Buyers Guide To Cloud

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Buyer’s
Guidecloud Solutions

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From the server room to the board room, there is a lot of talk about “the
cloud” — and for good reason. The cloud offers organizations — and their
information technology (IT) staffs, in particular — a number of important
benefits ranging from increased efficiencies to scalability. Taking advantage
of these benefits requires understanding the various cloud models available
and how they can best meet your organization’s specific needs.
This guide provides information to help you do that, including an overview
of cloud characteristics, deployment models and service models. Also
included are evaluation criteria to help in selecting cloud services that can
best meet your organization’s needs and in assessing prospective cloud
service providers (CSPs) that can deliver what you need, when you need
it, the way you need it.
Intro

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Understanding the realm of cloud computing
is not an easy task as the cloud represents
a large ecosystem of diverse models and
technologies that are quickly changing as
the industry advances. People are making
up vocabulary along the way, and new
cloud solutions seem to be introduced
almost daily.
One way to understand the “cloud” is
to start with the definition outlined by
the National Institute of Standards and
Technology (NIST). It attempts to encompass
all of the various cloud approaches and
provides a baseline understanding of the
concepts and components involved. In Cloud
Computing Synopsis and Recommendations
(Special Publication 800-146), the NIST
defines the “cloud” (also known as cloud
computing) as:
“… a model for enabling convenient,
on-demand network access to a shared
pool of configurable computing resources
(for example, networks, servers, storage,
applications and services) that can be
rapidly provisioned and released with
minimal management effort or service
provider interaction.”1
From an IT infrastructure perspective, the
cloud is similar to shared hosting. Computing
resources such as servers, storage and
networks are shared across multiple tenants
and over a remote connection. However, the
NIST calls out an important difference.
The cloud is not a place or a technology. It is
a usage model or philosophy that provides a
way to transform business practices.
Rather than making an up-front investment in
IT infrastructure, a company can draw on IT
services that are delivered as a service over
a third-party managed network, typically
the Internet. The company is then charged
based on what it uses (like a utility), on
a subscription basis or on a reservation
system, which ensures access to resources
when needed. The costs shift from capital
expenditures to operating expenditures.
What the Cloud Is and Isn’t

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The cloud can be further defined by specific characteristics. The NIST lists out five it
considers to be essential. However, all of these attributes may not be included in every
cloud solution. They include:
• On-demand self-service. On-demand
self-service combines a service catalog
and self-service portal to provide users
with access, when needed, to a set
of standardized cloud services and
options. A consumer can unilaterally
provision computing capabilities, such
as server time and network storage, as
needed automatically without requiring
human interaction with each service
provider.2
• Broad network access. Capabilities are
available over a network and accessed
through standard mechanisms that
promote use by heterogeneous thin or
thick client platforms (e.g. mobile phones,
tablets, laptops, and workstations).3
The
network can be public (the Internet) or
private (dedicated lines or Multiprotocol
Label Switching [MPLS] infrastructure,
for example). Response-time guarantees
depend upon this connectivity.
Some cloud service providers offer
dedicated links to their data centers
and provide appropriate service
level agreements (SLAs) for uptime or
response time. Others might implement
a best-effort guarantee for uptime or
response time, and provide tools for
monitoring application performance
and response time, so that users can
plan their bandwidth needs.
• Resource pooling. The cloud services
provider’s computing resources are
pooled to serve multiple consumers
using a multi-tenant model, with
Cloud Characteristics

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Cloud Characteristics
different physical and virtual resources
dynamically assigned and reassigned
according to consumer demand. There is
a sense of location independence in that
the customer generally has no control
or knowledge over the exact location
of the provided resources but may be
able to specify location at a higher
level of abstraction (e.g., country, state,
or datacenter). Examples of resources
include storage, processing, memory,
and network bandwidth.4
• Rapid elasticity. Capabilities can be
rapidly and elastically provisioned,
in some cases automatically, to
scale rapidly outward and inward
commensurate with demand. To the
consumer, the capabilities available
for provisioning often appear to be
unlimited and can be appropriated in
any quantity at any time.5
• Measured service. Cloud systems
automatically control and optimize
resource use by leveraging a metering
capability at some level of abstraction
appropriate to the type of service (e.g.,
storage, processing, bandwidth, and
active user accounts). Resource usage
can be monitored, controlled, and
reported, providing transparency for
both the provider and consumer of the
utilized service.6

