Top Cloud Consulting Companies

What Are Cloud Consulting Services?

Cloud consulting services (or cloud computing services) enable organizations to reduce IT resource requirements and improve efficiency and productivity by implementing cloud solutions and/or transferring systems to a cloud environment.

Cloud adoption helps businesses become more agile and responsive to the ever-changing market environment, which sharpens their decision-making skills and competitive edge.

Cloud computing represents one of the major solutions to the data and technology challenges today’s companies face. Cloud consulting companies help you choose the ideal cloud solution and/or products for your specific needs that can work seamlessly and provide the highest ROI.

In general, cloud consultants help their clients select a cloud plan. They analyze businesses to determine which applications and/or services are most suited for cloud deployment, after which they initiate transferring on-premises resources to a cloud platform.

Working closely with cloud consulting companies can help your business reduce operational costs, boost innovation and realize your strategic IT objectives more efficiently with a clearer business focus.

What Do Cloud Consulting Companies Do?

94% of enterprises use the cloud.

Depending on your goals, capitalizing on cloud computing represents a major IT decision that can impact your general IT strategy, staffing, processes and all tech-related business goals.

Cloud consulting companies offer a wide array of managed cloud consulting services that involve analyzing, designing, implementing, migrating and/or maintaining cloud applications, processes and/or computing systems.

Additionally, cloud consultants also optimize the cost and efficiency of cloud workloads.

Cloud consulting companies implement a strategic approach that involves a four-step process:

• Assessment

This step refers to evaluating your technical capabilities and business goals in line with the expected ROI.

• Planning

Creating a clear roadmap, strategic procedures and deployment plan in line with planned objectives.

• Deployment

This step involves the execution of cloud solutions such as migration and potential expansion.

• Optimization

The last phase represents introducing operational best practices, reviewing and improving existing processes.

General cloud consulting services include:

• Cloud strategy services
• Cloud adoption and migration
• Cloud infrastructure management
• Maintenance, monitoring and security services
• Cloud application development
• Cloud optimization
• Disaster recovery management services
• And more

What Are The Benefits Of Cloud Computing Consulting Services?

Working with cloud computing companies brings many benefits for your business. It allows you to set up somewhat of a virtual office that gives you the flexibility of being connected with your business anytime, anywhere.

With the explosion of online-enabled smart devices, access to your data is even more streamlined.

66% of enterprises already have a central cloud team or cloud center of excellence.

Some of the more apparent advantages of moving your business to the cloud are:

1. Reduced IT Costs

Adopting cloud computing may significantly reduce the cost of managing and maintaining your IT systems. Instead of acquiring expensive equipment, servers/hosting and/or physical space/premises, you can reduce your costs by using the resources of your chosen cloud consulting services provider.

Hiring cloud consulting companies also means network maintenance cost reduction.

You can reduce your IT costs for the following reasons:

• System implementation/upgrades cost — hardware/software solutions may already be included in your contract partnership
• You no longer pay salaries for outsourced experts other than the cloud consulting services fees
• Energy savings equal cost savings

2. Scalability

Cloud strategy consulting and by extension flexible cloud capabilities can help you scale or double down on your operation and storage needs swiftly and efficiently to better suit your current business situation.

As mentioned, you need not worry about purchasing and/or installing expensive upgrades yourself, as cloud consulting companies handle all this for you. And that is only the first step, as using the cloud frees up your and your employees’ time so you can focus on running your business and focus on core operations.

3. Enhanced Collaboration

Collaborating in a cloud environment gives your business the ability to communicate with team members spread out across different regions (or continents). Employing cloud consulting services streamlines sharing resources with the members of your team.

4. Flexibility Of Work Practices

Extrapolating on our previous point, it is important to note that cloud computing allows your employees to be more flexible in their work. They can streamline the general practices, access important data from home, on holidays, etc.

Not to mention that as a business leader, if you need access to your data urgently, you can connect to your virtual office effortlessly.

