Why do you need a global footprint for your cloud?

With the increased awareness around cloud solutions, most organizations immediately think about reducing cost and shortening time-to-market. As more ideas around cloud are discussed, other criteria like performance, security, compliance, workload segmentation, and how to integrate the cloud become more relevant to an existing environment. The profile of a global cloud footprint; however, is an equally important consideration. 

It may be time to think about why having a standardized global cloud footprint matters. Here are ten good reasons why: 

1. Data sovereignty, privacy laws and local regulations are real. Your business can be impacted if these regulations are not properly followed. Choosing a cloud provider with a strong global footprint not only gives you the ability to comply with local regulations in the countries where your organization does business but provides the ability to manage your cloud footprint from a global level, which is more efficient and cost effective. 

2. Keep your end users closer. Any organization wants the right to choose where apps are delivered and where the data is stored. Whether it is about performance, latency issues, data privacy or data sharing; as more of the IT footprint is migrated into the cloud, it is critical to have a provider who offers the flexibility to decide where that footprint lives. These are decisions that should be based on the business, not dictated by your service provider. 

3. Simplify with a single global contract. For many multinational businesses, completing contract negotiations in each country where a business is conducted can be a daunting task that may bring projects to a standstill. Finding the right cloud provider that delivers an overarching global contract allows your organization to undergo this process one time which will save time and money for your organization. In addition, having a larger global contract allows for more power and the ability to negotiate better pricing while standardizing costs. This can help when rolling out customer facing products and applications in which there is the need to present simple chargeback or pricing options. 

4. Standardize with a global SLA (Service Level Agreements). Getting a standard, global SLA (Service Level Agreement) provides the ability to offer that same SLA to end users. No two cloud providers ever offer the same SLAs, so being able to easily define that across the regions where your organization does business can help improve service and management of your business SLA’s. 

5. Consistent IT service catalogue availability. Choosing the right cloud provider allows for the ability to build out a standard IT service catalogue, group application templates together and distribute all of it globally with little to no effort. 

6. Streamline with single pane of glass management interface. Having a standardized management interface greatly simplifies IT operations and deployment methodologies. This covers items like alert notices, IT Service catalogue items, reporting and analytics, and support which then indicates how those feedback into the IT department. 

7. Standardize support with ITIL. When choosing a cloud provider, look for standardized onboarding and support levels that compliment your organization's environment. 

8. Facilitate the path towards a global cloud strategy. Many multinational companies are still undertaking the path to a global cloud strategy. Evaluating and ultimately selecting a global cloud provider can facilitate this process and provide a framework for your global IT organization to streamline and standardize operations. 

9. Compliance cannot be ignored. Another key initiative is compliance which needs to be accurately addressed so as not to delay or stall key business activities. A cloud service provider should be focused on global compliance issues while enabling your organization to standardize this initiative across all the regions where your business is conducted. 

10. Innovation can happen anywhere. As enterprises increasingly rely on innovation to drive new market demand; IT departments need to be ready to support all these activities wherever it occurs. The cloud takes away the need for sizable up-front investments in hardware while also providing the ability to spin up "start-up-like" environments whenever and wherever. Think of it as your global laboratory and that lab can be moved or replicated at any time, giving optimal flexibility to the innovative projects for your business. 

Photo Credit: Shutterstock/phloxii

Sarah Doherty is Product Marketing Manager, iland