than happy to help. We provide IT consulting San Diego companies trust and a wide range of comprehensive services that can be tailored to your needs. We look forward to hearing from you.