Choosing the right cloud provider to suit your needs

We all know that cloud services are becoming pivotal to futureproofing a business. They’re easy, affordable, (mostly) secure, reliable, resilient and scalable. The chances are pretty good that your business is already invested in some kind of cloud technology, but if you’re looking to finally take the leap, or simply looking to move some services to the cloud, we’d like to offer some advice to help you decide who to entrust your data to.

Too much choice?

We believe there are actually quite a few things to consider before entering a partnership with a cloud service provider. From the obvious reputation, storage capacity, and pricing – to the marginally less considered data security, terms of contract, cloud deployment, and ease of use. Choosing the right cloud solution provider for your business can be tricky, but we see that as a positive thing. In the past, it was easy to simply pick one of the big names, like Microsoft Azure, AWS, or Google Cloud.

This was known as the ‘cloud first’ movement, where many businesses looked at the big three and chose the one they preferred - sometimes with pricing in mind. Competition for your business has brought additional major players into consideration, including HP, IBM, Cisco, Egnyte, SAP, and Oracle Cloud.

Other vendors like Adobe, Workday, Dell, and Salesforce, along with hundreds of smaller cloud technology providers, are more than capable of delivering reliable cloud services.

Why is all this choice a positive thing?

Beyond competitive pricing and increased options, you can make your cloud vendor selection based on what matters most to your business. Being a customer of a large corporation can feel impersonal - sometimes like your voice isn’t heard. With so many cloud providers UK available, those days are over.

Selection criteria

We believe data security should come before reputation and pricing – though realistically, it’s often considered alongside them. Before you start, clearly define what you’re comparing each cloud service provider against. Identify what you want to host in the cloud, whether it’s infrastructure, company or customer data, everyday applications, or development environments. Check if any laws, regulations, or compliance requirements apply to hosting your data.

Next, conduct a risk assessment before moving your services to the cloud. This could be a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA), a discussion with stakeholders, or a pros and cons list. Determine what you want to see from a managed cloud service provider to mitigate risks, and assess vendors based on their ability to manage those risks – not just features.

Resilience is another critical factor for any cloud services provider. You want a partner that is adaptable, predictable, and self-healing, with strong redundancy measures.

Cloud technology  is not impervious to attack or excluded from misfortune, system failures or mishaps as a result of human error. My father always told me never to trust a man that hasn’t made a mistake but rather those who have been burned and have learned a lesson. Don’t research whether a vendor has had a breach, research what they did afterward having one!

Transparency is key. If your cloud solution provider isn’t open or accessible, how can you trust them when something goes wrong?

Jurisdiction is increasingly important. Where is your data stored? Certain sectors require data to remain in-country. If not, data residency and localisation are your choice. Trusted cloud data storage providers should confirm where your data is held and that it isn’t replicated elsewhere.

Final considerations

Other important factors when choosing a cloud service provider include:

▪️Certifications and standards

▪️Third-party access to your data

▪️Contracts and Service Level Agreements (SLAs)

▪️Financial stability of the vendor

▪️Hybrid cloud capabilities

We hope this helps you find the right cloud solution provider for your business. Feel free to contact our team for advice. We offer managed cloud services through partnerships with leading providers like Microsoft Azure and Egnyte, with whom we have strong, trusted relationships.

Learn More About Cloud Services

updated November 2025