Criteria for Selecting the Right Cloud Platform

Not all cloud platforms are the same. Application developers have become increasingly savvy about the cloud and the options now available to them. But most of today’s cloud solutions are essentially “one-size-fits-all,” requiring developers to sacrifice one, or more, aspects of their cloud computing requirements – whether it's cost, preferred provider or availability of certain services to meet their unique needs.

While practically everything is being offered “as-a-service” now, vendors’ offerings can vary wildly as they try to adapt to the evolving needs of applications. Some apps are simple, others have complex platform requirements. Most apps need to scale, but some have limited life spans. How exactly can developers find a cloud platform that is a good fit for their needs today, but will adapt to meet changing needs?

Answering that question may seem daunting at first, but if you consider the following five criteria when evaluating cloud providers, you’ll be more confident that you’re selecting the right cloud platform.

Polytech – Can the Platform Support Multiple Languages, Databases and Middleware?

You may need to use multiple languages or databases as you create your applications. Each application will have different needs as it is developed, and those needs also may change over time. By finding a cloud provider that can support multiple languages and databases, you’ll avoid having to select a different cloud for each type of application. It’s important not just to look at the service a cloud provider is offering, but whether that platform provides the depth and breadth you need.

For example, a SaaS company that helps developers build visual prototypes in the cloud leverages several PHP frameworks, as well as a variety of databases and queueing technologies to meet its clients’ varying needs. And a sport merchandise company uses multiple languages and related frameworks and middleware to power its site to ensure customers can shop anytime.

Polycloud – Can the Provider Run on Multiple Infrastructures and Support Hybrid Options?

As demand increases for your applications, you’ll need a provider that can grow with you. The key to ensuring compatibility with these changing requirements is not getting locked in. Therefore you should look for a PaaS solution that supports multiple infrastructures and offers the combination of both private and public resources in hybrid cloud configurations.

For example, by deploying high availability and disaster recovery (HA/DR) across public clouds, one e-commerce company ensures its independent artists and designers can showcase their work without interruption. A gamification company separates its data and application infrastructures by deploying them on different public clouds with a low latency secure gateway for inter-cloud connectivity.

Complete Application Lifecycle Support – Can the Platform Deliver a Balance of Automation and Granular Control?

Your company’s current IT processes and the size of your DevOps team will likely guide the level of automation or extent of control you want. As you’re considering your cloud platform, you will want to make sure that it can provide, both, a high level of automation and granular control, so you are not locked in to your initial choice.

For example, a start-up may have a great idea for an app, but few employees in DevOps. In this scenario, automation is necessary to enable the small staff to write the code and easily deploy the app. But over time, as the company grows and scales, their applications may become more complex and require greater control. On the flipside, there are large enterprises that have historically managed in-house infrastructure, but now want the benefits of moving to the cloud. They often want a platform that provides the same level of control they are accustomed to, with more automation.

Proven – Does the Cloud Provider Have a Strong Track Record?

Because the cloud market is relatively new with strong growth potential, there are a myriad of young platform providers that are trying to get in on the opportunity. When considering cloud platform providers, it’s critical to choose a stable company that can provide the service level you need, whether you’re a small start-up, a development agency supporting many customers or running large enterprise applications. You should look for case studies and references that prove the provider’s capabilities, and strongly consider selecting a provider with a history of delivering a commercial-grade platform that is reliable, secure and flexible.

Questions you should ask include: how long has the company been in business, how many apps they have in production, what’s the expertise of both the management and development team, and are they comfortable with both legacy and new apps. With these answers, you won’t risk your business-critical applications to an inexperienced provider that has service interruptions, poor support, and could unexpectedly go out of business.

Customer Support - How Involved Does Your Provider Get?

Many cloud platform providers offer basic help through a knowledge base or other online resources. That is often where the support ends, but it doesn’t have to. Some providers are investing heavily in enhanced customer support. They employ experts who can help you speed your time to market and focus on developing and troubleshooting apps without having to hire more Ops staff. They provide advice on deployment, high availability strategies, scaling, code and security audits, application analysis and best practices. They will stay with you even after your app launches, not just reacting to problems, but providing proactive monitoring and support that keeps your apps running smoothly 24x7.

One financial services organization, for example, relies on its cloud provider’s expertise and dedicated support team for round-the-clock availability and scaling. With this assistance, its developers can focus on their core strengths while the cloud provider takes care of all DevOps responsibilities.

Cloud platforms are dramatically changing the ways that apps are developed and deployed. So that you can focus on what you do best – developing apps – you need a platform provider who will not lock you into decisions that may hamper your innovation and growth over the long term. Clearly, the underlying platform is critical, but equally important is the flexibility and level of support that a cloud provider can deliver. By considering these five criteria, you can find a provider that will enable you to leverage its platform to plan, build, deploy and manage your applications throughout the entire lifecycle of your business and effectively innovate for the future. Are these the criteria your company has used when selecting a cloud platform? What other factors have you considered in your decision-making process?