Cloud use case · Modernise
Cloud servers for websitesand apps
Servers and app platforms sized to real traffic, in a GCC region close to your customers, with someone watching them at 2 am.
Tell us about your website
Three quick questions, then your details.
Why companies ask us to host their sites and apps
Microsoft Solutions Partner for Modern Workand Google Cloud Premier Partner. We are also an AWS partner and a Huawei Cloud partner.
Since 2007with 1,500+ active cloud customers across the Middle East.
Offices in Dubai, Muscat (head office) and Dohaserving all six GCC countries.
350,000+ users migrated
Hosted on the cloud that fits
Microsoft Azure
AWS
Google Cloud
Huawei Cloud
A cloud server is a virtual machine you rent by the hour or month from a cloud provider, and cloud hosting runs websites and apps on such servers or on managed app platforms. Gulf Infotech, in the Middle East since 2007, sizes, builds and runs cloud hosting for company websites, portals and applications on Azure, Huawei Cloud, Google Cloud and AWS, with a web application firewall in front where you need it.
What problem does cloud hosting solve?
What buyers tell us:
- "Our site goes down every time we run a campaign."
- "The hosting company is abroad and the site is slow for customers in Riyadh and Muscat."
- "Our developer left and nobody knows how the server is set up."
- "The customer portal must keep customer data in the country."
LiveShared hosting is fine for a brochure site. Once a site takes orders, logs customers in, or must stay up during a campaign, it needs servers you control in a region near your users, backups that are tested, and monitoring that pages someone when it breaks.
Welcome to Your company
Latest news
Popular pages
Upcoming
- Trade show · Sun 10:00
- Product webinar · Tue 14:00
- Office closed · Thu
Who is it for?
| Profile | Fit |
|---|---|
| E-commerce stores and booking sites | FitStrong fit: scale for campaigns and season peaks |
| Customer and supplier portals, mobile app back ends | FitStrong fit |
| Software companies running SaaS for GCC clients | FitStrong fit, often with in-country data rules |
| Corporate sites on WordPress with steady traffic | FitFit; managed website hosting and security may be simpler |
| A five-page site with no forms or logins | FitShared hosting is usually enough |
Which hosting options are there in GCC regions?
Takeaway: a plain VPS-style VM is the simplest move from old hosting; App Service or Cloud Run cost less to run day to day if your app can use them.
| Option | GCC regions | How it is billed | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual machines (VPS-style cloud servers): Azure VMs, Amazon EC2, Google Compute Engine, Huawei ECS | GCC regionsAzure UAE North and Qatar Central; AWS UAE and Bahrain; Google Cloud Doha and Dammam; Huawei Cloud Riyadh | How it is billedBy the hour or second, with commitment discounts. EC2: per second with a 60-second minimum; Savings Plans up to 72%, Spot up to 90% | What to knowFull control of the operating system; you or we patch it |
| Azure App Service | GCC regionsUAE North, Qatar Central. | How it is billedPer App Service plan, billed by the second. Savings plans and reservations on Premium and Isolated tiers | What to knowRuns .NET, Java, Node.js, Python and PHP on Windows or Linux, or containers. Free and Shared tiers have no SLA |
| Huawei Cloud Flexus X | GCC regionsRiyadh; Abu Dhabi (UAE) upcoming. | How it is billedPay-per-use; stopped instances are not billed | What to knowHuawei's simplified server line |
| Google Cloud Run | GCC regionsDoha (me-central1), Dammam (me-central2) | How it is billedPer use in 100 ms steps; scales to zero, so no charge when idle unless you keep minimum instances | What to knowContainer-based; suits APIs and apps with uneven traffic |
| AWS Lightsail | GCC regionsNot offered in AWS's UAE or Bahrain regions | How it is billedFixed monthly bundles with a data transfer allowance | What to knowSimple VPS, but outside the GCC |
What does Gulf Infotech do?
- yourcompany.com
- shop.yourcompany.com
- staging
- DNS
- SSL
- Backups
- CDN
01 / 04
Assess
we review the current host, traffic, peaks, the application stack and any data rules, and measure page speed from GCC cities.
Resources
Standard02 / 04
Design
we pick VMs or a managed platform, the region, database, backups, web application firewall and CDN, and size for your peak, not your average.
Upcoming
- Trade show · Sun 10:00
- Product webinar · Tue 14:00
Contact form
Map
- Domain
- SSL certificate
- Mailbox
- Backup
- Database
- Firewall
- CDN
- SSL
- Backups
- DNS
- Logs
03 / 04
Migrate
we build the new environment, copy data, test with your team, then switch DNS with a low TTL so rollback is quick.
