Imagine growing your business profit by as much as 11.2 percent year over year—that’s the reality for businesses migrating to the cloud.
One of the sources for cost savings? Transitioning from physical data centers to cloud-based solutions means there won’t be a need to maintain on-premises data infrastructures because everything resides in the cloud.
The case for migrating organizational data makes itself.
But there are risks, too—especially if you don’t have a plan for business continuity in the cloud. The bad news is that not all cloud hosting services offer business continuity plans.
The good news?
The right one will. You can prevent your business from being silenced during a disaster or disruption if you find and choose a cloud hosting service that meets your organization’s daily operational needs and provides a robust plan for unforeseen incidents.
This article explores how cloud business continuity models can support more profitable business outcomes. We’ll also highlight the features to consider when choosing a cloud service for business continuity.
What is business continuity?
Business continuity is a higher-level set of plans that ensures your business can continue functioning even as it safely recovers from a disaster. It’s a process that looks to build resilience rather than solve immediate issues. Because of this, the best business continuity plans tend to take a holistic approach that defines how your business will react to difficulties in its dealings with multiple groups.
Ensuring business continuity entails clear communication with customers, staff, and contractors. It means working collaboratively with your business partners and your cloud provider in particular.
Business continuity planning often needs clarification compared to similar processes, such as disaster recovery planning, which is why many companies overlook it. However, business continuity and disaster recovery plans have specific differences.
What is disaster recovery (DR) planning?
Disaster recovery plans generally define many acute problems and explain their solutions. They also cover how to react to natural and man-made disasters, ranging from insider threats to the fallout from a massive data breach.
Choosing a suitable cloud business continuity plan model for your business needs
It’s worthwhile to select a business continuity plan model that adapts to the type of business you run or even the specific requirements of your product or service.
For example, a SaaS business may promise customers consistent feature availability with no disruptions — in which case, a business continuity plan that’s feared towards SaaS business works best.
Let’s explore the various models of cloud business continuity to gain insight into how each supports your organization’s operations during disruptions.
IaaS
Infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) is a model in which you rent physical cloud infrastructure (servers, racks, etc) on a subscription or pay-as-you-go basis. A service provider like Amazon Web Services (AWS) manages your infrastructure; all you have to do is install your programs.
This model is quick and lets you avoid hardware maintenance costs, which is ideal for emergency setups. While it offers control over the operating system and has flexible resources to suit fluctuating workloads — it requires more management, technical expertise and potentially higher cost if not monitored.
SaaS
In the software-as-a-service (SaaS) model, you subscribe to software managed by the provider, including all hardware, software, and necessary upgrades.
This model offers flexibility, enabling automatic updates and remote access across multiple devices, though it has limited customization options and depends significantly on the provider’s uptime.
PaaS
Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) lets developers build, run, and manage apps without managing infrastructure. Examples include Google App Engine, Heroku, and Microsoft Azure App Service.
PaaS is handy for quicker app development, built-in testing tools, and scalability. However, downsides include potential vendor lock-in, limited infrastructure control, and compatibility issues with existing systems.
STaaS
Storage-as-a-Service (STaaS) provides remote cloud-based data storage solutions, like Amazon S3 and Google Cloud Storage.
It’s scalable and cost-effective, with built-in data protection. However, bandwidth limitations can impact speed and may raise security or compliance issues. Costs also increase with larger data volumes.
Serverless
If your service provider maintains your servers, workspace, and workload, you are using a serverless model. Since they know the depth at which you use a service, serverless models allow you to be charged on a what-you-use basis, making them cost-effective for brands on a budget.
6 types of cloud hosting environment types
Now, just like the various models available, there are also a variety of cloud hosting environment types. Selecting the right one is about assessing your internal needs, just as much as what your product or service promises customers.
So let’s take a look six different types that you can choose from.
#1: Multi-cloud
A multi-cloud hosting environment distributes workloads using multiple public cloud services and sometimes on-premises servers. This approach provides flexibility, optimizes performance, and reduces reliance on a single provider, enhancing business continuity.
However, it also introduces complexity and potential integration challenges and demands skilled management to operate effectively.