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Another characteristic commonly associated with the cloud is “virtualization.” In the
IT world, virtualization is the creation of a virtual machine (VM) in which to execute
workloads. Virtualization software is used to run multiple VMs on a single physical
server to provide the same functions as multiple physical machines.
Known as a hypervisor, this virtualization software performs the abstraction of the
hardware to the individual VMs. It slips between the physical machine hardware
and a guest operating system, and gives the illusion that it is running directly on the
hardware. The hypervisor can create this illusion for multiple guests at the same time,
allowing multiple VMs to share the same physical hardware. Management software
can operate in concert with the hypervisor to provide advanced features such as VM
migration, load balancing or disaster recovery.
Cloud environments can leverage virtualization as the basis for running services.
The consolidation provided by virtualization, along with provisioning automation,
creates a high level of utilization and reuse, ultimately yielding a very effective use
of capital equipment.
The virtualization factor
6

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In addition to possessing specific characteristics, the cloud is classified by how it
is deployed. The most common classifications are public, private, community and
hybrid. The different deployment models each present a number of advantages and
disadvantages associated with the scale, cost and availability of cloud resources.
(See the Cloud Deployment Models Comparison Chart that follows this section for
more information.)
Public cloud. In a public cloud, sometimes
called a multi-tenant or enterprise cloud,
the infrastructure is made available to the
general public or a large group. It may
be owned, operated and managed by a
business that provides cloud services, an
academic organization, a government
organization or by some combination
of these organizations. A public cloud
exists on the premises of the organization
providing the cloud services.
Often referred to as utility computing,
a public cloud enables consumers to
use computing resources as they would
a utility. They pay only for what they
use, and get the impression of unlimited
capacity, available on demand. They
trust the cloud provider will maintain
the necessary infrastructure to run their
applications and provide the requested
service at their required Service Level
Agreement (SLA).
Private cloud. Also referred to as an
internal or single-tenant cloud, a private
cloud is deployed for the exclusive use of
a single organization. It is accessed from
behind the organization’s existing firewall.
A private cloud may be owned, managed
Cloud Deployment models

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Cloud Deployment models
and operated by the organization, a third
party or both. It can also exist on premise
or off premise.
When a third party manages it, it is called
a managed private cloud. When it is hosted
and operated off premises, it is called a
hosted private cloud. Among the reasons
companies may choose a private cloud are:
• To leverage existing hardware
investments. Consolidated IT resources,
automation, self-service and better
integrated management tools also
reduce total costs and operating
expenses.
• Concerns about data security and
issues of trust if multiple organizations
were sharing the same resources.
• A preference or need for exclusive
use of hardware to handle specific
workloads or to obtain higher
availability of systems and applications
during specific times.
Community cloud. The infrastructure of
a community cloud is shared by several
organizations and supports a specific
community that has shared concerns, such
as security requirements and policy and
compliance considerations. It may be
owned, operated and managed by the
one or more of the organizations, a third
party and or some combination of them.
Like a private cloud, a community cloud
can exist on premise or off premise.
Hybrid cloud. Like its name suggests, a
hybrid cloud combines two or more cloud
types (private, community or public) that
remain distinct but share technologies that
enable porting of data and applications
from one to the other. Companies that use
hybrid clouds typically have the security
features and customization options of a
private cloud but can still take advantage
of the scalability and cost-effectiveness of
a public cloud. Businesses may use certain
applications in a public cloud and then
migrate them to a private cloud as their
needs change.
The phrase “federated cloud” is sometimes
used interchangeably with “hybrid cloud.”
A federated cloud is a combination of
several internal and external clouds that
are put together to meet specific needs.
While federated cloud has been around
longer, hybrid cloud is becoming the more
popular term to use.

