Welcome to the latest edition of 'Consultants in Conversation' where FarrPoint’s experts take a closer look at Cloud Hosting. With the rising costs associated with the Cloud, Richard and Alan examine the benefits and challenges of different hosting models, from public and private cloud to hybrid and on-premise solutions.
Anna Stewart sat down with FarrPoint’s cloud and enterprise IT specialists Richard Parkinson and Alan Pritchard to discuss what organisations should consider when developing their cloud hosting strategy, how to avoid common pitfalls, and why a tailored approach is key to long-term success.
Let’s get straight to it.
Richard: Cloud technology enables businesses to be more agile and innovative. Whether it’s adopting AI, improving data analytics, or developing new digital services, the cloud provides on-demand access to powerful computing resources. This means organisations can test, deploy, and scale new applications faster—without the delays and costs associated with traditional infrastructure upgrades. It’s a key enabler for businesses looking to stay ahead.
Alan: Not necessarily. While the cloud offers a lot of benefits like scalability, convenience, and potential cost savings, it’s definitely not a one-size-fits-all solution and of course, there are many types of cloud hosting and, similarly, many cloud suppliers. Because it is so easy to expand when hosting on the cloud, it can drive costs to unacceptable levels very quickly.
Richard: Yes, I agree. Some organisations find that a hybrid approach—combining public and private cloud with on-premise or co-location options—gives them the best balance. Security, data sovereignty, and long-term costs are all crucial factors to consider when deciding what works best for you.
Alan: Yes, in general, I would say one of the major advantages of cloud hosting is its built-in resilience. Cloud providers normally offer robust disaster recovery solutions, automatic backups, and multiple locations to ensure continuity in the event of technology failures or cyber incidents. However, it’s still possible to suffer cloud downtime when providers have systemic issues.
Richard: Exactly - businesses can recover data quickly and minimise downtime, which is critical for maintaining operations and customer trust.
Richard: Yes, absolutely. Many organisations are now considering cloud hosting as part of their sustainability strategy. Public cloud providers invest heavily in energy-efficient data centres, renewable energy, and carbon reduction initiatives—offering much greener alternatives to self-hosted infrastructure.
Alan: It's most definitely the case that due to the significant economies of scale, public cloud providers can operate their facilities with very high degrees of efficiency. Although, tracking environmental and sustainability measures should be key when deciding whether to locate or switch workloads.
Richard: Many people believe a hybrid setup gives you the best of both worlds. You can keep sensitive or business-critical data in a private cloud or on-premise environment while taking advantage of the scalability of public cloud services when needed. It’s flexible, cost-effective, and can help with disaster recovery.
That said, managing a hybrid cloud can be more complex. You need strong governance to avoid hidden costs and ensure seamless integration across different environments. That’s where having a clear strategy makes all the difference.
Alan: And as I mentioned earlier, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. The key is finding a solution(s) that work for your organisation and financial appetite—both now and in the years ahead. Once in the cloud, it tends to be the case that it can be tricky to change or shift strategy so assessing this in advance provides the best outcome.
At FarrPoint, we help organisations develop tailored cloud hosting strategies that balance cost, performance and flexibility. Our structured approach includes reviewing your current needs vs costs, creating detailed plans, and supporting seamless implementation. We also offer services like cloud procurement, application migration, and connectivity planning to ensure your hosting solution works smoothly.
Ready to refine your cloud hosting strategy? Get in touch and let’s explore how we can support your goals.
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