Cloud Questions to Ask
Essential questions to ask about cloud computing, helping you understand cloud services, evaluate vendors, and make informed decisions about cloud adoption and strategy.
1What are your specific business needs and goals for moving to the cloud?
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What are your specific business needs and goals for moving to the cloud?
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Why this works
Establishes clear objectives and ensures cloud migration aligns with business priorities and delivers measurable value.
2What is your total cost of ownership (TCO) for current infrastructure versus cloud solutions?
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What is your total cost of ownership (TCO) for current infrastructure versus cloud solutions?
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Why this works
Provides realistic cost comparison including hidden costs, helping you understand the true financial impact of cloud adoption.
3What security measures and compliance certifications does the cloud provider offer?
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What security measures and compliance certifications does the cloud provider offer?
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Why this works
Ensures the provider meets your security requirements and regulatory compliance needs for your industry and data.
4What is the provider's uptime guarantee and SLA (Service Level Agreement)?
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What is the provider's uptime guarantee and SLA (Service Level Agreement)?
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Why this works
Clarifies reliability expectations and what compensation you'll receive if the service doesn't meet promised availability.
5What data residency and sovereignty requirements do you have, and can the provider meet them?
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What data residency and sovereignty requirements do you have, and can the provider meet them?
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Why this works
Ensures data is stored in appropriate locations to meet legal, regulatory, and business requirements.
6What is the cloud provider's disaster recovery and backup strategy?
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What is the cloud provider's disaster recovery and backup strategy?
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Why this works
Reveals how your data and applications will be protected and restored in case of disasters or failures.
7What migration strategy and timeline makes sense for your applications and data?
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What migration strategy and timeline makes sense for your applications and data?
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Why this works
Helps you plan a realistic migration approach that minimizes disruption and risk to business operations.
8What are the exit costs and procedures if you need to change providers or move back on-premises?
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What are the exit costs and procedures if you need to change providers or move back on-premises?
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Why this works
Ensures you understand vendor lock-in risks and have options if the cloud solution doesn't work out.
9What support and service levels are included, and what additional costs apply?
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What support and service levels are included, and what additional costs apply?
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Why this works
Clarifies the support you'll receive and identifies any additional costs for premium support or services.
10What cloud computing models (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS) best fit your needs?
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What cloud computing models (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS) best fit your needs?
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Why this works
Helps you understand different service models and choose the right level of management and control for your organization.
11What scalability and performance capabilities does the provider offer?
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What scalability and performance capabilities does the provider offer?
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Why this works
Ensures the cloud solution can grow with your business and handle peak loads and changing demands.
12What integration capabilities exist with your current systems and tools?
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What integration capabilities exist with your current systems and tools?
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Why this works
Reveals how easily the cloud solution will work with your existing technology stack and workflows.
13What monitoring, logging, and visibility tools are available for your cloud resources?
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What monitoring, logging, and visibility tools are available for your cloud resources?
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Why this works
Ensures you can track performance, costs, and security across your cloud environment effectively.
14What training and change management will be needed for your team?
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What training and change management will be needed for your team?
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Why this works
Helps you plan for the human side of cloud adoption and ensure your team has the skills needed.
15What are the bandwidth and network requirements, and what are the associated costs?
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What are the bandwidth and network requirements, and what are the associated costs?
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Why this works
Identifies network infrastructure needs and costs that are often overlooked in cloud planning.
16What automation and DevOps capabilities does the provider support?
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What automation and DevOps capabilities does the provider support?
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Why this works
Reveals opportunities for improving efficiency through automation and modern development practices.
17What governance and cost management tools are available to control cloud spending?
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What governance and cost management tools are available to control cloud spending?
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Why this works
Ensures you can monitor and control costs to prevent unexpected bills and optimize spending.
18What is the provider's track record for security incidents and how were they handled?
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What is the provider's track record for security incidents and how were they handled?
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Why this works
Reveals the provider's security history and their transparency and response to security issues.
19What environmental and sustainability commitments does the provider have?
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What environmental and sustainability commitments does the provider have?
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Why this works
Shows their commitment to sustainability and helps you meet your organization's environmental goals.
20What questions should I be asking that I haven't considered yet?
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What questions should I be asking that I haven't considered yet?
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Why this works
Shows openness to guidance and potentially reveals important considerations you may have missed.
Best Practices for Cloud Evaluation Conversations
Expert tips and techniques for getting the most out of these questions.
Best Practices
Start with Business Needs
Begin with your business objectives rather than technology features, ensuring cloud adoption serves your strategic goals.
Compare Multiple Providers
Evaluate at least 2-3 cloud providers to understand different approaches, pricing, and capabilities.
Plan for Total Cost
Consider all costs including migration, training, data transfer, and ongoing management, not just cloud services.
Question Sequences
The Business Assessment
The Provider Evaluation
Common Pitfalls
Don't Underestimate Migration Complexity
Cloud migration often takes longer and costs more than expected. Plan for challenges and allow extra time.
Don't Ignore Hidden Costs
Data transfer, support, training, and network costs can add up quickly. Factor in all expenses for accurate TCO.
Don't Skip Security Planning
Cloud security is a shared responsibility. Understand what the provider secures and what you must secure yourself.