Harnessing the power of cloud solutions has become paramount for businesses to achieve sustainable growth and competitive advantage. An experienced cloud consulting company can help you navigate the complex ecosystem and maximize its potential. Regarding finding a reliable and experienced consultant, Europe remains one of the top locations. So, what to expect from cloud consulting in Europe? And how do you find a partner that can provide high-quality services that match your needs? Read on to find out.
The advantages of cloud consulting in Europe
Europe has emerged as a hub for top-tier cloud consulting talent, making it an ideal destination for businesses seeking expertise in cloud adoption. The local cloud market is booming, reaching $545.8B in 2022 and expecting to exceed $1,240B by 2027. There are several compelling reasons why companies consider Europe as their go-to destination.
Flexible choice of experienced vendors
Cloud consulting in Europe provides businesses with diverse vendor options that can meet the needs of small, midmarket, or enterprise-level companies. With a notable presence of 1,735 cloud consultants in Europe, as reported by Clutch.co, businesses can easily find the required expertise. This market consists of 1,125 freelance and small companies (up to 50 employees), 543 mid-sized vendors (up to 1,000 employees), and 67 large cloud consultants (over 1,000 employees), ensuring a comprehensive selection for every business type.
The availability of specialized expertise is impressive, with 591 companies specializing in Amazon Web Services (AWS), 577 vendors focusing on Microsoft Azure, and 475 consultants specializing in Google Cloud Platform (GCP). This diverse expertise enables businesses to align their cloud strategy with a provider possessing in-depth knowledge of their preferred cloud platform.
European cloud consulting vendors provide high flexibility in cost structures. Depending on the company size, location, and level of expertise, the pricing models offered by local vendors span from less than $25 to over $300 per hour. This allows businesses to find the most cost-effective solution that meets their financial requirements.
Furthermore, local vendors possess extensive domain expertise, enabling them to cater to various industries. As shown by our success at N-iX, we have formed successful partnerships with industry leaders and Fortune 500 companies in telecom, manufacturing, retail, finance, healthcare, and other sectors. This domain-specific knowledge empowers cloud consultants to deliver tailored solutions that address various industries' distinct challenges and requirements.
Rich talent pool
The exact number of cloud experts in Europe is difficult to ascertain due to various factors, such as the cloud industry's rapid growth and the job market's dynamic nature. However, LinkedIn data suggests that in Eastern Europe, which boasts the highest concentration of cloud talent across the region, there are more than 130,000 cloud engineers. At N-iX, for example, there are over 400 cloud experts proficient not only in the three main cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, and GCP) but also in specialized technologies, such as Oracle, Snowflake, and VMware.
Cost optimization
According to IBM, businesses tend to waste about 32% of business expenses on cloud services. European cloud consultants possess a deep understanding of cost optimization techniques that can help you eliminate these expenses and maximize their return on investment. They identify opportunities for resource consolidation, suggest optimal cloud pricing models, and guide you in selecting the right cloud services to avoid unnecessary expenses. With cloud consulting in Europe, you can optimize their cloud usage, reduce wastage, and achieve long-term cost savings.
Strategic guidance
Europe's experienced cloud consultants bring strategic insights and industry best practices. At N-iX, for example, we apply our cloud expertise during Product Discovery. We analyze our partners' business needs, existing infrastructure, and goals to design a tailored cloud roadmap that aligns with their unique requirements. It helps businesses prove the feasibility of their ideas, identify the right cloud models (public, private, hybrid), and devise a migration strategy that minimizes disruption and maximizes efficiency.
Read more: Multi-cloud solutions: why does your business need them?
Accelerated cloud adoption
Cloud consulting accelerates adoption by providing technical expertise and guidance at every stage. Whether it's selecting the optimal cloud platform, architecting scalable solutions, or implementing robust security measures, European cloud consultants have the proficiency to ensure smooth transitions and minimize downtime. By leveraging their expertise, businesses can expedite their cloud journey and derive benefits sooner.
How to choose the right cloud consulting partner
With the ever-evolving cloud landscape, businesses must consider key criteria and adopt best practices to ensure a successful partnership. Here, we outline the essential factors to keep in mind when opting for cloud consulting in Europe.
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Proven track record
A reliable cloud consulting company must have a proven track record of delivering successful cloud transformations for global clients. Review the partner's case studies and success stories to assess their ability to deliver successful cloud projects. Look for evidence of tangible business outcomes, cost savings, and innovation achieved.
For example, one of the latest case studies on our website explores a partnership with a leading distributor of office supplies, services, and furniture. By partnering with N-iX, our client successfully expanded into new markets with a unified cloud-based price-management platform. Before developing this solution, we applied our cloud consulting during a thorough Product Discovery to help the client optimize their cloud adoption strategy.
The solution we developed allows the client to maintain accurate and up-to-date product price information. It also reduced manual work, increased business efficiency, and improved the shopping experience by enabling the client to offer personalized special offers to their customers.
Read more: Effective price management in retail for excellent customer experience
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Expertise, experience, and official partnerships
Experienced cloud consultants cannot be one-trick ponies. They must possess deep expertise in all main cloud platforms with official partnerships and designations to prove it.
Obtaining designations is no easy fit, as it involves a rigorous audit by the cloud provider, during which the company must show and prove its expertise. Therefore, if a company has formed official partnerships and obtained various designations from AWS, Azure, and GCP, this is usually a good sign that it can provide high-quality cloud consulting services.
N-iX, for example, is an AWS Advanced Tier Services Partner, a Google Cloud Partner, a Microsoft Solution Partner, and Snowflake Select Services Partner. What's more, when it comes to AWS in particular, N-iX has obtained a wide range of designations and specializations, such as AWS Data and Analytics Competency, Amazon RDS Designation, AWS Lambda Designation, and many more.
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Robust data protection
Your sensitive data must always remain safe, so you must ensure that your cloud consulting partner has robust security measures to protect it. Assess their experience in implementing security controls, encryption, etc. Also, verify the partner's compliance with relevant regulations, such as GDPR, as well as requirements specific to your industry, such as PCI DSS. They should have a solid understanding of compliance frameworks and be able to guide you through implementation.
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Scalability and flexibility
Look for a partner that offers flexible engagement models to align with your business objectives. These may include on-demand consulting, team extension for seamless integration with your existing team, dedicated teams for long-term collaborations, or even custom software development where the partner takes full ownership of your project. A flexible partner will be capable of adapting to your changing needs and scaling your team quickly when required. Opting for a larger-sized vendor (1000+ employees) can be beneficial in this case, as they usually have sufficient resources and talent to quickly allocate the required experts to your project.
Finally, you must ensure your cloud consulting partner can design and implement solutions that can scale along with your business growth. They should be able to handle increasing workloads, data volumes, and user demands.
Wrapping up
Cloud consulting has become an essential ingredient for modern business success. By partnering with experienced cloud consultants, businesses can navigate the complexities of the cloud ecosystem, accelerate their cloud adoption, optimize costs, and unlock the full potential of cloud technology. Choosing European cloud consulting expertise, such as that offered by N-iX, ensures access to a rich talent pool, robust data protection, and a proven track record, enabling businesses to stay ahead in today's rapidly evolving digital landscape.
What makes N-iX an ideal partner for cloud consulting in Europe?
- With over 400 cloud experts and official partnerships with AWS, Azure, GCP, and Snowflake, N-iX offers profound cloud expertise that will help bring your project to life;
- N-iX has 21 years of software engineering and consulting experience, allowing us to ensure a smooth and productive consulting process;
- We possess deep expertise in a variety of industries, having provided our consulting services to leading companies from the telecom, manufacturing, retail, financial, and other domains;
- In addition to cloud consulting, N-iX offers a wide range of other cloud-related services, such as solution development and migration, DevOps, and more;
- At N-iX, we prioritize the safety and security of sensitive data by strictly adhering to established regulations such as GDPR and ISO 9001, guaranteeing the utmost protection for your valuable information.
