Evaluating Cloud Partners in an Emerging Market

What to evaluate, and what to ask

• Partner status: a listing in the provider's partner directory, with a legal name and ID that match your contract. Red flag: a tier named in marketing that the directory does not show.
• Billing: a line-item quote in USD, with tax treatment stated and a sample invoice. Red flag: "local currency" or "no limits" with no terms behind it.
• Support: coverage hours in the contract, a named account manager and a written escalation path. Red flag: response times that appear only on a web page.
• Delivery record: references you can verify and a stated scope of work. Red flag: anonymous logos, or credentials claimed with no named people behind them.
• Data location and controls: a region list, a data-flow document, and an honest statement of what is certified and what is in readiness. Red flag: "fully compliant" with no document behind it.

Put these questions to every partner on the first call:

• Who is the seller of record: the partner, a reseller, or a consultant who does not resell?
• Is the quote in USD? Other currencies are by contract only.
• Are taxes stated as applicable in your jurisdiction and the contract, and shown on the invoice?
• Exactly which lines does the discount cover?
• Are coverage hours written into the contract? Is overnight coverage staffed, or on call?
• Is there a named technical account manager, or only a shared ticket queue?
• Are response and restoration targets written in minutes in the contract? Marketing pages describe coverage. Contracts describe minutes.

Why TiCON, and how to check our status

TiCON is an AWS Advanced Tier Partner (Services). The legal name on the AWS listing is TICON System Limited, and the listing ID is 0010h00001cA3jpAAC. You can verify it at the AWS partner page for that ID. TiCON is not an AWS Premier Partner, and we say so plainly when asked.

On Azure and Google Cloud, TiCON is a delivery partner for architecture, migration and operations. We do not claim a Solutions Partner designation on Azure or a Partner Advantage tier on Google Cloud. TiCON has been building cloud systems since 2007.

For managed engagements, TiCON provides 24×7 SRE coverage for the infrastructure in scope and a named Technical Account Manager. Response and restoration minutes are written in the contract, not on this page.

Our client references include United Commercial Bank (UCB), Banglalink Digital Communications, Rabbithole, Bangladesh Television (BTV), OnnoRokom, Busan Metro, KEPCO KDN, HD Telecom and GSpider (Korean Army). Ask us for the scope of any of these engagements.

Treat the directory as the record. A partner's website and sales deck are not the record. Check the provider's public partner directory, and match the legal name on the listing to the company named in your contract. If the directory disagrees with our material, the directory wins.

Bottom line: choose on evidence, not on the logo

Choose the partner whose status, billing, support and evidence hold up when you check them, then let the platform follow the workload. Be wary of these signs:

• A tier or certification you cannot find in the directory.
• A promise that systems will never fail.
• A savings figure given as a fixed percentage with no usage assumptions. TiCON publishes its typical ranges as estimates, not quotes, and you should expect the same discipline from any partner.
• No written answer on where data is stored and who can access it.

If you have not yet chosen a cloud, start with the guide to choosing a cloud. To verify TiCON's status step by step, see how to verify our partner status.

Related reading

[Choosing an AWS Region: Latency, Residency, Price and Services](/resources/blog/aws-region-nearest) How to pick a region for latency and data rules, with a worked example from a Bangladesh team.

[How to Reduce Your AWS Bill: 6 Tactics That Work](/resources/blog/how-to-reduce-your-aws-bill) Tagging, rightsizing, commitments, idle cleanup, storage tiers and data transfer.

[Is AWS Available in Your Country?](/resources/blog/is-aws-available) Regions, service availability, data rules and payment routes, checked one at a time.