Cloud strategy evolves: Why a global platform isn't always the final destination

A company's cloud strategy is not a one-time decision but a dynamic process that must adapt to its evolving stages of growth. While global platforms like AWS or Azure are essential for startups testing ideas, established companies often find local or hybrid solutions more efficient and manageable.

Kersti Kuusksalu, product manager for Elisa's business client cloud services, explained that what benefits a nascent startup might become an inefficient administrative burden for a stable, scaling enterprise. "The cloud choice should be pragmatic, based primarily on control, speed, and predictable costs, not just the abundance of offered features," she stated.

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The cloud choice should be pragmatic, based primarily on control, speed, and predictable costs, not just the abundance of offered features.

As businesses mature, the focus shifts from experimentation to efficiency, security, and manageability. Kuusksalu noted that large global cloud providers may treat even significant Estonian companies as minor clients. This can lead to challenges, especially when issues arise, as local support might not be the top priority for these international giants. Consequently, partnering with local providers can become strategically advantageous, offering stability, a managed environment, and crucial, often Estonian-language, customer service.

For critical data and demanding performance, the "gravity" of data, or the difficulty and cost of moving large volumes, becomes a factor. Local providers often excel in managing critical databases through direct, Estonian-speaking expert support. This is particularly valuable for companies that prefer not to maintain large in-house IT teams and seek a partner responsible for infrastructure, communicating in their language. This approach is vital for private companies and especially critical for public sector institutions.

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If in the global cloud, every setting is the client's own responsibility and done by the client, then with a local provider, the management of critical databases often happens through direct and Estonian-language expert support.