What is our primary use case?
Our primary use case for this solution is the implementation for our customers. Depending on what our customer's needs are, and if they use a solution that needs storage then we will implement the solution with Google Cloud Storage.
Our company is not developing cloud technology at the moment but we are using Google Cloud Storage and Microsoft Windows 10.
We help our customers with the digital transformation from their own data center to Google Cloud Storage.
When you are changing environments there are many things to consider and we help our customers in the transition.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature is the cryptographic technology. Our customers are afraid that their data will be across the world, and they want to know that their data is secure and managed. They don't want anyone having access to their data.
What needs improvement?
They could improve their storage and stay current.
It is very easy to use Google Cloud Storage, easy to implement, but it is not very flexible when it comes to modifying the parameters.
The level of storage, the level of technology, and the level of services could also be improved.
The implementation is not as easy as Microsoft, and the process could be improved.
We would like to see the implementation of better identity management.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for one year.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We don't have any issues with stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
This solution is scalable.
We have technical resources for each customer, however, the same technical resource could be used for ten to fifteen customers at the same time.
We don't have a lot of problems with managing Google Cloud Storage. You can share resources, and human resources can manage the Google cloud for fifteen customers. It would be like overbooking of resources.
We have other competent centers for Unix, for Windows, and storage, but for the Google Cloud Storage, we are a team of fifteen developers to manage it.
How are customer service and technical support?
We have not contacted Google for technical support. We have resolved issues by ourselves. The solution is related to the customer, so we don't use exotic solutions. We use the standard, Google Storage. Fortunately, we haven't had any issues.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I am using AWS, Google, and Microsoft.
In the last six months to a year, my experience has been with using Google Cloud Storage, Amazon, and Azure.
I have taken courses and completed the exams at an architectural level.
I also have experience in Linux, Microsoft environment, VMware for development, and I have practiced with Storage Technologies. I have over twenty years experience and I used to implement networks in Europe and South America. This includes ten years of experience as a developer and project management.
I was a developer in C++, Visual Basic, and I have used Lotus Notes. Currently, I am working with a solution company that offers software solutions and has its own data center.
We are outsourcing for a government client and we manage seven hundred servers.
We have twelve servers in our data center and I am involved with the solution and the movement of the server in our data center from Rome to Pont Saint Martin another city five hundred miles from Rome.
We have used storage technologies, Dell EMC, and we have used VMware for virtualization.
I am supporting another company working in the Airport in completing a Bid for its data center. I am assisting with the writing of the documentation and taking care of the documentation to execute the Bid.
We also use Microsoft for Identity Management, and we consider it to be better.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup in the Google environment is always a nightmare because you have to implement the solution for the customer. You have to take care of the customer's needs, including the movement of workloads from the data center to the cloud environment. Part of the reason it is complex is that you have to understand the applications the customer uses and assess the suitability for a cloud environment.
Most of the errors are made during the setup and implementation, or by having to change the implementation because you have incorrectly estimated the consumption of CPU or storage resources.
The deployment takes three to four months, after which you begin to see immediately if the solution is okay or if you have some problems.
The deployment method was with a hybrid cloud. It is not public, as our customers do not want their data on the public cloud. We use the hybrid cloud because they have their own data center, and they move the workloads and they move the data in the cloud environment. It is a hybrid cloud configuration.
What about the implementation team?
Our company is an integrator in a way because we have two thousand people developing software, so we integrate too.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
When making the decision the customer is not driven by the price. They are interested in using a well-known and reliable service provider. Our customers don't know the technology, so, we do that for them.
They know that the pricing is comparable with Azure, AWS, and those other solutions like Amazon are cheaper, but they are not as flexible.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
VMware, OpenStack, and all of the technology related to the cloud.
At the moment, I suppose that technology is moving to the cloud. We are using cloud technologies, not related to VMware, OpenStack, or a vendor, but related to a service provider.
What other advice do I have?
I have over ten years of experience with project management.
I would recommend this product. It's a good product.
Technology is improving and is more exciting. For example, IoT, which is somewhat related to Google Cloud Storage, is another technology that is improving with storage.
We prefer Microsoft to Google because it is easier for the customer to understand.
Nineteen percent of our customers use an Active Directory and visit Microsoft Technology. It is easier to move with the Active Directory in the cloud than with Microsoft Technology.
We have a relationship with Microsoft but we have a partnership with Google to have a relationship with the cloud providers.
I would rate this solution a nine out of ten. I never rate anyone a ten.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner.