Here are five criteria that can help you decide.

• Determine what is important for your enterprise and see which cloud service provider offers what you need. For instance, if security is key to you, identify a cloud service provider with an ISO 27001 certification.
• Check if the platform provider’s cloud architecture, standards, and services suit your application environment and workload preferences. Check if you will have to engage in some re-coding or customization. Note how much support you will receive from the platform provider for migrating your application.
• Data governance and security are increasing in importance. Check where your data is stored and the local laws it is subject to. Also, review the platform providers’ data loss and breach notification processes and ensure they are aligned with your organization’s regulatory obligations.
•  Review the cloud service providers’ contracts, SLAs, and commercials. These need to be clear and transparent. Some cloud service providers use a lot of jargon in their documents. Spend the necessary time to review these documents as they could have long-term impacts on your business. Also, review the pricing and packages on offer and choose the best one for you. Providers offer SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS pricing models, which are based on your consumption of their resources.
• Support for migration, vendor lock-in, and exit planning is another set of aspects you need to review before you finalize your cloud service provider. Good providers make it easy for you to transition out of their platform. You are locked in when you are using proprietary software that is not available with a competitor. The cloud provider may also have lock-in clauses in the contract. Avoid a lock-in by ensuring you use minimum proprietary applications. Instead, select value-added services that have comparable alternatives.

While the cloud offers small and medium-size businesses tremendous benefits, choosing the right cloud platform can be a complex process. The market is flooded with options, and only those working in the area are well acquainted with the fine print.

Are you looking to migrate to the cloud? Reach out to us at Navabrind IT Solutions. We have significant expertise in cloud services for e-commerce. We have implemented several cloud solutions for clients in the retail industry and have deployed solutions on Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services, and Google Cloud. Mail us to know more about our offerings, or to fix up a call.

With over a decade of expertise in e-commerce solutions, we also help small and medium e-commerce businesses deploy Magento, Odoo ERP and integrate them with your Pimcore solution. We have also helped B2B and B2C clients in the US, Europe, and India with mobile apps, cloud solutions, complex customizations, and have software developers you can hire.