Intelligent CIO North America Issue 32 | Page 42

FEATURE : CLOUD SOLUTIONS
to their data and applications at all times . Downtime is costly not just for the bottom line but also for a business ’ s reputation . type of data being stored when selecting a cloud solution because different types of data have different storage and security requirements .
Compliance
Companies need to comply with various regulations and standards , depending on their industry . Selecting the right cloud solution can help ensure compliance with these regulations and standards . This might not be the top consideration for CIOs when evaluating cloud solutions but it ’ s still an important factor to consider .
Here are some factors CIOs should keep in mind when selecting the best cloud solution for their business .
Data
CIOs should have a clear understanding of their business needs and requirements before selecting a cloud solution . Factors like the size of the company , the type of data being stored , and the number of users who need access should be considered when selecting a cloud solution . CIOs should consider the
Sensitive data requires a high level of security with appropriate security measures such as encryption , access controls and monitoring . Non-sensitive data needs adequate storage and backup capabilities . Large data sets require a cloud solution that can handle high volumes of data and provide fast processing speeds .
Real-time data needs a cloud solution that can handle high volumes of data and provide low latency processing to support real-time decision-making . We ’ ve touched on this subject already but regulatory requirements must also be considered to ensure compliance with regulations like PCI-DSS , HIPAA or GDPR .
Evaluation
CIOs should be able to effectively evaluate a potential cloud service provider . They should consider several factors , including reputation , reliability , security , scalability , cost , support and
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