Why entrust a cloud-managed services provider with your databases?

Why entrust a cloud-managed services provider with your databases?

Cloud service providers play an increasingly important role in the migration and management of today’s fast-paced business world. Whether your organization hosts on-premises or hybrid data warehouses, the move to cloud-based virtual platforms offers many advantages, from increased security to easy access to your critical data from any authorized and approved document. The internal analytics, important client documentation and actionable intelligence that inform your operational infrastructure can be protected and continually monitored in the cloud. 

This article will detail how deploying a cloud-based data architecture can augment your business efficiency and examine the role that today’s managed service providers (MSPs) play in facilitating the transfer and monitoring of your valuable resources.

Why are companies choosing cloud-managed services?

A 2019 Gartner report predicted that 75% of all databases would be migrated and deployed to a cloud platform by 2022. In the years that followed, cloud database management systems (DBMS) have become an increasingly popular alternative to on-premises solutions. Growth of the market, driven by enterprises migrating their increasingly complex infrastructures to the cloud, affords businesses faster integration and configuration capabilities. The availability of compliance resources and tools, improved security measures and accessibility are contributing to the increase forecasted three years ago.

One of the greatest contributors to the explosive growth of the managed cloud service market couldn’t have been predicted at the time of the Gartner report. The global COVID-19 pandemic forced many organizations to pivot to a remote-based or hybrid workflow. Employees working from home still required access to the on-premises resources that powered their respective companies; the inability to interface with a traditional infrastructure helped many businesses realize the value in data migration possibilities.

As reported by Digital Journal, the global cloud migration services market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 24.86% between the forecast period of 2022-2028. According to the report, the revenue generated by cloud migration services is expected to expand from $150 to $550 billion during the time period. The anticipated growth proves that the trepidation once associated with cloud databases – largely attributed to fear of cyber security vulnerabilities – has been overcome. 

The cloud service provider market has many players, but AWS, Microsoft and Google have established themselves as the dominant platforms in the space. TechTarget outlines the worldwide cloud infrastructure market share, which shows Amazon (32%), Microsoft (20%) and Google (9%) have significant visibility and presence, while Alibaba (6%) and IBM (5%) are among a plethora of rapidly-growing competitors. 

With a variety of well-known companies offering managed cloud services, the appeal for today’s IT managers and business leaders is bolstered by brand recognition…but how can your business benefit from migrating to the cloud?

Why is the cloud a good match for databases?

Thanks to the connectivity of billions of Internet of Things (IoT) smart devices, data on everything from patient and machine health to weather conditions is immutable and constantly deployed. Since these vast oceans of data are stored, enterprises require databases that allow the information – regardless of what type of data the business requires – to stream in and be cataloged.

Time-series databases improve the speed of data querying by offering tracking and indexing algorithms through dedicated functions and syntax. Traditional databases, while equipped to handle incredible amounts of information, are also evolving in order to absorb streaming data and edge computing. 

Given the continual evolution of computing technology, today’s competitive businesses can’t afford to be caught hosting outdated and inefficient databases. 

Migrating your critical data to the cloud offers incredible benefits, from increased security to the accessibility that benefits a remote-capable workforce. The assistance offered by a managed cloud service provider can facilitate this transition.

Key benefits of cloud adoption include: 

• Increased security. Techniques such as Transparent Data Encryption offer database encryption at file level, and represent the evolution of cloud-based data security measures. Cloud-based platforms are not subject to natural disasters, fire and damage that can affect their on-premises alternatives.

• Scalability and technological advancement. Emerging technologies, such as blockchain, are evolving to offer potentially dynamic and enhanced security for cloud data warehouses. As your business grows, the scalability of a cloud-based solution affords flexibility in the growth of your data center that physical deployments cannot. With only so much real estate afforded to on-premises server rooms and racks, the virtually limitless potential of the cloud is an appealing solution for growth-minded companies.

• Ease of use. The availability of cloud-managed service providers ensures cloud migration allows oversight, management and navigation of cloud hubs and data access protocols. With cloud adoption, businesses are no longer solely reliant on burdened IT departments in order to understand the complexities of database management.

• Cost savings. From pay-as-you-go cloud solutions to monthly subscription models, many cloud providers offer bespoke hosting plans that only require your business to pay for the services and features that suit their needs. Outsourcing your cloud management, oversight and operations to a proven third-party provider can ensure efficiency increases that translate to savings for your business.

Entrusting your critical data to a service provider can streamline the migration process and offer increased assurance that your cloud solution is operating at maximum efficiency. From hosting to monitoring, today’s leading cloud-managed service providers make migration and monitoring easy, so you can focus on the workflows that drive your business.

What goes into cloud-managed services for databases?

