This post was originally published in August 2013 and has been completely revamped and updated in June 2023 for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
More and more cloud software companies have been developing in the last couple of years. Thus, it has become difficult to recognize and differentiate the true cloud providers, the secure ones, and everything in between. How can a business rest assured that will select the best cloud provider and won’t fall under any cyber threats? Although typically you’d need much more information obviously in order to evaluate a vendor we thought we’d tackle the questions ourselves too. So here it goes:
Questions To Ask Your Cloud Provider
1. How secure is your cloud?
What are the vendors’ control policies? Secure your business’ access to the control policies that should include the data protections that are in place, what precise IT policies are implemented, and what measures are implemented to identify and prevent unauthorized access.
The megaventory.com website is certified by RapidSSL™ and offers a secure SSL connection option so that user credentials and business data are safely encrypted over the transmission channel. Other than that, security is handled as part of our hosting approach by reputable hosting provider Hetzner. This ensures that qualified professionals set and optimize all the necessary security parameters ensuring nothing is overlooked. At the same, the Megaventory personnel is responsible for performing necessary security upgrades so that no issues ever arise.
2. What services do you provide?
This is one of the questions to ask your cloud provider because it has a crucial role in understanding the scope of his offerings and will allow your business to gain insights into the range of the available services. Also, this question will enable you to assess whether your requirements align with the vendor’s capabilities. Furthermore, by asking what services the vendor provides, you can determine if he offers a comprehensive suite of solutions that cater to their needs such as IaaS, SaaS, or Paas.
From orders (sales, and purchases) to inventory management and from reporting to light manufacturing monitoring, Megaventory is an ideal ERP solution for medium businesses. A more complete list of features can be found on the signup page. If any particular features – whether minor or large in scope – are necessary for a client we can readily incorporate them into our development roadmap effectively including them as fast as possible!
3. How flexible is your cloud?
This specific question will help you assess the adaptability and versatility of the cloud’s provider services. By inquiring about flexibility, your business can ascertain if the cloud platform can seamlessly scale resources up or down based on demand allowing for efficient allocation of computing power and storage.
In our case, Megaventory can be adapted along a number of parameters. Users, locations, and product codes can be added on the fly with no disruption to operations. Similarly, such features can also be removed equally seamlessly. Our software can be localized by language or adapted to specific industry needs and particular lingo by the business itself. So far it has been translated into English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, Arabic, and Greek. Additionally, it has been adapted to four verticals: Medium-sized Businesses, Franchise Chains, Manufacturing, and Consumer Electronics.
In addition to this if further development is necessary there is an API layer that can be used to access most of Megaventory’s functionality without the need to use the web interface. Gain access to Megaventory’s API here
3. What is your downtime history?
Want to know more about the provider’s track record in terms of unplanned service interruptions? By asking about the downtime history, you can gain insights into the frequency, duration, and impact of any past outages.
Despite constant development and the addition of new features, consistently since Megaventory’s start back in September 2010, downtime has been kept to an absolute minimum. Major updates occur monthly or every two months on average while minor issues are implemented weekly. Such updates occur on weekend nights to ensure the least possible disruption and it is essentially due to these planned updates that any downtime occurs.
4. How much tech support can I expect?
Understanding the scope of tech support helps customers evaluate the provider’s commitment to customer satisfaction. Furthermore, it assess the ability to troubleshoot and resolve technical challenges and dedication to maintaining a positive customer experience.
Tech support is available via email and most support tickets are answered in the first hour or two. Moreover, voice calls can be set up for free with every new account subscription. These one-to-one training sessions are designed to help the new business get started with Megaventory.
To Conclude
All in all, selecting the ideal cloud provider is a critical decision for any business that seeks to harness the benefits of cloud computing. However, these questions may empower your business to make informed decisions and select a cloud provider that not only meets your current needs but also provides the necessary scalability, reliability, and support for your long-term success.
Dimitris Athanasiadis oversees Operations and Customer Relations in Megaventory.