A Guide to Managed Cloud Services

Managed Cloud Services: An Expert Guide

Managed cloud services unlock unlimited potential. This subscription-based utopia is a haven built on a more efficient, structured, and streamlined service operating model. The best part is that, as a business utilising cloud-based managed services, it’s an almost hands-off approach, with the entire package secured, managed, and delivered to you from the cloud. And the numbers speak for themselves.

In 2024, statistics from Zippia reveal that 94% of businesses worldwide are adopting cloud computing – hosted services like data storage, servers, databases, networking, and software – and in 2023, 60% of the data stored in the cloud was corporate data. Specifically, in the UK, 77% of businesses are investing in advanced technologies like the cloud and AI – the cloud vendors are rapidly integrating more AI services, including cloud-based AI chatbots.

In our Managed Cloud Guide, we unpack what solutions are out there and how to assess what your organisation needs for immediate and future needs.

What are Managed Cloud Services and Providers?

Managed cloud services are third-party partners with expertise in designing, developing, and managing cloud-hosted services that support businesses and ultimately improve the majority of business operations from the inside out, specifically targeting user experience and the productivity of end users. They’re a team of cloud design and management experts who can implement secure, reliable, and scalable solutions using enterprise-grade platforms.

A managed cloud service provider (MCSP) will meticulously manage the specifically designed cloud infrastructure to ensure it’s running efficiently and securely 24/7, 365 days a year, constantly supporting and improving business processes. It removes the expenses of costly IT investments and puts them in the hands of the experts and the cloud. They’re subscription-based services that operate and maintain the cloud infrastructure and data centres, providing further services like performance monitoring and issue resolution.

Most providers will offer services of total control of a business’s cloud infrastructure or specific services or applications across the three main types of cloud computing: public cloud, private cloud, and hybrid cloud. Within those three deployment models, there are four main cloud services: infrastructure as a service (IaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), software as a service (SaaS), and serverless computing.  

The Three Main Types of Cloud Computing

The three main cloud services covered by cloud-based managed services are designed to meet all business’s needs.

Public Cloud

The public cloud is a cloud-based service offered to anyone over the internet. They’re there for anyone who wants to buy them and cover most cloud services shared by businesses and individuals. Most people will use multiple cloud services. Of the people using single cloud solutions, 9% use public clouds – some of the most popular being Microsoft Azure, Amazon AWS, and Google Cloud.

Hybrid Cloud

Hybrid clouds are the most popular solution, accounting for 80% of the people using multi-cloud solutions. Hybrid cloud solutions combine high-performance private and public clouds, meaning data and applications can move between the two, offering a more comprehensive package. Managed cloud services will carefully monitor the integration between the two, ensuring optimised connectivity between private and public cloud services.

Private Cloud

Private cloud solutions are as the name suggests – a private cloud solution dedicated to a single organisation and hosted on internal business data centres or an external Tier 4 UK-based data centre. No matter where it’s managed, private cloud solutions are built and managed for a specific organisation’s needs for industry-leading, secure, reliable and scalable solutions.  

The Four Main Cloud Services

The four main cloud services aren’t mutually exclusive – businesses can utilise one or all services depending on their unique business needs.

• Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): IaaS is an on-demand infrastructure resource tailored to business needs. These include storage, computing, networking, and visualisation solutions meaning businesses can build on their cloud data centres and have greater control over the cloud infrastructure. The service provider will own and operate the infrastructure. 
• Platforms as a Service (PaaS): PaaS services will manage and deliver hardware and resources. These form the basis of designing, testing, and implementing managed cloud applications. Developers can access the tools, middleware, and databases they need for efficient application development.
• Software as a Service (SaaS): SaaS is the one most of us are familiar with, and with cloud-based managed services, providers have access to a full application stack of ready-to-use applications. There’s no need for local installations, and these SaaS services are typically licensed-based services accessible to everyone.
• Serverless computing: These are cloud service models known as Function as a Service (FaaS). FaaS is one of the newer cloud service models, allocating machine resources on-demand and giving targeted solutions to build applications without managing or scaling infrastructures.

There are also the following services not always categorised in the main cloud services:

• Bare Metal as a Service (BmaaS): This is a subsection of IaaS, where managed cloud services deliver dedicated physical servers to businesses on a pay-per-use basis. BmaaS doesn’t give businesses virtualised, computer, network, and storage solutions but does allow the use of hardware and some degree of control of the configuration and management of the infrastructure.For storage, third-party services like colocation services sublet data centres for servers and computing hardware.
• Storage as a Service (STaaS): With STaaS, businesses can access storage solutions from a cloud provider using subscription models. STaaS typically includes raw storage, bare metal storage capacity, storage applications, and network file systems. 

Benefits of Managed Cloud Services

Managed cloud solutions are a breath of fresh air and a weight off the shoulders. Cloud design and management experts will effortlessly design and maintain your cloud infrastructure to ensure your business is getting the most out of it. The main benefits include:

• Reduced IT investment and responsibility: Cloud solution experts will work with you but not pressure you to understand which of the main cloud services your business will benefit from the most, with most opting to develop hybrid cloud solutions that cover all your business functions. Your business can funnel its IT focus to high-impact and business-specific tasks better managed in-house.
• Reduced costs: Forget about the ever-increasing costs of managing your IT infrastructure and opt for a subscription-based service optimising the many cloud solutions. Often, you’re taking multiple outgoings and putting them into one high-impact investment that’ll transform your business.
• Security improvements: Security is one of the main focuses of a business, with a predicted 50% of organisations becoming victims of cyber attacks each year. Managed cloud services have enterprise-grade security controls and threat monitoring and resolution mechanisms that enhance your business’s data and IT infrastructure security.
• Limitless scalability and flexibility: Cloud solution services aren’t a one-stop shop – these are scalable and flexible solutions that are high-adaptable to your ongoing and ever-changing business needs. You can scale up or down as your business demands.

Considerations for Picking the Best Managed Cloud Service Provider

Services Provided

Research the services your business could benefit from and ensure the provider can deliver them. A consultation to discover which cloud solutions your business needs is considered essential. The best service providers will offer all the main cloud services we’ve covered above.

Reliability

You should be looking at whether a provider has service level agreements specifically looking at uptime agreements, support response times, and the performance metrics they can provide with the services you select. There should be enhanced backup and disaster recovery mechanisms ensuring you’re accessing the most reliable services, especially if you migrate most of your IT infrastructure to the cloud. The recent CloudStrike Falcon update drama and the resulting billions in downtime costs prove what can go wrong.

Security and Security Compliance

There are numerous security and data compliance standards service providers should follow, including HIPAA, GDPR, and SOC 2. 

Your business needs managed cloud solutions. They’re the most advanced, up-to-date, and beneficial solutions you can access to improve your IT infrastructure and the overall user experience. The question is, what cloud service will you access, or will it be a combination of all?