A database management service provides your business with access to experts who can inform strategic decisions related to your ideal cloud platform. Navigating between the wealth of available options in order to find the best platform for your particular needs can be tricky; a service provider who ‘speaks the language’ of cloud computing knows how to align your infrastructure with the ideal provider. 

Once you’ve established your ideal cloud-based strategy, the monitoring and maintenance offerings of today’s cloud-management services are responsible for ensuring that your hybrid or virtual data warehouses operate as efficiently as they did on-premises. Your management solution will tailor the functionality of your services to the needs and compliance requirements associated with your industry, and evolve alongside your company as it grows.

What to expect from your managed services provider:

• Database professional monitoring. Your managed service provider will offer around-the-clock monitoring capabilities designed to ensure your cloud-based infrastructure operates with the efficiency you’ve come to count on from your managed on-premises solutions. 

• Application support post-deployment on the cloud. A service provider will work with your IT resources in order to educate your workforce as to the operational nuances of your new platform. This will enhance productivity and reduce the ramping time associated with learning how to navigate your newly-migrated data warehouse.

• Continued cloud security and audits in implementation. Enhanced cybersecurity protocols ensure your cloud database is protected against threat actors. While the migration to a virtual database eliminates the terrestrial vulnerabilities of damage and disaster, data loss and breach exposures are effectively monitored and mitigated as part of your cloud-based architecture. 

• Disaster recovery and backups. Cloud-managed services offer an up-to-date copy for immediate failover, allowing you to send data continuously with minimal impact on your cloud infrastructure. Today’s services afford full recovery outcomes within minutes and provide failover to a secondary data source with just a few clicks. Cloud deployments offer automatic backup for your servers and computers, as well as live applications. By conducting non-disruptive self-service tests, failover reporting and access to comprehensive analytics, you’ll enjoy the peace of mind associated with the knowledge that your critical data is protected.

• ISO and audit compliance. Issues surrounding mobility and multi-tenancy, identity and access management – as well as data protection – need to be monitored and addressed. The increasing complexities surrounding data regulation and compliance can be difficult to observe and navigate. A managed service provider eliminates the worry associated with monitoring dynamic regulations like the ISO 27002 global security standard.

Cloud databases can offer a wealth of flexible deployment options, and play host to a virtually limitless amount of data. Now that you’ve identified the benefits of the cloud – as well as the efficiency-enhancing augmentations that a managed service provider can afford – it’s time to select the right solution for your organization.

How do you get started with cloud-managed services?

Today’s cloud management services provide assistance for every step of your transition to the cloud. Selecting a trusted cloud management partner removes the burden of migration from your IT department and on to experts in the field. The breadth of experience of your potential service provider is a key consideration when determining the best fit for your organization – ideally you should seek to select a provider with over a decade of industry experience. While some upstarts may offer cost savings, you don’t want your critical data to be the first they’ve attempted to migrate.

Ensure your cloud management partner has migrated sensitive regulated data before, and don’t be afraid to ask them how they’ve developed and refined their process over the years. Details matter – asking what time of day they prefer to perform migrations can align their workflow with times your employees aren’t attempting to access important resources that may be unavailable during transfer.

Ask if your intended partner has delivered parts of their cloud environment for other organizations – if this is the case, they may be bound by Business Associate Agreements that prevent them from around-the-clock availability for the monitoring of your database.

Once you’ve narrowed your selection down to an ideal candidate, the time to engage your future cloud-managed service provider – and the data migration process itself – can begin.

Solvaria's experience powers cloud-managed service partnerships

Today's managed service offerings can ensure your hosted cloud database runs efficiently and boosts the productivity of your remote-capable workforce. When it comes to selecting your next managed service provider, trust the experts with over 25 years of cloud MSP experience.

Solvaria offers support services to manage your cloud database architecture. Our former Chief Information Officers bring unparalleled knowledge to provide your company with experience-driven oversight dedicated to ensuring the efficiency of your cloud-based data warehouse. Solvaria’s team of expert database administrators (DBAs) come equipped with years of experience and can be resourced to guide and monitor the end-to-end functionality of your virtual database.

Solvaria has provided cloud-managed services and IT strategies to companies across the U.S. – and beyond – since 1997. Our cloud-hosted platform will eliminate single-point failure, increase the depth of your team’s expertise and provide support for recovery, migrations and upgrades.

To experience the flexibility of our managed service framework, including insight from our thought leadership regarding the latest data warehousing news, visit our resources page. 

When you’re ready to begin the cloud journey migration process for your valuable IT infrastructure, contact one of our experts to learn how a Solverian solution can deftly maneuver your transition to the cloud. Our managed IT services and experience combine to make Solvaria the cloud-managed services provider of choice for your business.