If you own a business, or make buying decisions for one, you’ve more than likely have heard about using the “cloud” for your IT services. (In fact, we published an article last winter titled “Cloud or onsite backup?”

In recent months, law enforcement officials have cracked down on cloud-based file sharing provider Megaupload in an effort to stop copyrighted material flowing illegally. Law abiding users of that service are the real victims as their data has become inaccessible and at risk of being deleted permanently.

As we reported in our article last winter, cloud-based services can be both cost effective and part of a solid IT plan for your organization. Here are some points to keep in mind when selecting a provider:

Reliability, Size and Reputation Matter

• Use cloud-based services from a reliable source. Microsoft, Amazon, Google and Rackspace are just some of the reliable providers of cloud-based services.
• Bigger is better. Buying cloud-based services from a provider that has been in the business for several years and has a good reputation is key.
• Check the providers reputation online. If you see overwhelming negative feedback, stay away. If it sounds too good to be true, (like it’s so inexpensive), it probably is.
• Ask your IT service provider, friends and peers about their experience. Cloud-based providers are not all created equal.

Know and Set Your Expectations

• Do you have a phone system that emails you when someone leaves a voice mail? You will need to confirm your phone system supports cloud use if you are migrating email to the cloud.
• Same goes for copiers and scanners. If you move email to the cloud, make sure your copier or scanner can use the cloud-based service.
• Know that when you move file services to the cloud it can sometimes mean access to files will be a little slower. Your Local Area Network speeds are far greater than your speed to the Internet.
• If it gives you comfort to know where your data physically resides, keep it in-house.