Cloud basics for SMEs: secure hosting without complexity

Moving to the cloud doesn't have to be complicated.

**Hosting options:**

- **Shared hosting:** Cheap, limited control, suitable for simple websites
- **VPS:** More control, requires management, good for growing apps
- **Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS):** Managed infrastructure, focus on code (Heroku, Railway, Render)
- **Cloud providers:** Maximum flexibility, more complexity (AWS, Azure, GCP)

**Our recommendation for SMEs:**

Start with PaaS or managed VPS. You get reliability without the overhead of managing servers.

**Essential setup checklist:**

✓ SSL certificate (HTTPS)
✓ Domain configuration (DNS, email)
✓ Automated backups (daily, tested recovery)
✓ Monitoring (uptime, performance, errors)
✓ Security (firewall, DDoS protection)
✓ Scaling plan (what happens when traffic grows?)

**Common mistakes:**

- No backup or untested recovery
- Storing secrets in code
- Single point of failure
- No monitoring until something breaks

**Cost management:**

Set up billing alerts. Use auto-scaling wisely. Review and remove unused resources monthly.

Need help with cloud setup? Contact us.