Using the cloud opens a lot of doors, and greatly expands opportunities for efficiency. However, as with any new terrain, it’s important that companies know how to navigate safely.
Jumping into the cloud without a proper understanding of how it works can put the company’s data in jeopardy. By sharing technical resources, data security, privacy, and regulatory compliance concerns that can’t be ignored are created. Here are four vital points to understand before you put your head in the clouds.
1. Public vs. Private
A public cloud is hosted by a third-party provider, but a private cloud exists inside a business’s secure firewall. Private clouds are more secure and better suited for regulatory compliance because they offer more control over enterprise and customer data.
2. Knowing Your Requirements
You should only start to look for a cloud provider after you conduct a detailed assessment of your business’s security needs. Ask yourself questions like, "what level of security does your business require for the data you will be sharing through the cloud? What standards must be met to meet regulatory compliance?"
3. Check Underneath the Hood
It’s vital for a company to do an in-depth appraisal of a cloud provider’s security systems and methods to find out what are their encryption abilities are, review their data classification and protection policies, and confirm they can meet your security and regulatory needs.
4. Going Mobile
Mobile devices must be planned for by cloud providers to tie up all loose ends. Ensure both your business and your provider extend their cloud security controls to cover mobile devices.
Cloud computing is a revolutionary technology that can prove to be extremely advantageous to your business. Just be sure to keep your wits about you while your head (and your valuable data) is in the cloud.
