4 Critical Considerations When Selecting a Cloud Platform

Gary Feldman • September 8, 2022

As the trend towards cloud service continues, making certain you pick the right cloud platform(s) is a critical factor to long-term success. Cloud has become much more than outsourcing IT or software as a service. Use of the cloud has become an integral part of the way companies transact their business, design their processes and adapt to a changing marketplace.


So how do you select the right cloud platform for your company? A defined selection process that looks at the outcome from a business perspective using technology and partnerships as key considerations.


Define Business Outcomes


The answer always starts with your core business vision, mission and plan. Start with the Why! Some common reasons company’s choose cloud include:

  • The burning platform – Many companies are forced to move because their server operating system is no longer supported by Microsoft or their business management system was acquired and is being neglected.
  • Need to improve efficiency – Outdated “legacy” software restrict a business process to work the way the system does. For example, a distributor using older software is forced to pick pack and ship by the order as opposed to grouping orders by location or better yet routing pickers based upon picking efficiencies.
  • Cut costs – Many companies think moving to the cloud will cut costs. Cost evaluations are hard unless the direct cost savings are obvious. In small to mid-sized businesses the cost justification is often the reduction in IT personnel headcount. The true costs and benefits of the cloud can be hard to quantify without some pretty sophisticated analysis, but the savings are there to be had.
  • Cyber attack – Unfortunately the cost and risk of cyber attacks and cyber insurance are increasing. Several surveys estimate that 60% of small businesses are unable to survive six months following a cyber attack.
  • Improve business agility – Agility refers to the ability to adapt to changing economic or environmental circumstances. The COVID pandemic drove many companies to the cloud to support remote working. Although that phase of the pandemic is mostly behind us, a cloud platform should provide the flexibility to expand or contract, integrate and connect your business from anywhere to anywhere at any time.

These outcomes should be expanded into SMART goals. Specific, measurable, actionable, realistic and time-bound goals specific to your organization. The objective create the guiding principles for the SMART goals. The objectives and goals drive the selection process which becomes the How.


Define Cloud Strategy


As described in a LinkedIn Article regarding OnPremise vs. Cloud, we are all in the cloud and on-premise! Going cloud does not mean flipping a switch and poof our business is now digitally transformed. At I-BN we have identified three core cloud strategies:

  • Cloud Connected – Critical business systems remain on-premise but are connected to cloud services to optimize their efficiency and effectiveness of your on-premise or hosted technology solutions.
  • Hybrid – Re-platforming your critical business systems onto the best platform for your technology and business strategy. Hybrid cloud offers an incremental approach to digital transformation by incorporating the best of cloud with proven solutions
  • Cloud First – A cloud first strategy puts the cloud at the center of your business. Going cloud first requires selection of the right cloud platform for your business and redesigning your business processes to take advantage of that platform

There is no one size fits all solution to a cloud strategy. A number of different factors must be considered:

  • How core is technology to your business? A kitchen cabinet manufacturer may use sophisticated equipment for building their cabinets, however, technology is rarely their core competency. Alternatively, a high-tech company which develops software for computerized machinery often lives and breathes technology.
  • Is technology already disrupting your industry? You don’t have to be a taxi company to feel the disruptive impact of an Uber or Lyft. Many industries are feeling the Amazon or Wayfair effect from large online players eating into margins. Best Buy is a great example of a company that turned its brick-and-mortar stores into an advantage while embracing digital transformation.
  • How adaptable is your company to change? Just because you are interested in going cloud, doesn’t mean your company can turn on a dime. Small and mid-sized businesses are often thought of as nimble and easy to change when compared to huge corporations; however, this is not always the case!

Often companies take an incremental approach to digital transformation, moving from cloud connected to hybrid before embracing a cloud first strategy.


Evaluate Cloud Platforms


There are three general cloud platform types:

  1. Public Clouds are typically very large pools of IT infrastructure, partitioned and redistributed to multiple “tenants.” Most are sold based upon resource consumption with discounts for guaranteed minimums over longer terms. The most well-known public clouds include Amazon’s AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud
  2. Private Clouds are resource pools which are dedicated to a single customer or group. Often managed private clouds are offered by niche service providers specializing in a type or specific of application or by an IT consultancy which builds clouds as a service. These are quite often described as Dedicated Clouds.
  3. Hybrid Clouds blend aspects of public and private clouds. Typically, a hybrid cloud will have some components shared amongst several private clouds. This can include the Windows Active Directory service or backup facilities.


There are no hard and fast rules for what type of cloud platform is best, but rather characteristics that can be described as benefits and constraints

The cloud platform should be selected to maximize the business benefit based upon the cloud strategy.  