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In addition to the aforementioned cloud
deployment models, you may also
encounter “specialty” clouds. These are
not cloud deployment models, but rather
clouds that have been created to meet
specific needs. They typically employ one
of the four primary deployment models
specified by the NIST.
For example, a number of companies
offer what are called disaster recovery
clouds or simply recovery clouds. These
are cloud solutions devised for disaster
recovery purposes. There are also
production clouds, which are structured
and marketed to specifically to handle
production workloads. Production
workloads typically require a cloud
environment that can deliver compliance-
grade performance and security.
Still others are marketed based on
their ability to meet various regulatory
requirements, such as a PCI DSS cloud
(marketed to companies that handle
credit card data) or a HIPAA-compliant
cloud (marketed to companies in the
healthcare sector that must meet HIPAA/
HITECH requirements.
In addition, there are “branded” cloud
services that are simply branded in a
certain way for marketing purposes. A good
example is “Creative Cloud,” a subscription
service from Adobe®
that gives users
access to a collection of software for graphic
design video editing, web development,
photography and cloud services.
Yet another cloud type you’re likely to
hear much more about in the near future
is the intercloud. It is often defined as
an “interconnected global cloud of
clouds.” In simple terms, it is the idea
of interoperability between clouds. Both
the IEEE and NIST have been involved
in developing standards to support the
concept, including defining topology,
functions and governance for cloud-to-
cloud interoperability and federation.
The other clouds

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The following provides an at-a-glance comparison of the four primary cloud
deployment models.
Public Cloud,
AKA Enterprise Cloud
or Multi-tenant Cloud
Private Cloud,
AKA Internal or
Single-tenant Cloud
Community Cloud Hybrid Cloud
In a public cloud, the
infrastructure is made
available to the general
public or a large group.
A private cloud is
deployed exclusively or
a single organization. It
is accessed from behind
the organization’s exist-
ing firewall.
A community cloud is a
hybrid form of private
cloud shared by several
organizations that have
common concerns, such
as security requirements
or compliance
considerations.
A hybrid cloud
combines two or
more cloud models to
create a customized
solution based on
business needs. The
infrastructures remain
distinct but share
technologies that enable
porting of data and
applications.
Whose Cloud is It?
It may be owned, oper-
ated and managed by
a company or other
organization (like the
government) or by a
cloud services provider.
Whose Cloud is It?
The community cloud
may be jointly owned
by the community mem-
bers or by a third-party
cloud provider that pro-
visions a public cloud
with limited access.
Whose Cloud Is It?
It may be owned,
operated and managed
by one or more (or all)
of the organizations
or a cloud services
provider.
Whose Cloud Is It?
It can be owned,
operated and managed
by a company or
organization, by a
third-party provider or
by some combination
of both.
Where Does It Live?
A public cloud exists
on the premises of the
organization providing
the cloud services.
Where Does It Live?
A private cloud can
exist on premise or off
premise.
Where Does It Live?
A community cloud can
premise.
Where Does It Live?
A hybrid cloud can
premise or both.
Cloud comparison chart

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Public Cloud,
Private Cloud,
AKA Internal or
Single-tenant Cloud
Who Wants or Needs It?
• You want to expand
your testing or
development
environment.
• You need the ability
to scale compute
resources up and
down, often quickly.
• Your standardized
workload for
applications is used
by a lot of people.
• You are doing
collaboration
projects.
• You want to leverage
existing hardware
investments.
• You have concerns
about data security
and issues of
trust if multiple
organizations were
sharing the same
resources.
• You prefer or need
exclusive use of
hardware to handle
certain workloads
or to obtain higher
availability of systems
and applications
during specific times.
• You need robust
data segmentation
capabilities.
• You are in a group
of trade associations,
non-profits or other
organizations with
similar security, legal
and compliance
issues. For example,
you could be part of
a group of healthcare
organizations that
require a HIPAA-
compliant cloud
environment.
• You want to test-
drive some high-end
security products or
test out some features
of a public cloud
environment. Instead
of provisioning space
in a public cloud,
you can work on a
cloud platform that is
secure, “dedicated”
and even compliant
with certain
regulations.
• You want to provide
the public cloud to
your customers but
use a private cloud
for internal IT.
• Your company offers
services tailored
for different vertical
markets. You can
use a public cloud
to interact with the
clients but keep their
data secured within
a private cloud.
• You need to store
sensitive information
and mission-critical
processes in a private
cloud, and non-
critical information
and processes in the
public cloud, or to use
different cloud models
for disaster recovery.
• You want to migrate
your applications
between cloud
environments as
your needs change.

