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Businesses are increasingly relying on cloud services for their data and operations. In relation to that, one of the widely used cloud computing platforms these days is Amazon Web Services (AWS). This offers several services, including storage, networking and analytics.
AWS commands about 31% of the global cloud infrastructure market, with more than a million active customers in over 190 countries. But despite its popularity, managing AWS environments can be challenging. Optimizing costs, ensuring compliance and upholding security standards may not be that straightforward. And that’s where an AWS partner comes in handy. They help businesses manage the complex bits for enhanced efficiency and security. (1)
But you must know how to look for one. Well, it shouldn’t be like finding a needle in the haystack. The secret here lies in asking the most important questions as you evaluate your prospects. With them as your guide, in no time, you’ll be able to find a partner that ticks all the boxes.
1. What Is Your Experience With Projects Similar to Ours?
You’d want to ensure the AWS partner has adequate experience with projects similar to yours. This way, you’ll be sure they have the skills relevant to your undertakings. Those who’ve worked for a considerable period in your industry are in a good position to anticipate and address unique challenges more effectively.
Consider how complex and big their previous projects were. You can ask them for case studies or examples that prove their success. Also, look at how they’ve handled challenges and the results they’ve achieved. Such details will help you know how good they are at solving problems.
2. What AWS Certifications and Accreditations Do You Have?
Experience? Check. However, you’ve got to look at AWS certifications, too, as these indicate more expertise and commitment to maintaining high standards. If they have these credentials, they’re most probably well-versed in AWS best practices. This only means they can deliver quality solutions.
Fundamental certifications you may want to check include AWS Certified Solutions Architect, AWS Certified Developer and AWS Certified SysOps Administrator. These ones cover the most essential aspects of AWS, including design, deployment and management. You may also look for an AWS Partner Network (APN) accreditation, which shows a firm commitment to AWS practices. It also means they have access to exclusive resources and training. Beyond these, you may want to check out additional content on typical certifications AWS partners possess.
Choosing an AWS partner with the right certifications is akin to committing your project to capable hands. You’ll also be more confident, knowing that they can deliver solutions that meet your specific needs and industry standards.
3. How Do You Ensure the Security and Compliance of AWS Environments?
Security and compliance are critical in today’s business world. In a 2023 survey, about 31% of global enterprise cloud decision-makers ranked cloud security as the number one investment priority, ahead of data management and data analytics (25%), infrastructure modernization (12%) and productivity and collaboration (11%). (2)
Thus, you must choose a partner who prioritizes these aspects. You’d want to inquire about the security measures they implement. These include encryption, multi-factor authentication or regular security audits. Compliance standards include GDPR, HIPAA and SOC 2. Adherence to these indicates that they can handle sensitive data.
4. What Is Your Approach to Cloud Architecture and Design?
A solid architecture ensures optimum performance, reliability and scalability. So, what does it take to be a good, reliable AWS partner in this regard? They should have a structured approach to cloud architecture and design. This means such crucial elements will be able to handle growth and changing demands without fail.
Look for partners who emphasize best practices; using microservices, implementing auto-scaling and optimizing for cost and performance ought to be their habits. Also, ask them to provide samples of previous projects where they designed effective cloud architectures. This is one way of gauging their expertise and ability to deliver robust solutions.
When you know about their approach to design and architecture, it gives you a clear picture of their problem-solving skills and innovation capabilities. This ensures your AWS environment is well-structured, secure and efficient.
5. What Levels of Support Do You Offer and What Are Your SLAs?
Support levels and service level agreements (SLAs) help maintain a smooth AWS environment.
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High-quality support guarantees quick resolution of issues and reduces downtime. On the other hand, SLAs define the expected performance and availability, providing a clear commitment from the partner.
When assessing a partner’s support structure, look for 24/7 availability, dedicated support teams and multi-tiered support options. Also, check whether their SLAs include guaranteed response and resolution times. This shows their commitment to providing reliable support.
6. How Do You Handle Incident Management and Disaster Recovery?
To ensure minimal disruption to business operations, you must have adequate measures for incident management and disaster recovery. Proper handling of incidents minimizes downtime and data loss. A good AWS partner must have effective strategies to manage such scenarios.
