How to Evaluate the Value of Cloud Computing

While one of the big selling points of the cloud has always been how cost-effective it can be, it is imperative to remember that this isn’t always the case. There are situations where the value that a business gets from the cloud isn’t really worth the price of admission. How you can evaluate the value that the cloud can offer you, and how to use this data to your advantage, is listed below.

Defining “Value,” in Terms of the Cloud

In basic terms, “value” is effectively synonymous with “worth.” Something’s value is a measure of how much it’s worth to someone… but this metric isn’t nearly cut-and-dry enough to be a universal constant. Countless variables determine anything’s value. Sure, there’s the actual value of the materials used to create a given thing, but there’s also so much more to consider on top of that. How needed is a given thing by a person or organization? How available is that thing? Sentimentality, social norms, and personal preference can all play a role in determining how valuable a given thing is.

How to Maximize the Value You See from the Cloud

When considering your use of the cloud, its value comes in through how much it can offer your business at a competitive price—with what it offers ideally outpacing its cost to you. Like we said, there’s a lot that contributes to how the cloud’s value is calculated, based specifically on the business that is seeking to deploy it. 

How simple does a business need its cloud to be to use? How easily can their cloud allotment be scaled to meet their needs? How critical is security to that business and its industry? How readily available is support, should assistance be needed from the cloud provider? How reliable is the cloud platform, in terms of performance?

All of this and more contribute to the value that a business needs, which can then be compared to the cost of cloud services as they are scaled up until you find your ideal balance—where your costs intersect with the peak value delivered to your business. The result is known as your value curve… a bell curve that helps you specifically identify what level of investment will bring you optimal value for your investment into the cloud by allowing you to pinpoint where your costs intersect with the fully optimized midpoint.

Using this methodology, you can more easily compare and contrast different cloud service providers and the value that they offer based on actual metrics… but is all that something you really want to spend your valuable time doing?

We’ll Handle the Comparison Shopping for You

By working with Macro Systems as your managed service provider, part of that service is to help manage your vendors on your behalf—including those you procure your business’ cloud services from—to help ensure you get the best value for your investment. Reach out to us today to learn more by giving us a call at 703-359-9211.