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Public Cloud,
Private Cloud,
AKA Internal or
Single-tenant Cloud
Advantages
A public cloud doesn’t
require a huge upfront
investment. It can be
deployed quickly and
offers tremendous
economies of scale.
You can operate on a
low-cost, pay-as-you-go
model or a reservation
model.
Advantages
The private cloud offers
tight security controls,
customization and
scale-up potential.
Advantages
Economics of scale are
realized as multiple
organizations partner
together. But unlike with
a public cloud, you
have complete control
over which companies
are sharing resources
with you.
A community cloud also
presents the opportunity
for knowledge sharing
between organizations,
as data is housed in the
same area.
Advantages
Hybrid clouds
typically have the
security features and
customization options
of a private cloud
but take advantage
of the scalability and
cost-effectiveness of a
public cloud.
By spreading things
out over a hybrid
cloud, you keep each
aspect of your business
in the most efficient
environment possible.
“Cloud bursting”
allows you to run an
application runs in a
private cloud but “burst”
to a public cloud when
demand increases.

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Public Cloud,
Private Cloud,
AKA Internal or
Single-tenant Cloud
Disadvantages
You may sacrifice some
control over visibility
and data security in
exchange for better
efficiencies. It may not
best option if you deal
with highly sensitive or
regulated information.
Disadvantages
Private clouds are more
expensive than public
clouds.
If you’re creating one
on your own, you’ll
need a significant level
and degree of engage-
ment to virtualize the
business environment.
Disadvantages
Your challenges
will include the
allocation of costs
and responsibilities,
governance and
security.
Multiple users and
access points must
remain under tight
control. Don’t store
private or proprietary
information in a
community cloud as
others may be able to
access it.
Disadvantages
You have to keep track
of multiple cloud security
platforms and ensure
that all aspects of your
business can communi-
cate with each other.
Getting a hybrid
cloud project off the
ground means dealing
with migration and
integration challenges.
Working with individual
applications in hybrid
cloud management can
be complex

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• IaaS. The IaaS model provides network
access to processing, storage, networks
and other traditional computing
resources that allow the customer to
deploy and run arbitrary software. The
customer does not manage or control
the underlying cloud infrastructure but
has control over operating systems,
storage, deployed applications;
and possibly limited control of select
networking components (e.g., host
firewalls).7
In simple terms, IaaS offers the raw
computing, storage and network
infrastructure so that customers can load
their own software, including operating
systems and applications, on to this
infrastructure. IaaS providers typically
supply resources on-demand from their
large resource pools installed in data
centers. For wide-area connectivity,
customers can use either the Internet or
dedicated virtual private networks.
IaaS offers the greatest degree of
control of the three models with scaling
and elasticity the responsibility of the
customer. Pricing is typically on a usage
or reservation basis.
• PaaS. The PaaS model provides a
software platform on which users can
build their own applications while
hosting them on the PaaS provider’s
infrastructure. The software platform is
used as a development framework to
build, debug and deploy applications.
It often provides middleware-style
services such as database and
component services for use by
applications. With this model, the
customer does not manage or control
the underlying cloud infrastructure
including network, servers, operating
systems, or storage, but has control
over the deployed applications
and possibly application hosting
environment configurations.8
Another area of confusion regarding the cloud is the variety of cloud service delivery
models available. Again, the NIST has set some definitions in place to help distinguish
the three most common cloud service delivery models: Infrastructure as a Service
(IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Software as a Service (SaaS).
Service Models

