Infrastructure as a service provides cost savings, scale, and flexibility to a business IT department. Companies with complex applications are perfect candidates to an infrastructure transition from on-premise to IaaS.

Many Cloud hosting service providers offer varying services of IaaS. Replacing a business on-premise IT infrastructure by a Cloud IaaS IT infrastructure requires in-depth analysis of cloud service providers and their offerings.

Here is a list of requirements to look for in IaaS provider:

o Can the cloud service provider add value to the IT department (cost savings, quick and ease of applications’ deployment, improved agility of computing power, data security, and storage capacity when needed)?
o Do they have a clear understanding of the IT specific technical and operational requirements inherent within the company?
o Can they prove that they possess the resources to replace on-premise infrastructure without compromising functionality?
o Can they provide a targeted solution to the business IT unique needs?
o How innovative is it and does the service provider keeps pace with constantly changing IT requirements?
o Can the service provider prove that the technology is tested and proven reliable, with performance indicators, case studies, customer testimonials?
o Does the cloud service possess the ability to scale with the business, and expand with the business global expansion?
o Can the IaaS provider allow a tour of their data centers, and test or evaluate back-end systems?

Moving from an in-house to a cloud infrastructure, requires modifications to IT operations tasks, management, support and control, that is why ease of implementation comes into play. This is why it is important for businesses to Partner with an all rounded cloud service provider that has the expertise to guide a smooth transition, and provide continuing support beyond implementation.