Which are the Cloud Providers to Choose From for Startups
Cloud Hosting and Services explained for Non-Technical Startup Founders
Today, when you are starting a business, the first thing that comes to your mind is technology. The Internet has been the biggest revolution of the 21st century.
This revolution has helped in the success of a lot of businesses. If you are also starting a business, you must know how to make use of technology for the success of your business.
The information that is required for this purpose can be collected from cloud computing providers and technology partners.
If you are a startup and you have already taken the step towards launching your product, then it is quite natural that you would be looking for ways to make it more efficient and cost-effective.
You can take advantage of cloud computing providers to meet all your requirements in terms of storage, security, hosting and many other features that will help in getting rid of all your technical problems so that you can focus on what matters most — developing your product.
There are several cloud computing providers who provide a variety of services for different kinds of businesses at different prices depending on their needs and budget.
They provide products like infrastructure as a service (IaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), and software as a service (SaaS), which make their business easy to run with minimum expenses involved in it. The best part is that they can choose the kind of service they want to avail and at what price.
Cloud computing providers also provide services for non-business organizations like educational institutions, universities, and government bodies.
Some of the popular cloud computing providers are Google, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Rackspace, and Microsoft Azure.
All these companies provide a wide range of services to different kinds of businesses and organizations with their different features and specifications.
What is Cloud Computing?
The first thing that comes to mind when you hear the term ‘cloud computing’ is probably how your files and folders get saved on your computer in the form of ‘clouds’!
But cloud computing is not just about saving files online; it is about storing data or information in an environment where it can be accessed by anyone from anywhere using any device.
Cloud computing refers to using web-based applications for storage, sharing and access to data from any location at any time.
It means that you don’t have to purchase software or hardware for running your business; you can simply use the ones provided by cloud computing providers.
The best part about this technology is that you don’t have to worry about technical issues because the provider will take care of it.
Who is Cloud Computing for?
As long as you are thinking of hosting your own website, web application, mobile application, etc., cloud computing is for you. There are a lot of companies that are using cloud computing for storing their data, sending emails, building mobile applications, etc.
Why Cloud Computing?
Cloud computing is considered to be one of the most convenient and cost-effective ways of storing data and information in the digital world. It has become very popular because it helps businesses save a lot of money on infrastructure and other kinds of maintenance costs.
Cloud computing has simplified business operations with its ease of use and affordability. The following are some benefits that can be availed by businesses by using cloud computing:
Cost Effectiveness:
Cloud computing providers provide you with various kinds of services at different prices depending on your needs and budget.
They offer a wide range of products like infrastructure as a service (IaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), and software as a service (SaaS), which make your business easy to run with minimum expenses involved in it.
The best part is that you can choose the kind of service you want to avail and at what price according to your needs.
You don’t have to worry about installing or maintaining any software or hardware yourself; everything will be taken care by the provider itself.
Security:
Cloud computing is a secure way of storing data and information online. The data that is stored in the cloud can be accessed by only authorized users who have been given access to it.
You don’t have to worry about maintaining your servers and keeping your data safe because all this will be taken care by the cloud computing provider.
The security features are designed in such a way that you can be sure that your data is safe from external attacks.
Ease of Use:
Cloud computing is a convenient way of running your business as it doesn’t require any additional maintenance or setup costs. It has simplified business operations with its ease of use and affordability.
All you need to do is pay for the services that you use, which means there are no hidden charges or expenses involved in it.
You don’t have to worry about any technical issues as everything will be taken care by the provider itself.
Pay-as-you-go:
Cloud computing providers offer various kinds of services at different prices depending on your needs and budget.
This helps you in saving money as well as time for buying expensive software or hardware and managing them for using them for storage, sharing and access to data from any location at any time.
Scalability:
The best part about cloud computing is that you can start with a small package and upgrade to a bigger one if you find the need for it.
If your business expands, you can easily add more services as per your needs. This is a good way of saving money as well as time.
Which Cloud Provider is best for my startup?
