[dropcap]T[/dropcap]here are so many MBaaS vendors promising to provide the best service (especially now that Parse.com has shut down). It’s incredibly difficult to choose the most reliable Parse server provider available. Some developers are even considering either self-hosting their own Parse Servers or choosing other MBaaS (not related to Parse).
You probably considered the seriousness of choosing a Parse Server provider, and that’s why you are reading this article. With the promises of wonderful service and support, what are the basic things you should be expecting your new provider to have?
There are so many things to look out for. Ensure that you know the attributes every good Parse Server provider must have before they can be considered reliable. Here are my top six tips for choosing a Parse server provider.
1. Self-hosting Requires A Great Deal Of Time and Resources
Much as it is tempting to be your own Parse Server provider, it is important to look holistically at the full picture.
Before you choose a self-hosting Parse migration, bear in mind that you’ll need to put in a great deal of time and resources. Ensure that you have the right amount of technical expertise required to manage a server and of course, the right amount of money you need for operational costs in the long run.
Here are other questions you should answer while you’re considering self-hosting a Parse server,
- Are you competent enough to handle the scalability, security, redundancy and reliability aspects that this service requires? This is especially important if your application has a high user base.
- Can you afford the huge costs involved in self-hosting? Look beyond the initial migration. Consider the operational costs involved in your app’s user base increases.
- If you aren’t just beginning, you probably have apps resident on another app server. So how much time do you have to set up your Parse server, test it and migrate all your apps?
Ensure that you can confidently answer these questions before you take a leap into self-hosting. But if by this point, you realize that self-hosting is not in your purview, then you’ll need to reliable Parse Server hosting provider who’ll take care of the hosting for you. At least you can spend your private time creatively. You have more apps to create and that’s probably what you should be focusing on.
2. Choose An MBaaS That Provides Great Constant Support
One of the things to look out for is 24/7 customer support. Is your preferred Parse Server provider willing to provide expert assistance when you need it? The last thing you want is to be stuck with a provider that won’t be available when you’re battling serious problems.
Find out what the provider’s policies are? Read reviews. These and more are likely to give you a good idea of what quality of support you’ll get.
3. Review The Provider’s Background
Beyond customer reviews, blog posts and blog comments, embark on a personal research to get acquainted with the company. How long have they been in the business? What are their mission and vision? Who and who are running the company? Are they familiar with cloud hosting? How much experience do the company’s experts have?
Answering these questions will go a long way to help you judge the reliability of the Parse server providers.
4. Double Check To Ensure There Is No Vendor Lock-In
Why do you need to make doubly sure that there are no vendor lock-ins? First, it can be frustrating to discover that you can’t migrate your apps to another server when you want to.
You should stick with your Parse server provider because you want to, and not because they are holding you back against your own will.
Make sure their terms and conditions are clear. What happens in the event of a shutdown? Can you safely and easily migrate your apps and data?
Again, you should choose a Parse Server hosting provider who actively adds features and fixes bugs in the open source Parse Server repository. You’ll be better off with such a provider than with one has no evidence of giving back.
5. Multi-Regional Providers Are A Safer Bet
Does your Parse service provider cover many regions? If they don’t, do they have plans to expand to other regions? Here is why this is important. The distance between your Parse server location and the app users, to a large extent, determines the speed of your app. Customers generally avoid slow loading apps.
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) sees server location as a determinant when establishing whether or not your web app or website can be important in a particular region or language market.
6. Make Sure The Pricing Is Very Reasonable
Once you have whittled down your list, go through their price list to determine if the rates are within your budget. After all, every business owner must consider the cost of the service before he/she decides to make a purchase. Compare your expected earnings with the provider’s charges.
But, you must beware of very cheap services. Choosing the lowest price is not always the best, because you may miss some important features (such as auto-scaling), good 24/7 expert assistance and so on.
Save yourself a lot of trouble by following the aforementioned tips and choosing the right service provider.
Chioma Iwunze-Ibiam writes creative non-fiction and prose fiction. Her works have appeared in Romance Meets Life, Flash Fiction Press, MTLS, Saraba Magazine, Sentinel Magazine and others. Her first novel, Finding Love Again, was published by Ankara Press. She owns and manages Creative Writing News.
