Across all industries, an increasing number of companies are choosing to migrate their IT systems to a cloud environment.
This is often due to operational efficiency, reduced costs, and improved IT agility – just some of the benefits associated with cloud computing. Plus, with the digital world changing so rapidly, it’s a logical step forward to switch to the cloud in order to keep up to date.
That being said, there are still costs involved with cloud migration and hosting, and there isn’t one fixed price for all.
Here are 5 costs that you should take into account when choosing whether or not to switch to cloud hosting…
1. The Cost of a Hosting Provider
There are various cloud hosting vendors present in the market, and each differ in their price points. At DVAD we offer transparent and highly competitively priced cloud services.
Our cloud packages are divided into pricing tiers, according to the level of service you’d like from us. These packages are paid for on a monthly subscription basis for an agreed term.
Businesses often assume that a monthly cloud subscription will be more expensive than keeping their current hardware and infrastructure, however, when the cost of maintenance for on-site hardware is considered, a monthly payment can be much more reasonably priced. Additionally, there is also the cost of powering your hardware, and powering cooling systems for it to remain operational.
At DVAD our tiered pricing system is easy to follow and simple to understand, so customers aren’t hit with any unexpected costs.
We also offer additional features that can be added to the cloud services we offer. Packages can be customised to ensure the best optimisation of your business moving forward.
What’s more, our cloud solutions also come with built-in disaster recovery, so our customers can operate with complete peace of mind.
2. Possible Salary Increases & Training Costs
Something to further consider when transitioning to a cloud-based infrastructure is the increased responsibility that some staff may face – and increased responsibilities leads to increased salaries.
Although your company’s servers will now be handled externally by your cloud hosting vendor, internal IT staff will need to manage your vendor to ensure the proper running of your cloud software and data.
This management will include consistent direct contact with the vendors to ensure all updates and issues are being resolved in a timely manner. Internal roles will now involve your staff becoming more client-facing and management orientated, which may not have been previously expected of them.
At DVAD we work with internal IT teams to make cloud migration as simple as possible and to ensure updates and support issues are dealt with quickly.
3. Support Fees
Along with the cost of your chosen cloud hosting vendor, there can also be costs associated with ongoing IT support.
Although support services will likely be included within your cloud subscription, the level of support will probably be minimal, so it might pay to sign up for a more premium support package.
At DVAD, our IT Support Matrix allows you to select the level of response and support you want – from ‘here when you need us’ to the most comprehensive and fastest service available. With ongoing proactive network monitoring and maintenance, you’ll be able to concentrate on running your business.
4. Data Transfer Fees (Ingress & Egress)
Another cost that can go unnoticed is data ingress and egress. Put simply, this means transferring data from an external location to the cloud and vice versa.
This process, and the rates associated with it, can vary depending on the vendor you’re partnered with. Many vendors charge more if large amounts of data need to be transferred.
At DVAD this cost is something that you won’t have to worry about. When migrating to the cloud, we don’t charge for any data ingress or egress, so you’ll have the freedom to transfer as much or as little data as you need.
5. Overprovisioning
Migration to the cloud can be a large transition for any company, as it can mean a completely different approach to resource management. As a result, there is a risk of overcompensating on the resources that you pay for during your initial transition. This naturally occurs due to entering unknown territory and being unaware of what resources you’ll need.
You may find that you don’t use or need some of the services you initially sign up for. Keep an eye on these services and remove them from your contract as soon as possible to avoid unnecessary costs.
At DVAD we thoroughly scope out new migration projects from the start, so you won’t find yourself paying for services you don’t need. We’ll work alongside you to understand the nature of your business and its operations to better inform you of what resources will be most beneficial for your migration, helping to minimise your spend.
Final Thoughts
The migration to cloud-hosting is a natural progression for many companies right now, however, the cost of cloud migration is completely dependent on certain criteria specific to each company.
At DVAD we provide our customers with smooth and stress-free cloud transitions by fulling scoping out projects before we start. This mitigates the risk of paying for unnecessary services and ensures the solution we provide is suitable for you and your business needs.
Contact Us
If you’d like to discuss our cloud services with us, or migrating to the cloud, please call us on 0800 84 999 84, or email us at enquiries@direct-voiceanddata.com.
Read more about our cloud services here: http://testing.dvad.co.uk/it-services/cloud-services/
Read more about our IT support services here: http://testing.dvad.co.uk/it-services/it-support/
