It’s no mystery that the world over an increasing number of organizations is using cloud computing to support their network infrastructure in a decisive shift from their legacy physical network infrastructure. There is a surge in cloud-native application development as well as in the development and usage of tools that help legacy applications become cloud-compatible.   However, while you may be ready as an organization to move your on-premise network infrastructure to the cloud and enjoy the many benefits, chances are that unless you’re into the technology business, your teams may not be skilled nor equipped enough to integrate cloud application and services with your existing processes. It thus makes sense to hire a managed cloud services provider who will guide you through the entire process of cloud implementation and manage your cloud infrastructure remotely as an ongoing engagement. Outsourcing your cloud infrastructure management to a managed cloud services provider will allow you to focus on your core business processes while reaping all the advantages of the cloud. That’s why the cloud managed services market is expected to grow from over USD 27 billion in 2017 to USD 53 billion by 2022, at an expected CAGR of 14.6%.

Let’s look at some of the key benefits of hiring a managed cloud services provider to support your cloud infrastructure.

It is more Cost-Effective

Whether you are a large organization or an SME, maintaining a cloud infrastructure and network in-house could lead to very high-cost overheads, especially if you have limited resources. You will need to invest a hefty amount of money into purchasing equipment that you may (or may not) need to manage your cloud infrastructure. Conversely, a third-party managed cloud services provider already has invested in cloud infrastructure, which means that you only need to pay for what you use and that too only when you use it. This pay-as-you-go model won’t eat up a large chunk of your IT budget. The cloud services provider already has the necessary tools needed to set up the cloud infrastructure, as well as the skill set required to maintain your cloud. Engaging such a provider thus allows you to reduce operational costs, lower IT expenses, and also conserve your CAPEX to concentrate on your core business.

Better Infrastructure

Any cloud infrastructure involves a lot of moving parts, and for all those parts to function smoothly and efficiently, you also need to establish several processes to keep your organization’s cloud set-up run smoothly and deliver results. If you have engaged a managed cloud services provider then they can share the responsibility of managing your cloud network management responsibility, taking off a lot of stress and a myriad of tasks and actions.

Perhaps the biggest advantage is that a managed cloud service provider will look after your network and infrastructure 24×7, keeping it running and efficient even when you’re asleep. This makes it easy for you to scan and monitor your cloud for security and compliance in addition to maintaining metrics at an optimal level, allowing you to get to market faster and ahead of the competition. Agility in business and flexibility in operations is critical to organizational success. A managed services provider will monitor and enhance each section and process in cloud infrastructure management, with an unrelenting focus on key areas like infrastructure compliance and change management. An experienced managed services provider has all the processes, infrastructure and skills in place to handle the most complex of problems.

Automatic upgrades of cloud technology

Advancements in cloud technology are happening rapidly, and your cloud network infrastructure could easily outdated unless you continuously update and upgrade it. But this is both a challenging and expensive task considering the quick pace of innovation in cloud technology. A managed cloud services provider will free you from the task of upgrading your cloud network infrastructure, giving you the flexibility and scalability to adapt to evolving developments and customizations required.

Improved responsiveness

The IT teams and business departments of an organization must have the ability to respond in the shortest possible span of time to emerging requirements, network issues, any anomalies, etc. so that the cascading impact of business and technology operations is minimal. A reliable provider of managed cloud services will be able to anticipate, prioritize and rapidly address any developments that need attention through continuous monitoring at an enterprise level. They will also be able to quickly detect deviations that could snowball into serious concerns such as compliance issues or security breaches.

Backup and Disaster Recovery

Most managed services providers for the cloud employ a centralized data center within their cloud network for maintaining data and related applications that have been deployed on the cloud. This allows users easy access to the data while continuously backing up data and keeping it safe from loss in case of a natural or other disasters. As their customer, you will not need to incur additional costs in establishing infrastructure for data backup. The service provider will also have a disaster recovery plan in place to retrieve and restore your data as soon as possible, allowing you to resume normal business processes with minimal disruption and loss of valuable business time.

Enhanced security

Private or public, if your data and applications are in the cloud then you need assured security. With the relatively larger attack surface that a cloud network brings with it, and considering the increasing sophistication of cyber attacks today, your cloud is susceptible to a security breach unless it is constantly protected by emerging compliance requirements and better security software. Securing a cloud can be a painstaking and complex process and enlisting the help of a managed cloud services provider is a smart decision.

Our final word is that now that there’s no doubt that moving to the cloud future-proofs you for growth, you are better equipped as an organization if you engage an experienced cloud services provider. This will make your cloud transformation less challenging, more cost-effective, and better poised for assured success with the right cloud partner.