Security and compliance: Ensure the provider offers robust security measures like encryption, access controls, and regular security audits. Verify their compliance with relevant industry standards and regulations specific to your business.
Scalability and flexibility: Choose a provider that can scale resources (storage, compute power) horizontally or vertically seamlessly to meet fluctuating demands. Look for flexible service options and pricing models that adapt to your requirements.
Cost-effectiveness: Cloud costs can vary. Evaluate pricing models (pay-as-you-go vs. fixed) and understand the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), including data transfer, storage, and support fees. Compare offerings across providers to find the best value for your budget, calculate your cloud ROI, and usage patterns.
Reliability and performance: Downtime can disrupt your business. Prioritize providers with a proven track record of high uptime and reliable performance. Consider service level agreements (SLAs) that guarantee specific performance metrics.
Data residency and sovereignty: Data location can be critical for compliance. Identify data residency requirements for your industry or region. Select a provider with data centers located in compliant geographical areas.