Access
- Website adminEditor
- DeveloperAdmin
- Content editorAdmin
Live site
Protected
Firewall, DDoS protection and SSL on
04 / 04
Run
as a monthly managed service, custom-priced to your requirements, we patch, monitor uptime and certificates, test restores, scale for campaigns and report cost monthly, with remote support. If you prefer, we set up the servers and hand them over to your team.
Which option should you pick?
| Option | Best when | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Cloud VM (VPS-style) | Best whenMoving an existing site or app as it is | Trade-offYou own patching and scaling |
| Azure App Service | Best when.NET, Java, Node.js, Python or PHP apps, Microsoft-centric teams | Trade-offLess control over the server; some legacy apps need Managed Instance |
| Google Cloud Run | Best whenContainerised apps and APIs with uneven traffic, data in Qatar or Saudi Arabia | Trade-offNeeds the app in a container |
| AWS EC2 with managed databases | Best whenSaaS products that will grow into many AWS services | Trade-offNo Qatar region |
| Huawei Cloud ECS or Flexus | Best whenIn-country hosting on Huawei Cloud in Riyadh | Trade-offSmaller ecosystem of add-on services |
How is cloud hosting priced?
Cloud hosting is billed by usage, not by a fixed yearly hosting fee. You pay for server or platform time (by the second, hour or month), storage, backups and outbound data. Steady servers get large discounts with one- or three-year commitments, such as EC2 Savings Plans up to 72% or App Service savings plans and reservations up to 55%. Platforms that scale to zero, such as Cloud Run without minimum instances, are not charged while idle. We size for your peak traffic and give you a monthly estimate on two providers before you move. Our managed service is quoted per customer, based on the servers and support you need.
What are the typical steps?
Review
current host, traffic, stack, data rules.Design
platform, region, database, backup, security.Build
infrastructure as code, so it can be rebuilt.Copy and test
data sync and user acceptance testing.Switch
DNS change in a quiet hour, old host kept as fallback.Run
monitoring, patching, restore tests, monthly report.
Which domains and mailboxes?
How much traffic?
Who updates the site?
Cloud services in your country
Frequently asked questions
Which cloud is best for hosting a website or app?
The best cloud is the one with a region near your customers that suits your app stack. For .NET and Microsoft teams, Azure App Service in UAE North fits. For containerised apps with data in Qatar or Saudi Arabia, Google Cloud Run in Doha or Dammam fits. For SaaS products, AWS fits. Huawei Cloud's Riyadh region is an option for in-country hosting in Saudi Arabia, case by case, per compliance.
Can the website data stay in my country?
Yes in the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, by choosing a region there: Azure UAE North or Qatar Central, AWS UAE or Bahrain, Google Cloud Doha or Dammam, or Huawei Cloud Riyadh. Omani and Kuwaiti sites usually run in a neighbouring GCC region, which still sits much closer to users than hosting in Europe or the US.
How much does a cloud server cost per month?
A cloud server costs whatever its size, hours and storage add up to, so there is no single price. Small servers that run all month cost little; large ones with managed databases cost more. Commitments of one or three years cut the price for steady servers. We give you a monthly estimate for your traffic on two providers before you choose.
How long does it take to move a website to the cloud?
A simple website can move quickly once access to the old host and the DNS is available. Apps with databases, integrations and payment gateways take longer because each integration has to be tested. We keep the old host running until the new one has served real traffic without problems, so customers do not notice the switch.
What is the difference between a VPS and a cloud server?
Both are virtual servers you rent. A traditional VPS is usually a fixed monthly plan on one host's servers. A cloud server runs on a hyperscale provider's platform, billed by usage, and can be resized, snapshotted, load-balanced and spread across availability zones. AWS Lightsail is a VPS-style bundle, but it is not offered in GCC regions.
Do you manage the server after the move?
Yes, we can run it for you: operating system patching, monitoring, certificate renewal, backups with tested restores, and scaling for campaigns. You keep ownership of the cloud account and the data. Managed servers are quoted per customer. If your developers prefer to manage it, we hand over full documentation instead.
Still have a question?Ask a hosting specialist
Host your site where your customers are
Tell us what you run today and how much traffic you get. We will reply with a hosting design and a monthly estimate.
Not sure which hosting you need?
Tell us what the site must do and we will recommend shared hosting or a cloud server.
Ask a hosting specialist