5. Business Continuity And Data Security

Protecting your data and systems is crucial, whatever the nature of the risk. Whether you experience a natural disaster or a major power outage, having your data stored in the cloud ensures it is backed up and protected in a secure and safe “location.”

Working with cloud consulting companies also minimizes risks from hacker attacks and/or data theft, locking the access instantly before implementing countermeasures.

Being able to access your data afterward quickly allows you to get back on track as usual, minimizing downtime and productivity loss.

6. Access To Automatic Software Updates

Once you partner with a cloud consulting company, handling all software updates is usually included in the fee. These updates can include the latest versions of software, as well as upgrades to servers and/or processing power.

Hiring the services of top cloud consultants cuts the cost of having an in-house IT specialist for maintenance.

How Much Do Cloud Consultants Charge For Their Services?

Cloud consulting services require specific expertise, a knowledge that must be continually updated and refreshed. Cloud consultants spend years gaining deep insights into cloud computing solutions so it’s expected for them to charge a reasonable amount.

The good thing with cloud consulting companies is precisely their flexible nature as you can decide how much you’re willing to spend on chosen services. When you develop a fixed, actionable plan to support your business goals, you can have a general idea of your budget needs.

Your cloud project will usually have two major cost variables:

• Professional services – such as projects or consulting
• Cloud resources – the tools, costs and optimization

Considering that, cloud consulting companies offer several pricing structures, the most common being the cost per hour.

The lowest rate for cloud consultants is around $25 per hour, while big companies charge anywhere between $100 and $199 per hour.

On the other hand, fixed fee, or project-based pricing, varies between $10,000 and $100,000.

How To Choose The Best Cloud Consulting Company

Choosing the right cloud strategy consulting and/or cloud solutions provider can be challenging and it requires a certain level of scrutiny in terms of ability, experience and certification.

So, what exactly should you look for in a cloud consulting company?

When working with cloud consultants, the following traits are crucial:

1. Technical Expertise

Given the sheer volume of different cloud solutions, your chosen cloud consultants must be able to understand the full complexity of the cloud. Having the right strategy in place is just the first step, but it is not enough when it comes to technical aspects – execution is the key.

2. Industry Expertise

If cloud consulting companies don’t have the necessary experience or understanding of your particular vertical, they won’t be able to meet your needs, at least not in the most efficient way that is.

The cloud needs of a retail company are completely different from the manufacturing sector, for example, so be sure to partner with cloud consulting companies that custom-tailor their services to your industry requirements.

3. Security Measures

Storing data in the cloud is as safe as you, or your provider makes it, so be sure to review cloud consulting companies that guarantee data security.

10 Questions To Ask Cloud Consulting Companies

These are the key questions that you should ask every potential cloud consulting company to make the right choice:

1. How long have you been in the business of cloud computing services?
2. What cloud computing services do you provide and how can they help my business?
3. Based on my industry and technology, what cloud service is best suited for me?
4. How flexible are these services?
5. Where will all our business information be stored?
6. How can you integrate our existing systems with the cloud?
7. Will there be seamless communication between the data centers and the cloud?
8. Can cloud computing help recover lost data?
9. What security measures do you offer? What are your backup and disaster recovery strategies?
10. Can you point me to relevant case studies?

Takeaways On Cloud Consulting Companies

Cloud consulting companies help businesses improve efficiency by implementing various cloud solutions, migrating to a cloud environment, etc.

These services include:

• Cloud strategy services
• Cloud adoption and migration
• Cloud infrastructure management
• Maintenance, monitoring and security services
• Cloud application development
• Cloud optimization
• Disaster recovery management services
• And more

The main advantages of working with cloud consulting companies are:

• Reduced IT costs
• Scalability and flexibility
• Improved collaboration
• Data security
• And more

When selecting your ideal cloud solutions provider be sure to evaluate their:

• Technical and industry expertise
• Data security and disaster recovery measures

Good luck!

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