There are a number of benefits for companies transitioning to the cloud; it offers reduced cost, easy access, greater scalability, and more. Unsurprisingly, more and more businesses are making the move. However, not all cloud services are the same. It’s important to have a trustworthy provider, as well as one which offers adaptive authentication, control, and an excellent security policy.
Choosing the right third-party cloud services provider leaves you with a few important things to consider:
Liability: Who is responsible when something goes wrong?
Sovereignty: How will your data be handled?
Cohesiveness: Does their service align with your business requirements?
Above all, security is usually the number one concern. Any cloud services provider that you choose should have rigorous encryption in place. You have to be sure that any data being transitioned to the cloud is encrypted the moment that it arrives, rather than any time after. It may not seem it, but without top security, your data is exposed the moment it enters the cloud. For this reason, best practice is to encrypt all data before it leaves your facility. Having two layers of encryption helps to protect you even if one layer is compromised.
While it is true that security risks are legitimate when it comes to cloud services, do not let that deter you. It can certainly be done, and it can be incredibly efficient and cost-effective.
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It is important to consider all of the obstacles first though. Another concern is deciding which information should remain in-house and which should be transitioned to the cloud. It is not uncommon for businesses to use a hybrid cloud model and keep some of their most sensitive company and customer data within the facility. At the end of the day, you have to find reliable cloud services because your business is still responsible for the security of the data you store there.
Another major concern is: does the security policy allow for an efficient hybrid system? Are you able to work seamlessly and securely across the board?
Virtual private networks (VPNs) are common when accessing remote information. However, accessing cloud services often has different security policies and allows for different amounts of control. It’s important to be sure that your third-party services has the features that you need, as far as access goes.
Because your business is ultimately responsible for its data, no matter where it’s stored, it’s important to have technology solutions that allow you to mitigate risk. A major contributor to this is to step up your level of authentication for devices that can access the cloud data. Employee error, poor usernames and passwords, unprotected devices, all of these factors add risk. It is crucial that you always keep your employees aware of security threats and trained on how to prevent them.
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One solution to minimize these risks is to deploy an authentication portal. This means that any user hoping to access the cloud data will need authentication via the business’s domain. This enables you to establish control over access and devices.
It is clear to see why cloud solutions are becoming so popular but it is important to know the limitations as well. If you are considering cloud services, be sure to check out these crucial aspects and keep security at the top of your list.
CCNY Tech has the best in class cloud, hybrid and physical hardware solutions for you business. Some businesses choose to have a combination of cloud and physical hardware in their stack. Give us a call at 1-800-566-4786 or contact us. Since 1988 we have been helping business with their IT needs.