5 tips for getting the most value from your enterprise cloud storage
From the user’s perspective, enterprise cloud storage is deceptively simple. You move a file from within your local network or drive to an external storage and back again. Quick, simple, painless. So it’s no surprise that many people underestimate just how much an enterprise-grade cloud storage solution can cost. To put the cost of enterprise cloud storage into perspective, the global cloud storage market size is projected to grow from USD 78.6 billion in 2022 to USD 183.7 billion by 2027.
Given the cloud storage investment your enterprise business is making — or is planning to make — it’s important to maximize value wherever possible. Here are five tips to help your business get the most value from its cloud storage solutions.
- Be realistic about your storage needs
You wouldn’t buy a Boeing 777 jet to go grocery shopping. But if you’re not careful, you risk doing the equivalent when it comes to your cloud storage purchases. A key benefit of any cloud service is its ability to scale up or down according to need. So if you want to maximize value from your cloud storage investment, take the time to gauge exactly how much data your business plans to store regularly, and then select your plan accordingly.
It also pays to underestimate rather than overestimate your requirements. This is because it’s simple enough to increase your available storage when needed, and you’ll realize this fairly quickly. If you’re wasting money on unused storage, however, this can fly under the radar without any immediate indications. That said, you’ll always want to build in a sufficient storage buffer to account for expected variability.
- Know the type of data storage you require
There are several types of data storage and transfer solutions available, such as standard, near-line, and archive data storage. By understanding which type of storage is best suited for your use case, you’ll be better equipped to design your storage procurement in a cost-efficient manner. Managing storage usage is especially important when working with major cloud service providers, as these vendors charge for data ingress, egress, retrieval and support.
To maximize value from your enterprise cloud storage solution, choose a vendor that charges a flat fee, like ArkHub. This way, you’ll always know exactly what your transfer and storage costs will be for any given month.
- Find a reliable supplier
Enterprise cloud storage suppliers aren’t all created equal. While it may be tempting to go with the cheapest available option, this will almost always include major compromises — some of which may jeopardize information security and operational resilience.
The best way to determine whether a prospective vendor is reliable is to ask about their Service Level Agreement (SLA). If they have one in place, that’s already a sign that you’re in capable hands. Just review its terms carefully to ensure the level of service promised is high enough to meet your standards and requirements. ArkHub, for instance, offers a 100% availability SLA.
And don’t forget security. How often do we see businesses big and small end up in the news being held for ransom or held liable because data was stolen from them? We take for granted that “https” means safe. That is not always the case. “https” is what we call “point-to-point” encryption and not “end-to-end” encryption. If you have sensitive data, look for suppliers that provide “end to end” encryption, and not just data in transit.
- Plan the transition accordingly
As if finding the right enterprise cloud storage provider wasn’t difficult enough, a poorly planned transition — or a lack of planning altogether — can make things exponentially more challenging. This is especially the case if your business is moving from one cloud vendor to another, or onboarding a new cloud, forming a multi-cloud environment. The longer it takes to get set up with your new cloud storage solution, the longer it will take to see value from your investment. This transition includes training and onboarding employees in addition to the technical setup.
The best cloud storage vendors will guide you through the entire process, minimizing friction and hastening time-to-value. So the better the planning and the smoother the transition, the sooner you’ll see a return on investment.
- Make the most of available support and added features
Our last tip for getting the most value from your cloud storage solution is to make ample use of your vendor’s customer support and value-added benefits. Document everything that’s included in your monthly fee and take full advantage; after all, you’re the one paying for it. Consider ArkHub, which offers all clients premium dedicated support services, remote assistance, cloud monitoring, a designated engineer, as well as a quarterly review and auditing service — all in addition to its fixed-cost cloud storage service. As a paying customer, you wouldn’t want to miss out on the value of these auxiliary services.
ArkHub is a disk-based cloud storage solution based on Caton Technology’s Cydex file transfer system. ArkHub has been designed to empower enterprise clients with secure storage, fast transfer speeds, and dedicated customer support. To learn more about ArkHub and how your business can benefit from this innovative service, click here
Calculate your cost savings with ArkHub here
Do you know of someone who may be interested in this? Share it via:
