With the rise of technology and innovations, cloud services have become a huge demand. They allow users and developers to efficiently share data and resources over the internet without the need to store it by themselves. But the thing is, selecting the right platform that suits your platform’s needs can be a bit challenging. From eCommerce giants to gaming platforms, many companies rely on advanced cloud services to ensure that their services run smoothly. A top-tier cloud service needs to ensure that all data flows smoothly without any crashes or downtime to make sure that the system works perfectly for good user experience and scalability.
Let’s say we have a successful internet casino platform with thousands of players and games all happening at once. Now this kind of platform demands a cloud service that can handle huge amounts of traffic and secure transactions with ease. Modern digital casinos, of course, spend a lot of finances on purchasing the best services from big companies, and smaller platforms do not need to copy this strategy but rather learn from these major players what to pay attention to when choosing a cloud service provider.
In this blog, we’ll look into a ranked guide on how to choose the best cloud service for your online platform in 2024.
#1 Scalability and Performance
The thing with online platforms is that they need to be able to scale with more traffic, so you need a cloud service that can scale and provide you with the resources along with it. Your cloud service must also be able to scale based on the increase in demand or customers during specific periods or time zones to ensure everything goes smoothly without any crashes.
It’s best to look for cloud service providers that offer both vertical scalability (increasing the power of existing resources) and horizontal scalability (adding more resources). You must also check whether your provider has auto-scaling features so that it updates in real-time and balances out your costs by using resources only when necessary. It’s also recommended to choose cloud service providers that are near your primary location to have good scores in latency and uptime.
#2 Storage Options and Data Management
Different platforms require different storage options; some platforms may need object storage to store large amounts of unstructured data or block storage for structured data. So flexibility of storage is important. Also, if you need to retrieve huge volumes of data with fast loading times, make sure that your provider offers SSD storage as well.
You also need to look for data management capabilities with your cloud service provider, such as database integration, automated backups, and redundancy. There should also be an easy process of data transfer if your platform requires it.
#3 Support for API Integrations
In today’s world, API integrations are very important to connect multiple devices and applications and allow a smooth flow of data. You must also look if your cloud service provider has API integration capabilities to allow developers and users to various tools, apps, or services directly into your platform. This is very popular in eCommerce platforms that use blockchain technology.
For example, if you run an online gaming platform, you must have a cloud service that can use APIs to integrate payment gateways, user authentication systems, or even real-time game statistics. Also, look for providers that offer API documentation and support for REST or GraphQL since they are the most used frameworks these days.
#4 Technical Support and SLA Guarantees
Responsive and reliable tech support is needed to provide support to users and the platform during high traffic or unexpected outages. Many cloud providers nowadays provide subscription-based support plans from basic support to premium 24/7 live support. The plan you choose depends on the way your platform operates and the amount of uptime you need.
SLAs, or Service Level Agreements, are also important. They guarantee a level of reliability and availability, sometimes even offering uptime up to 99.99%. You must check the SLA for clarity on compensation or remedies in case of a downtime or performance issue.
#5 Data Migration and Vendor Lock-In
Making sure that your chosen provider doesn’t include vendor lock-in loopholes is essential. This is because it can stop you from migrating to another provider, limiting your flexibility. As a result, you may end up stuck and unable to switch to a provider that offers more advanced tech.
You should also look into the data portability and migration policies of your provider. Look for those that support open standards and offer easy data export and import tools, as these features simplify migration to other platforms if needed. Additionally, some providers include multi-cloud capabilities, allowing you to use multiple cloud services simultaneously, reducing dependence on a single provider.