  • Cloud Connected – When the core business systems are on-premise cloud connections could be provided by the publisher of those business systems or connected via integration platforms in the cloud or on premise. Many of the services being connected are served up by public clouds.  
  • Hybrid – When the core business system is in a Software as a Service (SaaS) application is in a proprietary cloud, other systems may be in the cloud or on premise.  
  • Cloud First strategy often results in a multiple - Cloud strategy with a central orchestrating cloud.


Cloud Integration Strategy


It is becoming increasingly rare to see all cloud services delivered from a single platform.


  • Mail is outsourced from a hosted Exchange server to Microsoft 365 or Gmail 
  • Tax services are offered by a cloud like Avalara rather than from within the software 
  • Payroll services outsourced from within the ERP to a specialized HR or PEO platform 
  • E-Commerce sites are hosted at a specialty hosting firm and not a web server managed by internal IT. 


How do you maintain a “single version of the truth” when data is outsourced in a multi-cloud world? Strategies include: 

  • Follow the ERP Lead – When a company uses a platform provided by the Software as a Service (Saas) application, like Sage Intacct, NetSuite or Salesforce, that platform typically offers their tools on their on proprietary platforms. Other core applications like SAP Business One, Acumatica and SageCRM offer a choice of publisher or partner platforms, but also provide “Certified” integration solutions. 
  • Integration Platforms – Often called Integration Platform as a Service (iPaaS) companies like Dell Boomi or BPA Platform are used as a common connector to one or more clouds or cloud services. These tools have built in connectors to platforms like Shopify, Magento, etc. in a store like fashion Microsoft Azure Logic Apps and SAP Business Transformation Platform (BTP) also provide similar functionality optimized for their cloud platforms. 
  • Custom Development – There are a number of tools designed for Extraction Transformation and Loading (ETL) of data. Using an ETL tool you can connect anything and add logic in the middle to create custom solutions. An ETL tool can be housed on premise or in the cloud.  

iPaaS platform often can serve as custom ETL tools in the cloud, and typically have more built-in connectors and more limitations.


Conclusion


Every business has unique business processes, management styles, and competitive advantages. Similarly, each company should design their cloud operations to optimize their processes, compliment their management style and maximize their competitive advantages. Partnering with I-Business Network, you can leverage our 20+ years of experience turning the internet into a competitive advantage to optimize your cloud experience.

About the Author

As a former CPA, Accenture executive and now as a business owner and consultant, I-Business Network (I-BN) helps companies grow their business and create efficiency by increasing sales and streamlining business processes through technology.   Using process redesign and re-engineering techniques aligned to cloud and other technology, we help companies on their digital transformation journey.


A pioneer in the Cloud Services market, Gary Feldman formed I-BN in 1999 as an outsourced application hosting service focusing on mid-market ERP systems. Landed first hosting agreement with Sage Software (State of the Art), Advanced Software Development Company and SAP Americas (for SAP Business One) allowing I-BN to offer these products in the  Software as a Service (SaaS) model. Prior to forming I-BN, Mr. Feldman was a CPA for BDO Seidman and started the consulting practices for Eisner & Lubin, CPAs Miami office and Windham Brannon, CPA firms before joining Accenture.

You can contact Gary here:
gfeldman@i-bn.net

Our Opinion on Ai: A Tool, Not a Magic Wand

By Nicole Laurier • June 26, 2025
It seems like everywhere you turn—from coffee shop conversations to boardroom meetings—artificial intelligence dominates the discussion. As someone who's spent years in the technology industry, I've watched this wave of Ai enthusiasm with both excitement and a healthy dose of realism. The AI Conversation Everyone's Having There's no denying that Ai has captured our collective imagination. Social media feeds are flooded with ChatGPT screenshots, businesses are scrambling to integrate AI solutions, and investors are throwing money at anything with "Ai-powered" in the pitch deck. The enthusiasm is infectious, and frankly, some of it is well-deserved. Working in technology, I've been hearing countless questions from colleagues and partners about how they can leverage Ai to transform their operations. The questions range from the practical "Can Ai help us automate our customer service?" to the almost magical "Can Ai solve all our efficiency problems?". This spectrum of expectations tells a story about where we are in the Ai adoption curve—somewhere between realistic optimism and unrealistic expectations. Ai's Real Role in Technology Here's the thing about Ai that I wish more people understood: it's incredibly powerful, but it's not omnipotent. In the technology industry, Ai serves as an amplifier of human capabilities, not a replacement for human judgment and creativity. The most successful Ai implementations I've observed across the industry have been those where Ai addresses specific, well-defined problems. For example, companies are using machine learning to optimize supply chain logistics, reducing waste and improving delivery times. Others are leveraging it to automate quality control processes, catching defects that might slip past human inspection. Many businesses are also deploying Ai-powered phone systems to handle initial customer inquiries and schedule meetings, eliminating the need for expensive answering services while freeing up employees to focus on higher-value client interactions. A Powerful Assistant, Not the Whole Team This brings me to my main point—Ai is an assistant. It’s sophisticated, intelligent, and powerful, but not a standalone solution. Too often, I see businesses approaching Ai as if it's the missing puzzle piece that will magically solve all their operational challenges. The reality is messier and more nuanced. Successful Ai implementation requires the same fundamentals as any other technology project: clear objectives, quality data, proper infrastructure, and ongoing maintenance. You need to understand your current processes before you can improve them with Ai. Most importantly, you need humans who understand both the technology and the business context to make Ai work effectively. Looking Forward Realistically As we continue to navigate this Ai revolution, I encourage business leaders to maintain a balanced perspective. Embrace the possibilities that Ai offers, but approach them with realistic expectations and solid planning. At Fisher Technology, we're excited about the future of Ai and its potential to drive innovation across industries. But we're equally committed to helping our clients understand that Ai's greatest value lies not in replacing human judgment, but in augmenting it.  The conversation about Ai will undoubtedly continue to evolve, and that's a good thing. As the technology matures and our understanding deepens, we'll find even more creative and effective ways to harness its power. Just remember: Ai is a powerful tool in our technological toolkit, but like any tool, its value lies in how skillfully and thoughtfully we use it.