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PaaS is a true cloud model in that
applications do not need to worry
about the scalability of the underlying
hardware and software. When
enterprises write their application to
run over the PaaS provider’s software
platform, the elasticity and scalability
is guaranteed transparently by the
PaaS platform.
• SaaS. In the SaaS model, cloud
providers install and operate application
software in the cloud. The application is
licensed to customers (single or multiple)
either as a service-on-demand, through
a subscription, in a “pay-as-you-go”
model, or at no charge when there is
opportunity to generate revenue from
streams other than the user.
Cloud users then access the software
from cloud clients. The cloud users do
not manage the cloud infrastructure
and platform on which the application
is running. This eliminates the need to
install and run the application on their
computers, simplifying maintenance
and support. The customer does not
manage or control the underlying cloud
infrastructure but does have control over
operating systems, storage, deployed
applications; and possibly limited
control of select networking components
(e.g., host firewalls).9
SaaS saves the complexity of software
installation, maintenance, upgrades and
patches for a company’s IT team because
the software is managed centrally at the
SaaS provider’s facilities. Monitoring
application delivery performance is
the responsibility of the SaaS provider.
The pricing for the SaaS model is
typically on a per-user basis for a fixed
bandwidth and storage.
Service Models

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• Network as a service (NaaS). NaaS
provides cloud users with network/
transport connectivity services and/or
inter-cloud network connectivity services.
Services include flexible and extended
VPN and bandwidth on demand.
• Communications as a Service (CaaS).
CaaS is an outsourced enterprise
communications solution that can
be leased from a single vendor.
Communications can include voice
over IP (VoIP), instant messaging (IM)
and collaboration and videoconference
applications using fixed and mobile
devices. The CaaS provider is
responsible for all hardware and
software management and offers
guaranteed Quality of Service (QoS).
CaaS allows businesses to selectively
deploy communications devices and
modes on a pay-as-you-go, as-needed
basis. This approach eliminates the
large capital investment and ongoing
overhead for a system whose capacity
may often exceed or fall short of
current demand.
With new technologies and business
needs emerging, a number of other cloud
service models are taking shape as well.
Stay tuned for more information on service
models such as:
• Network as a service (NaaS)
• Disaster Recovery as a Service (DraaS)
• Storage as a service (STaaS)
• Security as a service (SECaaS)
• Desktop as a service (DaaS)
• Database as a service (DBaaS)
• Test environment as a service (TEaaS)
• API as a service (APIaaS)
• Backend as a service (BaaS)
• Integrated development environment as
a service (IDEaaS)
• Integration platform as a service (IPaaS)
New Service Models
While IaaS, PaaS and SaaS are the most common models, in 2012 two additional cloud
service models were officially named as basic cloud computing models by the International
Telecommunication Union (ITU), is a specialized agency of the United Nations that is
responsible for issues that concern information and communication technologies.10
They are:

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Just as there are different cloud
deployment and service models, there
are different ways of billing for cloud
services. Each CSP also can have its
own variation on these billing models.
The two most common billing models,
particularly for IaaS, are utility billing
and reservation billing.
With utility billing, also referred to as “pay
as you go billing,” the customer only pays
for the resources used, similar to how
customers are charged for using electricity,
water or other utilities. The main idea of
this pricing configuration is to pay for the
actual use with no other commitments.
Among the disadvantages of this model
is that usage rates often quickly exceed
planning parameters, so IT departments
can be hit with a huge, unexpected bill.
With the reservation billing model,
often referred to as the “use it or lose it”
model, a customer pays for the reserved
resources regardless of use. The resources
are always there for the customer’s usage.
The reservation billing model requires a
long-term commitment but offers discounts
based on various factors.
As with the entire cloud ecosystem, cloud
billing models will continue to change to
meet the needs of both customers and CSPs.
Billing Models