Downtime due to server outage is particularly costly to businesses. In a 2020 survey, 25% of respondents reported the average hourly downtime cost at between USD$ 301,000 and USD$ 400,000. (3)
Inquire about their incident response plans, including detection, response and resolution processes. Also, seek to know their disaster recovery strategies, such as data backup frequency, recovery time objectives (RTOs) and recovery point objectives (RPOs). This way, you’ll know how prepared they are for unforeseen incidents.
7. Can You Provide a Detailed Cost Breakdown for Your Services?
Your AWS partner should be transparent in pricing. It helps to understand the costs involved so that you can budget effectively and avoid hidden fees. It also helps you know exactly what you’re paying for.
Check whether the cost breakdowns are clear and complete. At the least, the partner must provide itemized costs for different services. These should include setup, ongoing management and any additional charges.
Here’s another important step: compare cost breakdowns from different potential providers to understand the market rates and choose the option that gives you the best value for your money.
8. How Do You Ensure Cost Optimization for AWS Services?
Cost optimization is important if you’re to get the most out of your AWS investment. So, it helps to work with an AWS partner that has strategies to reduce cost without compromising performance and reliability.
Inquire about how they go about cost optimization. This could be through right-sizing resources, capitalizing on AWS cost management tools or using reserved instances. You may also want to ask about how experienced they are in pinpointing and doing away with wasteful spending. If they’ve done this before, you can count on them to manage your AWS environment efficiently.
Assessing your AWS partner’s cost optimization strategies lets you gauge their prowess in balancing cost and performance. And this is what leads to the best return on investment.
9. How Do You Ensure Effective Communication and Project Management?
Partnerships can never thrive without clear communication and effective project management skills.
Effectual communication brings every team member on the same page, and this reduces delays and misunderstandings. As a result, all projects will be on track and within the predefined budget.
A reliable AWS partner should provide regular updates on the project’s status. They should also have clear documentation detailing every aspect of the project. Having dedicated points of contact will also ensure you can reach them easily whenever the need arises.
Beyond communication, you’d want a partner who uses top-of-the-range project management tools. These help track progress and facilitate collaboration. And given that you can follow the updates from your end, the project proceeds with the needed transparency and accountability.
10. Can You Provide References or Case Studies From Past Clients?
Client references and case studies can tell you how capable a potential partner is. These show their experience and success in handling similar projects and help you understand a partner’s strengths and weaknesses.
When talking to client references, you’d want to ask about the projects they had with the partner, what challenges they faced and the solutions provided. Speaking directly to past clients can help you get honest feedback about their experience with the partner.
Also, case studies act as evidence of successful outcomes. Review them in depth to gauge how reliable, innovative and effective the partner is.
Conclusion
The above 10 questions will help you find the right AWS partner. Your aim is to get a hold of someone who meets your business’s specific needs so that your cloud projects can be successful.
Remember, the person you’re interviewing should provide straight answers. If they seem to hold back information, that’d be a red flag and you may want to move on to another potential partner.
But beyond the one-on-one questions, take some time to do individual research on potential AWS partners. There’s no denying that entrepreneurs can exaggerate their strengths in a bid to sell their services. So, don’t stop at their word. Go the extra mile to find more information about them. This could be through reading reviews from their past clients. Also, information from a non-partisan third-party could be insightful and give you an accurate picture of how working with a particle AWS partner is like.
Be diligent in this search process. Don’t skimp on it. Your efforts in searching for the best will pay off through well-managed projects.
References
1. ‘Aws Statistics: Market Data Report 2024,’ Source: https://gitnux.org/aws-statistics/
2. ‘The digital forecast: 40-plus cloud computing stats and trends to know in 2023,’ Source: https://cloud.google.com/blog/transform/top-cloud-computing-trends-facts-statistics-2023
3. ‘Average cost per hour of enterprise server downtime worldwide in 2019,’ Source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/753938/worldwide-enterprise-server-hourly-downtime-cost/