Before choosing a cloud provider, you need to understand what you need and how much it will cost. You can choose from any of the following options:
Public Cloud Providers: Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform
Private Cloud Providers: VMWare, Rackspace, IBM Softlayer
Hybrid Cloud Providers: IBM Softlayer, Rackspace
As a rule of thumb, if you have a small business, then a public cloud is the best option for you. If you are planning to expand your business and hire more employees, then you can go for private cloud.
Hybrid cloud is the best option if you are looking for an on-premise solution with minimal investment.
For startups, it is always better to start with a public cloud provider as it is cost-effective and doesn’t require any long-term commitment. Moreover, you can upgrade to private or hybrid cloud once your business expands.
When will I ever need a private cloud?
A private cloud is a good option if you want to build a customized application for your business. A private cloud is like a personal computer that can be used for personal use only and is not accessible to other users.
However, if you are looking for better security and performance, then you can opt for a hybrid cloud.
The above-mentioned three types of cloud providers are the most popular ones and are being used by startups across the globe. It all depends on your business requirements, needs and budget. Choose the one that best suits your needs!
Which Cloud Provider is the most suitable for me?
There are many cloud providers available in the market. However, you need to choose the one that is best suited for your business needs. You can select from any of the following cloud providers:
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Amazon Web Services (AWS) is a cloud computing platform owned by Amazon.com. It offers various cloud services such as infrastructure as a service (IaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), and software as a service (SaaS).
AWS is very popular among technology startups because it offers reliable services at an affordable price.
Moreover, AWS has more than 70 regions spread across five continents and hence it can be accessed from anywhere in the world.
Startups with a small budget can opt for AWS. It offers various cloud services such as Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2), Amazon Elastic Block Store (EBS), Amazon Virtual Private Cloud (VPC), and Amazon Simple Storage Service (S3).
In addition, AWS is known to provide startups free credits for a limited period of time. These credits can be used to set up a free AWS account and use the cloud services offered by AWS.
Azure
Microsoft Azure is another popular cloud computing platform owned by Microsoft. It offers various cloud services such as infrastructure as a service (IaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), and software as a service (SaaS).
Azure has various products and services for small, medium, and large businesses. It offers robust support to startups with an affordable price tag.
Azure is also known to provide startups free credits for a limited period of time.
The credits can be used to set up a free Azure account and use the cloud services offered by Azure. You can also avail of its Azure App Service which allows you to create mobile, web, and desktop apps in just a few clicks!
Google Cloud Platform (GCP)
Google Cloud Platform (GCP) is yet another popular cloud computing platform owned by Google Inc. It offers various cloud services such as infrastructure as a service (IaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), and software as a service (SaaS).
GCP is suitable for startups looking for highly customized cloud services. It offers a lot of features such as global cloud and global data centers, flexible billing, no contracts, and flexible pricing.
In addition, GCP also offers free credits for a limited period of time. These credits can be used to set up a free GCP account and use the cloud services offered by GCP.
Rackspace
Rackspace is yet another popular cloud computing platform owned by Rackspace Hosting Inc. It offers various cloud services such as infrastructure as a service (IaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), and software as a service (SaaS).
Rackspace is suitable for startups looking for highly customized cloud services. It offers various products and services such as customer support, managed solutions, infrastructure monitoring, and server management among others.
These are just some of the cloud providers that you can choose from. However, you need to make sure that the cloud provider is reliable and trustworthy.
Moreover, it should have a proven track record of providing high-quality services to its customers.
At Cudy Technologies, we have chosen AWS as our preferred cloud provider. AWS has proven to be reliable and trustworthy over the years.
About the Author
I am the Founder of Cudy Technologies (www.cudy.co), a full-stack EdTech startup helping teachers and students learn better. I am also a mentor and angel investor in other Startups of my other interests (Proptech, Fintech, HRtech, Ride-hailing, C2C marketplaces, and SaaS). You can also find me on Cudy for early-stage Startup Founder mentorship and advice.
You can connect with me on Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexanderlhk) and let me know that you are a reader of my Medium posts in your invitation message.