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• Availability
• Performance
• Disaster recovery expectations
• Access to the data
• Change management processes
• Dispute resolution processes
Service Level Agreements
One of the most important aspects of the cloud is the Service Level Agreement
(SLA). The SLA sets the expectation for how cloud resources will be delivered and
guarantees that the expectation will be met for uptime and reliability. It creates a
strong initial set of ground rules, and plan for exceptions from the start. This includes
the minimum acceptable level of service that must be maintained in worst case
scenarios.
The SLA also serves as a tool for protecting the stability of the service, protecting the
assets of the customer and minimizing expenses should drastic measures be required.
A comprehensive, well thought through SLA will typically specify the following:

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Security
• PCI DSS compliant cloud infrastructure
• HIPAA-compliant cloud infrastructure
• Other regulatory requirements (specify)
• Routine, comprehensive audits and risk
assessment for customer data
• Control access to your cloud resources
at a granular level
• Integration with your existing identity
and access management systems
• Use of a multi-factor authentication
when accessing cloud resources
• Dedicated, hardware-based key
management
Infrastructure
• Ability to deploy applications close to
your customers
• Ability to maintain and ensure data
locality
• Fast downloads and lower latency
connections for your customers
• Applications immediately accessible
during outages with low latency
Selecting the right cloud
There are numerous considerations for determining what kind of
cloud deployment and service model makes the most sense for
your organization. Chief among them are your organization’s
business requirements. In addition, you’ll need to assess how
critical your various applications and data are, what kind of
workloads you’ll be running in the cloud and any regulatory
requirements your might have.
Review the deployment and service models previously discussed, along with the
information on billing models and service level agreements. The Cloud Comparison
Chart will also serve as a good resource.
Next, use the following capabilities list to further assess your requirements for a cloud
service. While not all inclusive, it will provide a starting point for determining what
you need.

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Compute
• General-purpose compute instances
• Compute-optimized instances
• Memory-optimized instances
• Storage-optimized instances
• Micro instances
• GPU instances
• Resize instances at any time
• Self provisioning
• Billing – pay as you go, subscription,
reserved or other
• The freedom to access 100,000s of
cores, only when you need them
• Easily assign static public IP addresses
to your instances
• Control your IP networking
configuration
• Create multiple private and public
subnets
• Attach multiple network interfaces to
compute resources
• Control traffic to and from your
compute resources at a granular level
• Hardware-based virtual private
networking connection to cloud
resources
• High-speed, low-latency, private,
dedicated connectivity between
on-premises and cloud infrastructure
• Automatically scale up or down to
meet customer demand
• Deploy applications in physically
separate locations
• Automatically balance variable
request loads
• An operating system designed for
the cloud
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server
• Ubuntu Server
• Run Windows Server in the cloud
• Run Microsoft SQL Server in the cloud
• Oracle Databases and middleware
• Microsoft business applications
• Microsoft license mobility
• Powerful multi-core processors
• High speed interconnects
• Physical proximity between instances

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• Obtain information about the health
of your instances
• Deploy to hardware dedicated only
to you
Storage
• Highly durable storage for all types of
data
• Archival storage for infrequently
accessed data
• Versioning
• Multi-factor delete
• Encryption
• Time-limited access to objects
• Audit logs
• Define policies to delete old data, or
move to archival storage
• Cost control
• Back up your data to the cloud
automatically
• Corporate file sharing integrated with
the cloud
• Direct attached, ephemeral storage
• Persistent storage
• Persistent storage, with provisioned I/O
performance
• Durable snapshots
Content Delivery
• Deliver your website content to users
with low latency
• Deliver software or large files to end users
• Deliver streaming of pre-recorded
media, progressive download or events
to end users
• Control which users can access content
Database
• Managed Microsoft SQL Server
Database
• Managed MySQL Database
• Managed Oracle Database
• Managed PostgreSQL Database
• Provisioned I/O throughput
• Easy scaling
• High availability
• Read replicas
• Bring your own licensing
• Flexible pricing options
• Security and compliance
• Managed non-relational database
• Throughput based automatic
provisioning
• Built-in high availability
• Managed in-memory cache
• Petabyte-scale managed data
warehouse service
• Easily resize your data warehouse
• Fast query performance regardless of
the size of your data set
• Security and Compliance
• Use the tools you are already familiar with