#2: Shared
A shared hosting environment divides a physical server into multiple virtual servers. This setup is cost-effective and low-maintenance, making it ideal for small to medium-sized businesses. However, it comes with limited resources, potential security risks, and performance impacts from other users.
#3: Dedicated
A dedicated hosting environment allows one user to use one server (no division of servers). While it ensures full control over server configuration, it’s more expensive, requires technical expertise to manage, and may be excessive for smaller businesses.
#4: Public
Public cloud services are owned and operated by third-party providers. A single provider typically manages the hardware and software; users access the services online for a fee or subscription. However, some public servers are free to use.
#5: Private
Private clouds are dedicated to a single organization, offering enhanced security, privacy, and customization tailored to specific needs and regulations. However, they come with higher initial costs, require in-house expertise, and offer less scalability than public clouds.
#6: Hybrid
Hybrid clouds blend public, private, dedicated, and shared servers, balancing control and scalability. This approach optimizes business operations while keeping sensitive data in-house but introduces complexity and security challenges.
Despite these hurdles, hybrid clouds offer flexibility and cost-effectiveness that many organizations find valuable.
Making the benefits of cloud business continuity work for you
Hosting your organization’s business continuity plan on the cloud offers numerous benefits. Here’s why they’re becoming the go-to choice for innovative businesses:
Pay-what-you-use
Most cloud business continuity plan models are offered as a service to which you subscribe. There are no rigid contracts, and your costs increase or decrease based on how much of the service you use. This makes cloud services cheap and budget-friendly.
Better efficiency
Cloud hosting experts handle cloud business continuity plans and are therefore more efficiently executed than if you DIY it. This also means your team can focus on core business activities.
If you use a dedicated cloud hosting service like Liquid Web, you have 24/7 access to experienced cloud engineers and helpful resources to maximize your cloud hosting experience.
No physical security worries
Cloud-based hosting eliminates the need for on-premises hardware, protecting your data from theft and natural disasters.
In contrast, hardware-based hosting risks failing just when you need it most—during disruptions—due to its physical vulnerabilities.
Seamless backups
Cloud-based business continuity plans are automatically backed up at regular intervals, with multiple copies for added security. These regular, automated backups ensure that your plan, along with any revisions, is always protected and can be quickly and easily restored if needed.
24/7 Security and Monitoring
Maintaining hardware-based continuity plans around the clock requires dedicated security personnel and additional staff. Many cloud services offer 24/7 operations and monitoring, ensuring continuous system availability.
With real-time threat detection and proactive issue resolution, services like Liquid Web keep your continuity plans secure without constant human oversight. Advanced alerts notify security experts of any issues, ensuring uninterrupted protection.
Reduced in-house infrastructure management
When your business continuity plans are fully hosted in the cloud, there’s no need to invest in physical infrastructure or hire extra staff to manage it. This saves you money and reduces the amount of internal assets (infrastructure and personnel) you need to manage.
Issues associated with cloud business continuity
Moving to cloud systems can make your business more efficient, more adaptive, and ultimately more profitable. Taking this step requires careful planning, especially when it comes to thinking about business continuity in the cloud.
SaaS and IaaS (Infrastructure-as-a-Service) models have become victims of their success because they are simply too easy for businesses not to take advantage of their services. The marketplace for cloud providers is a highly crowded one. As a result, providers typically offer to take care of every aspect of system and data management, all at a low price.
Understandably, this can lead to businesses forgetting about critical aspects of their business continuity planning and assuming their cloud provider will be handling them.
This is a real concern for security analysts, who are increasingly worried that massive amounts of public data are concentrated in one or two clouds — 63 percent of people use Google Chrome, for instance, so one company has responsibility for protecting a good proportion of the world’s data. If these clouds were to suffer a catastrophic failure, this could mean that hundreds (or perhaps hundreds of thousands) of businesses would be rendered mute.
In reality, moving your business to cloud systems necessitates that you assess whether your chosen provider can contribute to your company’s resilience. It’s important to recognize that cloud providers vary significantly when it comes to the level of support they offer. Some merely supervise the execution of your business continuity and disaster recovery plans, while others may execute the plan on your behalf.
