Honestly managing a small business can be a demanding task, but with the benefit of cloud computing, it can streamline your operations and improve your overall performance.
A cloud server is a powerful utility that provides you with scalable resources, reduced IT costs and top-notch data security.
Let’s start, simply choose the cloud service provider that best suits your needs. There are numerous providers to choose from, such as AWS, Azure, GCP, DigitalOcean, Vultr, Cloudways and Servermania. Let’s focus on how to setup cloud server for small business.
Before we get into it, let’s understand that each provider offers different pricing plans, resources and features, below we have shared the offers that you can get free credits and.
Be aware of considering crucial elements such as firewall, network, storage and bandwidth security when setting up your cloud server.
Follow the step-by-step guide
1. Choose a cloud service provider
Examples include Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), DigitalOcean, Vultr, Cloudways, Servermania.
2. Create an account
Sign up and create an account with your chosen cloud service provider.
– Microsoft Azure Pay As You Go—Buy Directly | Microsoft Azure
– AWS Cloud Computing Services – Amazon Web Services (AWS)
– GCP Cloud Computing Services | Google Cloud
– DigitalOcean Get $200 in credit over 60 days, through our recommendation
– Vultr Get $100 in credit, through our recommendation
– CloudWays Get $50 in credit, through our recommendation
– Servermania Best Cloud Server Hosting – Affordable, Secure – ServerMania
3. Choose a virtual machine or instance type
Select a virtual machine or instance type based on your business requirements, including hardware, storage and compute needs.
4. Configure network settings
Configure your server’s network settings, including security groups and firewalls.
5. Choose an operating system
Decide which operating system you want to use for your server, such as Linux or Windows. Most cloud providers offer a variety of operating systems to choose from.
6. Start the server
Once you have completed the above steps, you can create a virtual machine or instance and start your server.
7. Install the necessary software and applications
Install the software and applications necessary for your company’s operations, such as databases, web servers and other tools.
8. Test and verify the server
Test your server to ensure that it meets your requirements and that all necessary configurations have been set up correctly.
9. Start using the cloud server
Once everything is set up and tested, you can start using your cloud server for your operations.
How much does a server cost for a small business
To make it easier for you to set up your cloud server, we have included cost information for several well-known cloud service providers.
Please note that the initial price may vary depending on your location or your specific requirements.
For your convenience, we have also included links to each vendor’s guides and documentation, ensuring that you have all the information you need to get started.
With these resources at your disposal, setting up a cloud server for your small business has never been easier.
| Cloud Provider | Steps | Cost | Guide | Documentation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Azure | 1. Create an Azure account 2. Choose a virtual machine 3. Configure network settings 4. Launch the server 5. Connect to the server | Prices start at $10/month. Actual costs depend on the specific virtual machine type and configuration. | Quickstart – Create a Windows VM in the Azure portal – Azure Virtual Machines | Microsoft Learn | Firewall: Azure Firewall documentation | Microsoft Learn Networking: Azure Virtual Network Documentation – Tutorials, quickstarts, API references | Microsoft Learn Storage: Azure Storage documentation | Microsoft Learn Bandwidth: Azure VM sizes – Compute optimized – Azure Virtual Machines | Microsoft Learn |
| AWS | 1. Create an AWS account 2. Choose an EC2 instance type 3. Configure network settings 4. Launch the server 5. Connect to the server | Prices start at $5/month. Actual costs depend on the specific EC2 instance type and configuration. | Tutorial: Get started with Amazon EC2 Linux instances – Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud | Firewall: Control traffic to resources using security groups – Amazon Virtual Private Cloud Networking: What is Amazon VPC? – Amazon Virtual Private Cloud Storage: Cloud Storage on AWS (amazon.com) Bandwidth: Amazon EC2 Instance Types – Amazon Web Services |
| GCP | 1. Create a GCP account 2. Choose a Compute Engine instance 3. Configure network settings 4. Launch the server 5. Connect to the server | Prices start at $4/month. Actual costs depend on the specific Compute Engine instance type and configuration. | Create and start a VM instance | Compute Engine Documentation | Google Cloud | Firewall: VPC firewall rules | Google Cloud Networking: VPC networks | Google Cloud Storage: Cloud Storage | Google Cloud Bandwidth: Network bandwidth | Compute Engine Documentation | Google Cloud |
| DigitalOcean | 1. Create a DigitalOcean account 2. Choose a Droplet 3. Configure network settings 4. Launch the server 5. Connect to the server | Prices start at $5/month. Actual costs depend on the specific Droplet type and configuration. | How to Create a Droplet :: DigitalOcean Documentation | Firewall: Cloud Firewalls :: DigitalOcean Documentation Networking: Networking :: DigitalOcean Documentation Storage: Choosing the Right Droplet Plan :: DigitalOcean Documentation |
| Cloudways | 1. Choose a server size and select the operating system of your choice 2. Select your preferred cloud infrastructure (e.g. AWS, Google Cloud, etc.) 3. Launch your server and access the Cloudways control panel | Starting price: $9/month | How to Launch a New Application on a New Server | Cloudways Help Center | Documentation (firewall, networking, storage, bandwidth): Cloudways Help Center |
| Vultr | 1. Launch your server and access the Cloudways control panel 2. Select your preferred operating system and server configuration | Starting price: $2.50/month | Vultr | Documentation (firewall, networking, storage, bandwidth): Vultr Docs – Articles, Tutorials, and Guides on Getting Started – Vultr.com |
| Servermania | 1. Select your preferred operating system and server configuration 2. Select your preferred data center location | $9.99/month | Servermania | Documentation (firewall, networking, storage, bandwidth): ServerMania | Knowledge Base |