What is cloud operations?

Some time ago businesses were all about moving to the cloud – it was an inevitable result of the global shift to remote work and to the online world that accelerated as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Today, a huge part of companies is already using cloud solutions, and is now facing a new problem: how to effectively manage and maintain them? And who should do it?

This is exactly what cloud operations (also known as cloud operations management or CloudOps) is all about.

Rapidly expanding cloud ecosystems need a safe pair of hands that will take care of everything from their performance and availability to their security. Cloud operations responds to that need, making dealing with cloud-based solutions much easier and more cost effective.

Benefits of cloud operations

Cloud operations provides several key benefits for organisations. Some of the most important ones include:

• better security of all ecosystems: cloud operations ensures all cloud-based systems and applications are secure and compliant with all required standards,
• better accessibility: cloud management system allows organisation to improve the flow of work from different locations, ensuring good accessibility no matter the employees’ whereabouts, and simplifying remote work,
• lower IT costs: CloudOps allows businesses to save money they would normally spend on maintaining and upgrading their on-premises infrastructure , as well as actively managing the financial aspects of cloud infrastructure (FinOps),
• scalability: the world of business changes all the time and your software and applications need to adhere to it and be scalable, depending on your needs. CloudOps allow for better scalability, making it easy to accommodate changes in demand,
• easier backup and recovery: cloud operations makes it easier and quicker to get access to your information in case of a failure,
• better integration of all services, including integration of different cloud services provided by different vendors, as well as integrating cloud services with on-premises systems.

How does cloud operations work?

Cloud operations is a complex practice that involves a range of tools and technologies, such as cloud management platforms, automation tools and monitoring systems, all used to monitor and manage the performance, availability, security , resilience and cost consumption of cloud systems and applications.

CloudOps Engineer vs. SysAdmin

In the world of CloudOps, it is important to know the difference between a CloudOps Engineer and a SysAdmin.

A SysAdmin takes care of the day-to-day maintenance and management of servers, services, and software . Their main tasks include installing and configuring hardware, software, services, troubleshooting, and performing regular updates.

A CloudOps Engineer’s responsibilities are similar to those of a SysAdmin, but on cloud environments, so the scope and the way of working are different. CloudOps Engineer’s tasks include monitoring cloud infrastructure, managing and updating services, ensuring the highest security and compliance, managing teams working on cloud management, and creating and implementing all cloud-related procedures.

If you are looking to implement CloudOps, it is definitely not enough to just have a SysAdmin. What you need is a CloudOps Engineer that will take care of all aspects of your cloud-based solution.

How to start a successful business with an effective CloudOps Engineer?

In today’s high-tech world, starting a business without an effective CloudOps engineer that can deal with all cloud-related issues straight away may prove risky. Having a right person or a trustworthy partner that can take care of that side of your business seems a must.

An effective CloudOps Partner will deal with issues such as developing a clear business strategy for your cloud-based infrastructure, helping you choose the right cloud provider, and creating a cloud operations team with a clearly defined list of tasks to do. CloudOps Partner will also take care of training your staff and implementing the code of best practices within your team.

There is no doubt CloudOps is a huge thing and one that should not be left to chance. At Future Processing, we have a vast experience in providing our clients with cloud operations management services at the highest level. Get in touch with us to discuss your needs.