That’s why 68 percent of companies cited cloud misconfiguration as the top concern for keeping their data and infrastructure safe. A whopping 52 percent of organizations found insecure interfaces another top concern for their cloud, which is why you need the best security practices for cloud systems.
Four considerations for maintaining cloud business continuity
In maintaining business continuity during (and after) a move to cloud infrastructure, there are four key considerations:
- Ensure your provider can give you the necessary access to data. The service agreement should spell out this information and acknowledge that you are unlikely to be the only company your cloud provider does business with.
- Ensure you know how to access your data in an emergency that affects either you or your cloud provider. For most organizations, this means making regular, local backups of critical data.
- Check the level of support offered by your cloud provider. You should be clear on how much support they provide and through which hours they do so.
- Have a plan for what happens if your cloud provider experiences a disaster. Business continuity plans should include contingencies for a total (and potentially permanent) loss of all the data you have stored in the cloud. If you don’t know how you would keep your business running in that circumstance, more continuity planning is required.
What to look for in a cloud business continuity host
Convinced of the necessity of a cloud business continuity plan? Here are what to consider:
Expertise and guidance
Can that hosting provider offer more than expert advice and help you navigate the complexities of getting set up on the cloud?
When you are new to cloud hosting services, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by all there’s to know, from terminologies to pricing models to different hosting services. Your hosting partner should walk this journey with you, explaining technical concepts clearly and guiding you in making informed decisions.
Needs assessment and customization
Cloud hosting is not a one-size-fits-all service. Every business needs a setup that perfectly matches its business needs. Choose a cloud hosting provider with:
- A thorough analysis of your current systems and processes.
- Customized solutions rather than one-size-fits-all packages.
- Can adapt their offerings to your specific industry regulations and standards.
Scalability and future-proofing
Making adjustments to your hosting plan is a necessity. Your cloud needs also change as your business scales and navigates different situations.
Your hosting service provider should be able to expand its services to grow with your business and have clear plans to help you succeed. More importantly, they have a track record of staying ahead of technological trends.
Cost-effectiveness and ROI
Your hosting service provider should be affordable and deliver a substantial return on investment. This ensures that you’re making a sound financial decision rather than just spending money.
- Request detailed breakdowns of costs and potential savings.
- Seek case studies or testimonials that demonstrate ROI for similar businesses.
- Discuss how their solutions can minimize downtime and reduce associated costs.
Comprehensive support
Ensure you partner with a cloud hosting service that provides robust support for your IT team and all users impacted by disruptions. Verify their commitments to support by:
- Checking their support hours and response times.
- Looking for multiple support channels like phone, email, and chat.
- Asking about training and resources available for your team.
Transparency and shared responsibility
One of the main reasons businesses get shut out during a disaster is assuming that their cloud host should handle everything related to running their business, including business continuity and disaster recovery.
To prevent a situation like this, your hosting service provider must be transparent about their roles and responsibilities, especially during and after a disaster.
A dedicated hosting service provider should be willing to collaborate on business resilience plans.
Security and Compliance
Moving your organizational data out of premises and to a hosting service will always be risky regardless of the expected benefits. This is why choosing a hosting service provider with end-to-end encryption that prevents data breaches and a system for maintaining compliance with relevant regulations is essential.
Performance metrics and SLAs
You need to calculate the ROI of your cloud hosting investment to ensure it’s worth it for your business. So, a reliable provider should:
- Clearly define roles and responsibilities, particularly in emergencies.
- Offer documented service level agreements (SLAs).
- Provide regular reports and performance reviews.
Secure your business continuity in the cloud with Liquid Web
After moving operational data to the cloud, it’s important to re-evaluate your business continuity plans. To ensure your business will continue to operate during(and bounce back after) a mishap, certify that your cloud host has business continuity plans in place.
Liquid Web’s ThreatDown hosting add-on is a comprehensive, agent-based system that combines valuable reporting and insights with always-on threat detection, vulnerability scanning, and advanced log management. It provides all the functionality and security you need to ensure business continuity while enjoying the benefits of cloud systems.
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