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Application Services
• Managed search service
• Managed queuing service
• Managed notification service
• Managed workflow service
• Bulk email delivery
• Media transcoding
• Managed application streaming
Deployment and Management
• Deploy infrastructure with templates
• Container-based deployment
• Application lifecycle management
• Built-in monitoring tools with alerts
• Consistent management tools
Development
• IDE integration
• SDKs for the languages you use
Support
• 24/7/365 technical support
• Regular, actionable guidance on how
to optimize cloud infrastructure and
reduce costs
• Direct channels of communication and
support for launches and major events
Integration with Existing Infrastructure
• Control your IP networking
configuration
• Create multiple private and public
subnets
• Highly durable automatic data
replication, and recovery
• Move large amounts of data to and
from the cloud cost-effectively with
portable storage devices
• Easily import virtual machines into the
cloud
• Hardware-based virtual private
networking connection to cloud
resources
• High speed, low latency, private,
dedicated connectivity between on-
premises and cloud infrastructure

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Big Data
• Managed Hadoop workloads
• Dynamic resizing for Hadoop clusters
• A choice of Hadoop distributions
• Analytics in your choice of language
• Established and growing analytics
ecosystem
• Managed non-relational database
• Petabyte-scale managed data
warehouse service
• Durable storage for large data volumes
• Query all your data
• Integration across your data formats
• Unlimited scale NoSQL data stores
• High performance from solid state drives
• Arbitrarily complex data processing
workflows
• Easy integration across multiple big
data services
• Low cost, high performance data
warehousing
• Easy integration with the ETL and
business intelligence software you
already use
• Low latency, high bandwidth
networking
• Public datasets in the cloud
• Real-time processing of streaming data

24
Choosing the right cloud service provider
(CSP) can be just as important as selecting
the right cloud services. Think of the
relationship with a CSP as partnership.
You want to choose a partner that
you can trust and that will be able to
accommodate your needs — even if
they change. Due diligence is a must.
Make sure you understand what your
business requirements are before seeking out
CSPs that can meet them. Don’t just sign with
the first one that meets your requirements.
If you are not sure where to start, consider
using a Gartner magic quadrant as starting
points for compiling a list of prospective
CSPs. Gartner magic quadrants are a
culmination of research in a specific market
— such as cloud-enabled hosting — and
offer a broad view of the relative positions
of the market’s competitors. By applying
a graphical treatment and consistent
evaluation criteria, a magic quadrant can
help you quickly assess how well various
providers are executing against their stated
visions.
You can also consult any of the
numerous Internet resources and industry
publications out there. Keep in mind,
however, that most of these will tend to
focus on the big name players in the cloud
industry. In many cases, the less well
known CSPs may be better aligned with
your needs.
Once you’ve compiled your preliminary
list of CSPs, compile a list of key
questions and interview them as if they
were applying for a job. How long have
they been in business? Do they undergo
standard industry audits? What security
processes do they have in place? Don’t be
afraid to ask hard questions.
Depending on how your organization
typically procures professional services,
it may make sense to create and send
out a request for proposals (RFP). Be sure
to involve your IT staff and IT security
professionals in developing the RFP and
in reviewing the proposals submitted.
Whether you go the RFP route or not, get
references. Tour CSPs’ facilities if possible.
Ask to see documentation of certifications,
audits and various processes. There’s a lot
of hype in the marketplace. Cut through it
by insisting on proof to back up any claims.
Choose wisely
24

25
Learn More About Cloud Services
Peak 10 can help you learn even more about the cloud, including how the cloud can help
your business operate, maintain and improve operations; enhance technology planning;
manage capital and operational finance and even meet regulatory requirements. Request
a free cloud consultation at peak10.com or call as at 866.473.2510.
Sources
1
http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-146/sp800-146.pdf
2
3
Ibid
4
5
Ibid
6
Ibid
7
8
Ibid
9
Ibid
10
http://www.itu.int/en/Pages/default.aspx
Choose Wisely
25

26
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