Cloud Computing Can Make You More Secure

Are you hesitant regarding adopting cloud computing services into your IT infrastructure? you’re not alone. Data security is the leading concern for IT professionals once it comes to cloud computing. Services like Amazons EC2 are merely not equipped to deal with the security and privacy needs of data-sensitive organizations.

Because public cloud services provide server instances for several clients on constant hardware, your data can get virtually "lost within the clouds" once you have little or no control over where your data lives.

Private cloud computing allows for the control that the majority PCI and HIPAA-sensitive organizations need over their data. when it comes to security, the importance of control over your surroundings can’t be exaggerated and leads most IT professionals to adopt private cloud hosting over the public cloud.

When comparing cloud options, here are five security tips to consider:

Tip #1:

Know where your data lives. how can you secure your data if you don’t recognize where it is? sure, firewalls and intrusion detection and prevention can prevent most intruders, and encryption keeps the data safer, but however do you recognize where your data goes once you terminate your service or once the cloud provider goes out of business? being able to point to a machine and say your data and solely your data is on that machine, goes an extended way within the security of your data in the cloud. Dedicated hardware is the key that allows for cloud computing services to pass the most rigorous security guidelines.

Tip #2:

Always backup your data. one of the foremost unmarked aspects of cloud computing and one of the simplest way to increase the control of your data is to create certain that whatever happens, you’ve got a secure backup of that data. This can be a lot of concern securing your business than your actual data but provides the same type of peace of mind. we have seen huge firms like T-Mobile lose its customers data, by not having a backup, leaving them with nothing.

Tip #3:

Make sure your data centre takes security seriously. By knowing which server and data centre your data is being stored at, you’ll probe them for all applicable security measures that are in place. you’ll see if they’re SSAE 16, SAS 70 and SOC 2 audited, and if they need clients that are HIPAA or PCI certified. Managed services can also add an excellent deal of benefit and expertise to making your applications, data, and business more resilient. Services like managed firewalls, antivirus, and intrusion detection are offered by esteemed data centre or cloud providers and allow for enhanced security measures for managed servers.

Tip #4:

Get references from different clients. when doubtful, ask your cloud provider for client references that need rigorous security measures. Financial, healthcare, insurance, or government organizations are a decent start. while references don’t guarantee anything, chances are high that, if other companies that have similar security goals are exploitation the provider, you’ll be an honest fit as well. make sure to contact these references directly when possible to see what these firms are using the cloud services for, and the steps they have taken to secure their data.

Tip #5:

Test, Test, Test. Assume nothing. the sole way to make sure something is secure is to test it. it’s not uncommon for extremely data-sensitive organizations to rent a talented ethical-hacker to test their security provisions. Vulnerability scanning, and assessments are just as vital within the cloud as they’re outside the cloud. chances are high that that if you’ll find a way to induce unauthorized access to your data, someone else will also.

Conclusion: –

Achieving adequate security assurances within the cloud is feasible but it’s not guaranteed. similar to any other IT project, you have to try and do your homework and within the case of security, it’s better to be safe than sorry. The private cloud hosting model can actually provide a more secure framework than the general public clouds.

Connectio is a provider of cloud solutions to help small, medium and large size businesses resolve their IT operations challenges.