An alternative solution is to invest in managed public cloud services, where a third party provider works with a business to monitor and maintain its cloud usage. This option enables businesses to choose which IT functions are managed in-house, while leaving everything else to the managed provider.

This is beneficial as the provider can work across a variety of platforms, including public, private and hybrid cloud, and has the expertise required to offer the best solution for each customer. Some of the services that a cloud provider can deliver include: migration of critical data, cost management, and data and security operations management.