What are the best alternatives to Azure Cloud in Saudi Arabia?

Microsoft Azure is one of the most promising cloud platforms that attract enough attention because of its strong and diverse portfolio and presence nearly all over the world. However, as firms evaluate what their organization may require in the cloud, they might discover that competitors of Azure may offer more service for what is needed by the organization, whether it is at a lower price, in compliance with regional policy, or with a more experienced staff to help the company.

This is especially so given challenges such as data sovereignty and compliance with regulations in Saudi Arabia which is home to many firms. Due to the increased cloud services adoption in the region, organizations are now looking for cloud solutions that are capable of providing functions like Azure but suited for the Saudi market. Furthermore, organizations could search for different subscription models that would allow them more freedom with the structural levels of cloud, or improved customer service to guarantee a better approach to their cloud framework.

Selecting a cloud solution and service provider is therefore not merely a matter of which technical capabilities meet your needs, but also issues of compliance to established regional legislation, performance standards, as well as costs. 

Why Businesses in Saudi Arabia Might Seek Alternatives to Azure Cloud

However, various factors may make firms in Saudi Arabia look for other options that Microsoft Azure provides, although there are various services provided in the cloud by Microsoft Azure that meet the needs of businesses across the globe. The most important of them is certainly the requirement to abide by regional regulations and data jurisdiction legislation. Saudi Arabia laws are much more rigid for the localization of data and the processing of the data with the shift towards personal and corporate data security. However, Saudi Arabian businesses can have Azure data centers in the Middle East; still, they should consider using regional or local clouds to meet these laws’ requirements.

The other reason organizations may be looking for other options apart from Azure has to do with the cost. There are some significant downsides of a subscription-based model used by Azure, such as high unpredictability for subscribers and, for some potential customer bases, higher costs than worth. The call for a transparent and predictable pricing structure to prevail is forcing CIOs to look at other options that can provide cheaper rates of service delivery without compromising on any aspects.

Criteria for Choosing a Cloud Solution

As Saudi Arabian organizations look for other providers than Azure Cloud there are several crucial decision factors to consider when selecting a cloud provider. The other key factors can thereafter be defined as the cost, the possibility of further development of the chosen platform, the adherence to local legislation, and the available services.

Accessibility

Another stratagem occurring whenever contrasting cloud solutions is cost. This is because Cloud solutions are new in the market and; Businesses need to factor in their budget and weigh whether it is most appropriate to invest in any of the cloud solutions that are present in the market. There are several pricing strategies that cloud providers offer currently, which include, PAYG, and subscription models. Having to find the difference between airlines’ total cost structures, the businesses are able to come up with a solution that they can afford as well as work hard so that they do not come across any hidden costs.

Scalability

Over some time, the business world has expanded, and thus the cloud platforms should be able to expand to suit the growing demand. Business risks are going to be significant for the organizations in Saudi Arabia because of a lack of scalability, particularly for companies that belong to innovative growing fields of business like information technology, healthcare services, and online business. The cloud provider which can offer provision of resources in both vertical and horizontal manner guarantees the business strength to meet new demands without compromising on performance.

Compliance with Local Regulations

Doing business in Saudi Arabia requires compliance with local legal requirements for handling and protecting information. This comprises issues to do with data protection and the security of data that has been collected through the validation process, particularly recognizing the regional laws of the country where the study will be conducted. It is, therefore, advisable that cloud solutions provide local data centres within the Kingdom, or generally in the Middle East so that business entities can avoid legal consequences of breaching these regulations.

Support Services

A customer care support system is a must, especially for those ventures that depend on cloud services for essential activities. Having round-the-clock support, local language personnel, and inherent specialization is incredibly beneficial. Local cloud providers could be more favorable because they can provide more focused and immediate support than global giant cloud providers to their customers.

Comparison of Popular Alternatives to Azure Cloud

When considering native competitors to Azure Cloud in Saudi Arabia, there are several worth mentioning, which offer various capabilities, advantages, and possible disadvantages. AWS, Google Cloud, and Oracle Cloud are the leading cloud service providers.

AWS is the biggest and oldest cloud computing service provider and is the leader in the cloud market providing basic as well as advanced services in and around the cloud technologies like compute, storage, and machine learning. It has features such as the scale of Internet services, dependability, and Data centers across the world; thus suitable for any business. Despite that, it is a feature-rich solution that comes with a steep price and a possibly steep learning curve for companies that don’t have much exposure to cloud services.

Another competitor is Google Cloud, which, in addition to exceeding in AI, machine learning, and handling large amounts of data. Google Cloud does well as a modern platform and offers high-quality features and data processing capabilities that will suit the modern technically-oriented business. It is also more user-friendly; all its features support Open Source software very well. Of course, here one can note that Google Cloud is not as popular as AWS and some companies can face the issue of the lack of the required tools or services in its infrastructure.

Oracle Cloud is highly beneficial for companies with a lot of emphasis on databases. It offers Pro performance and enhanced security measures which makes it suitable for adoption in some sectors such as finance and health. Nonetheless, Oracle Cloud can be complex for users who are not aware of the services Oracle has to offer and it offers relatively fewer services than AWS or Google Cloud.

Finding the Right Fit for Your Business

Selecting the right cloud solution for your business is desirable to guarantee the organizational processes’ effectiveness and adaptability. Being a tech solutions' enabler, Figzol helps navigate through this decision-making process for businesses. Uniquely attuned to Saudi Arabia’s environment, Figzol is fully aware of the local demands covering data localization, protection, and compliance. Then, our specialists study your company’s requirements and determine which cloud offering is most suitable for your enterprise: Amazon Web Services or AWS, Google Cloud, or Oracle Cloud and others.

That is where Figzol comes in not only to offer consultancy on cloud solutions but also with the integration process of implementing all these systems without much hindrance to your business. It’s important to ensure the cloud service fits seamlessly and effectively into your environment and our team of ‘cloud specialists’ collaborate with your IT team on a project basis to ensure it does. We also provide training for your staff to demystify these and assist them in optimizing cloud solutions for the long haul.

Thus, by cooperating with Figzol, you obtain systematic cloud solutions that are designed in accordance with your business objectives and can help to optimize data processing, overcome collaborative challenges, as well as increase the company’s efficiency. 

Get in touch with us so that we can give you valuable insight and guide you in formulating the right cloud solution for your business to thrive in the current world’s economy.