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By Nicole Laurier • June 2, 2025
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The Power of iPaaS: Streamlining Business Integration

By Nicole Laurier • March 22, 2025
When your business uses different tools and softwares that don't communicate, critical information can get lost and workflows can break down. This blog explores how Integration Platform as a Service (iPaaS) solves this problem by connecting your essential business applications. We'll cover why iPaaS is the best choice to help businesses overcome common challenges, the key benefits of implementing an integration platform, and a look at BPA Platform's specific iPaaS capabilities. Keep on reading to discover how the right integration strategy can transform scattered data into a powerful, unified business resource. Why iPaaS? Data visibility across an organization is crucial for improving efficiency, seizing new opportunities, and identifying potential threats. In the past, businesses operated within a single system, but today, the vast array of available software has led different departments to adopt applications tailored to their specific needs. While these tools enhance departmental efficiency, they also contribute to data silos, where critical information is stored in separate locations. This fragmentation can disrupt sales and accounting processes, hinder collaboration, create inefficiencies, and increase the risk of data errors. Integration Platform as a Service (iPaaS) provides a cloud-based solution that seamlessly connects, automates, and manages applications, systems, and data across business environments. By replacing traditional middleware with a standardized approach, iPaaS delivers cost-effective integration capabilities. How does iPaaS work? iPaaS is a cloud integration platform that creates a centralized ecosystem for managing data workflows. The platform offers pre-built connectors and automation tools that seamlessly link applications, services, and databases. With iPaaS, businesses gain a unified view of their integration landscape, allowing them to control and modify data flows across their infrastructure. As organisations grow, iPaaS scales effortlessly; new systems and services can be connected without significant cost, and custom functionality can be implemented to meet evolving business needs. The Advantages of iPaaS Reduced costs: Saves costs by automating integrations, reducing manual processes, and improving operational efficiency, which minimizes IT expenses and resource allocation. Reduced resources: Reduce the amount of time and number of personnel concentrating on system integration and data migration. Improved scalability: Easily add new applications and tweak business processes as the business grows. Centralised management: Once central ecosystem to manage data, integrations, processes, and workflows. Improved decision making: With access to real-time data across an organisation, employees and management can make better decisions to help improve efficiencies. ROI: iPaaS can help businesses drive company revenue and go to market quicker. BPA Platform’s iPaaS Solution BPA Platform’s iPaaS tool capabilities include: Drag and drop integration between cloud-based and on-premises systems and applications so that system integration steps are visually represented within a wider automated process. Innovative transformation functions that can be dragged onto the mapping area to change the data between inputs and outputs. RESTful web service integration by removing the need for bespoke development. SOAP web services integration Support OData and SData services Transform Your Business Integration Strategy with iPaaS As businesses continue to navigate the complexities of digital transformation, iPaaS solutions stand out as essential tools for maintaining competitive advantage. By breaking down data silos and creating seamless connections between applications, iPaaS empowers organizations to harness the full potential of their data. The result is not just improved operational efficiency, but also enhanced agility to respond to market changes, better customer experiences through integrated data flows, and ultimately, accelerated business growth.  Ready to eliminate data silos in your business? Contact Fisher Technology today to learn more about how BPA Platform's powerful iPaaS capabilities can transform your integration challenges into competitive advantages. Don't let disconnected data hold your business back!