Moving to the cloud hosting services can prove to be one of your most productive decisions for your accounting firm. With the advancement of technology, every business is adapting to the change and accounting firms are also not left behind. Use of the latest accounting software and implementation of the most updated technology is now a part of the daily routine for accounting firms, but before moving to the cloud hosting services, you should be sure about which cloud hosting service to choose from. Different cloud hosting service has different benefits and that’s why choosing the perfect cloud hosting services becomes necessary for making the most of the cloud platform.

That’s why in this article, we will be looking at the way to choose the perfect cloud hosting services for your accounting firm.

Before moving to any other aspect of choosing the right cloud hosting services, you should firstly know about the different types of cloud hosting services, so that your decision should be well-informed.

Public cloud- This is one of the most common ways of cloud computing in which the cloud server is provided by a third party provider and it is delivered over the public internet. One of the best features of the public cloud is the pay-as-you-go which makes it ideal for small and medium-sized businesses.

Private cloud- It is a type of cloud hosting services in which the computing infrastructure is dedicated to a particular business or organization. The private cloud can be located in your organization on-site data center or can be located at the data center of the third party provider. This cloud hosting service limits the number of users who can use or access the cloud services.

Hybrid cloud- Also known as “the best of both worlds”, it mixes private cloud with the public cloud, so that the user can take advantage of both types of cloud. Data and application can move in both private cloud and public cloud for enhanced flexibility and better options.

What is the budget of your business?

The first point which you should think of is your budget. Different clouds hosting services have different benefits and that’s why their cost varies according to the feature they offer. Private cloud is the most expensive cloud because it is privately dedicated to your business. All the cost of data center maintenance and IT support has to be paid by you while the public cloud is known for its cost-effectiveness because the cost of IT infrastructure and staff is completely wiped out. So any hosting solution becomes affordable on the public cloud like if you are looking for an affordable QuickBooks hosting, then public cloud becomes the best option.

What is the security requirement of your business?

Accounting firms are the most likely targets of cyber-attacks because of the important and valuable data they hold and that’s why security becomes a matter of prime concern for them. Choosing the right cloud can play an important role in the growth of your company. If you are looking for the most secure cloud platforms for your company then the Private cloud is the best option. Although the cost involved in the private cloud is very high but because of its privately dedicated server, it provides the most advanced security feature.

How much control do you want on your server?

The level of control you want on your server decides the type of cloud hosting services which you need for your business. If you want complete control on your server then the private cloud is the best option for you because it offers better configurability, flexibility, and adaptability. On the other side, if you opt for public cloud, it will not give you as much control as a private cloud will offer because the service is offered by a third party hosting provider and the server is open for all to use.

Are you looking to downsize or reduce your IT expenses?

If you are looking to downsize or reduce your IT expenses, then the public or hybrid cloud is the best option. For example- in a disaster recovery scenario, an accounting firm can keep its recovery environment in the public cloud and productive environment in private cloud.
So choosing the right cloud hosting services is very much important for your accounting firm to make the most of the cloud platform, whether it is QuickBooks hosting, ATX hosting or hosting of any other software. Know about the pros and cons of different types of cloud hosting services and then choose the right one by asking yourselves the above-mentioned questions.

Author's Bio: 

Jac Martin works at MyQBHost as an IT consultant, He loves to read and write an article about the accounting and Tax software like QuickBooks, ATX Tax Software, Lacerte Tax Software etc.