We’ve all heard it before: “If you move to the cloud, all of your data will be at risk!”
Countless studies have shown that cloud security is the major factor standing in the way of cloud adoption. While in some cases companies are right to be wary, like most things, not all cloud providers are created equal. In fact, the security a company experiences with the cloud solely depends on the provider chosen. It’s wrong to lump all cloud providers together and assume a general opinion on cloud security, whether that opinion is good or bad. Just as some companies currently have better in-house security than others, some cloud providers view security as a larger priority than others. And the word security is all-encompassing, referring to physical and network security, as well as compliance.
Physical Security
A great cloud provider will have multiple physical security measures in place. Look for providers that can offer the following: full credential-limited access to data centers, key card protocols, biometric scanning systems, exterior security systems, on-premises security guards, digital surveillance and recording, secured cages, around-the-clock interior and exterior surveillance monitor access, and employees that have undergone multiple, thorough background security checks. This isn’t asking too much. These are the things that will protect your information. The best facilities will also include environmental controls such as redundant HVAC systems, circulated and filtered air, and fire suppression systems.
Network Security
A reliable cloud provider should be able to guarantee geographical diversity of data center locations as well as full redundancy. With these steps in place, companies can ensure that in the event of a disaster, their business-critical data and applications will be safe and accessible, even if one of the data centers is affected. Look for in-flight and at-rest encryption, strong firewalls, password protection and around-the-clock monitoring. Make your provider prove itself, and ensure that it can demonstrate strict and accurate Service Level Agreements.
Compliance
Today, more and more industries have regulations and standards to meet. “Compliance” is an extremely important word for businesses in all industries, as it refers to the laws that are in place for security and privacy purposes. Your cloud provider should meet, if not exceed, large compliance laws. Whether or not your company needs to meet these regulations, you want a cloud provider that understands and follows the top compliance laws because this demonstrates that they are knowledgeable and trustworthy.
The reality of today is this: cloud computing is a growing, important technology that is being adopted by the majority of businesses. In order to remain relevant and modern, cloud is the way to go. By no means should you risk your company’s security to do so, but you should work to find a provider that is trustworthy and can offer excellent physical and network security for your data. You have to remember that cloud providers are businesses too – they put loads of money into ensuring that their customers information is secure. For the most part, they aren’t willing to risk their reputation and customers for lesser security. As long as you take the appropriate steps to ensure you’re working with a legitimate, secure provider, the cloud is ‘absolutely a viable and intelligent option for your organization. And when you make the move, you’ll experience better security than you ever had in-house.
