While moving to the collaborative ways of completing projects, the organizations needed a resource pool completely redundant, scalable, and easily accessible to one and all entities involved. The same virtues are sought after in data management too. That is why the concept of this has now become a reality.

Factors Leading to the Application of Cloud Data Management in Business Scenarios

Statistics reveal that the companies lose over $20 million annually due to substandard means of data management. The fact that data management is something that organizations have not thought of as maturely as required still remains and needs immediate attention. One ready-made solution for the serious adopters of mature data management methods is cloud computing-based data management.

Apart from the losses, the other factors that indicate the need for the application of cloud data management are:

• Data leakages hampering the reputation of the companies
• Legal issues due to poor data management lowered the morale 
• The high-cost requirement of non-cloud data management procedures

How Cloud Data Management Is Carving the Path to Intelligent Data Management

Intelligence means being able to respond to the situation in the suggested time frame in an optimal manner. Cloud data storage and management offers multiple benefits, such as:

1. Redundancy of data storage points: The shifting of data storage to the cloud ensures that the whole management structure is entirely redundant. The users of cloud data solutions report less downtime and fewer irregularities in the data flow, leading to better user experience at the front end.
2. Robust backup: As per the current status, the companies show only 30-35% confidence in their backup maintenance structure. The cloud services offering a robust and easily retrievable data management system bring in the desired seamlessness in operations. The users can shift to improved working levels and adopt a more intelligent approach with a robust backup resource in place.
3. Offers real-time view: Intelligent working is where the contingents can work immediately using the resources available. Cloud data, with its ability to provide a real-time view, makes it possible to act timely and adequately. The latest information accessible, whenever needed, adds the element of intelligence in working and helps make decisions faster.
4. Easily scalable: It allows the users to make data available to the entities seamlessly without reacting to the increase in number of users.  Whether it is a workforce of 10 or expanded to 100, the speed, ease, and allotment of data management do not differ. Thus, there are no intricate processes involved in data storage, access, and retrieval; only the right to access is assigned according to the roles.

5. Promotes a more cohesive and responsive work culture: Every day brings a new challenge and an assortment of resources should not eat the whole time away. The companies can perform better and improve delivery quality. It makes the organizations readier for new challenges, which hints at the growing intelligence in the work culture.
6. Builds confidence for tackling digital transformation needs: Every company needs to move to the digital transformation path by adopting a mature and time-relevant way of data management. With the growing need for collaboration beyond boundaries and catering to audiences of different kinds, easily adaptable solutions drive high demand. 

Cloud data management solutions offer the necessary support for addressing digital changes and allow companies to ensure relevance in the changing times.

7. No added infrastructure cost: Intelligence does not mean doing things correctly as instructed only. It also involves extracting the best use from the resources and modifying the deliverability as per the changing scale of expectations. 

Cloud computing-based data management solutions allow companies to act in tune with the requirements without bringing humongous changes in the infrastructure framework and related costs.

Companies adopting cloud data management is a good sign. It is the sign of the promise of better delivery and better response to the change in demand and user base size; it is the sign of better intelligence overall.

The post Cloud Data Management on the Rise – the Road to Intelligent Data Management appeared first on Tricky Enough.

While cloud computing has changed the face of IT and provided a one-stop solution for all business needs, it also poses some risks. What do you think when you hear the words Edward Snowden, Sony Corp., and Panama Leaks? All of these involved massive data breaches which adversely affected companies and governments. It’s clear that freedom and feasibility come at a price.

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To combat these risks, your cloud service provider should seriously prioritize data security. Customers can have the best security and reliability in the market only if this technology is managed carefully.

How does data security in the cloud work?

Just like any computer program, cloud security also involves the same fundamental issues. Restricting access to authorized users, maintaining data integrity, and ensuring the availability of data. Safeguarding the data assets which reside externally on the campus is an added concern in cloud security. One of the best ways of transporting this data is by encrypting that data in transit.

To maintain data security in the cloud, the frequency and reliability of backups are very important. Cloud computing uses server virtualization, and if that virtualization isn’t secure, data from one segment of the server could leak into another area. Recovery of data, in the case of damage, is also a key responsibility of cloud service providers. So, cloud computing and data security go hand in hand.

“There are more opportunities for cybercriminals with the increased penetration of smartphones and other mobile devices, as well as the growth of the Internet of Things and wearable technology. These endpoints, together with the social engineering of credential information, means that there are more vulnerabilities through which organizations can be targeted.”

Security is a dire necessity for online users. One of the most popular myths about the cloud is that it is not secure enough. Users think that the data stored in the cloud can be accessed by anyone, anytime.

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However, the truth is that cloud computing is a secure way of doing work, especially for small businesses. There is no need to hire IT professionals or train them to perform certain tasks as cloud providers are already trained to provide the most modern security measures to their clients. Cloud providers also keep their infrastructure safe from hackers, and all of this comes at a much lower price than what you would pay for an in-house IT department.

Here are some other ways that your company can benefit from using cloud services:

Encryption

One of the best ways to secure data in the cloud, encryption is usually used for data that is in transition so that data is protected when it is traveling from one place to another. But encryption can also be applied to data that is at rest in the cloud, on a storage drive.

Cloud providers keep their storage drives secure, but some providers leave the password decryption key in the software, which can make it easier for hackers to obtain it. Global business services company Minter Ellison says the estimated cost of cybercrime will be US$6 trillion by 2021. That is why some cloud providers are more vigilant in keeping your data protected compared to others.

Keeping this in mind, you must know that every cloud service that hits the market is not right for you. Therefore, when you are choosing a cloud service, it’s best to run a comparison between the Giants and assess the better one based on your needs. Also, look at how the cloud provider implements infrastructure and how it can protect your company’s data efficiently.

Proactive governance

To ward off growing cyber threats, deploying secure cloud services is the first step. Proactive security governance includes secure coding, master management of policies, log maintenance, and data dictionary.

“The moment you have a non-standard infrastructure, non-standard protocols, and non-standard coding practices, cracks are visible. Also in the Cloud, the first thing that is enforced is discipline. No matter how hard we all are prepared, security incidents will happen because hackers have the element of surprise and they will perpetrate risk,” says Rutyunjay Mahapatra, Chief Information Officer (CIO), State Bank of India.

Identity and access management

Identity and access management are the keys to using cloud services in the best way possible. Businesses should centrally manage their own credentials and provide role-based access to authorized personnel only. This lets the user access systems even when they’re far away from the immediate organizational network. Strong security is combined with a user-friendly experience that lets users continue the work without disruption.

Since hackers are now choosing to deploy next-gen technologies to find a way inside your systems, a more mature policy is to recognize that inbound perimeter protection is not enough. Both cloud providers and clients can work together to secure access points at their ends.

Cloud security gateways

Gartner a well-known person in the field of security, defines cloud security gateways as on-premises or cloud-based security policy enforcement points placed between consumers and providers to interject enterprise security policies as cloud-based resources are accessed.

Cloud security gateways consolidate multiple types of security policy enforcement. Examples of security policies include authentication, single sign-on, authorization, security token mapping, encryption, tokenization, logging, alerting, API control, and so on.

Along with cloud providers tightening security around their systems, governments have also started passing regulations regarding cloud security; Canada, Germany, and Russia are drafting stricter data residency and sovereignty laws, which require data to remain in the country in order to protect their citizen’s personal information.

Failure to adequately protect your data can have huge consequences, including the potential for fines by one or more government or industry regulatory bodies. Such fines can be substantial and potentially crippling for a small or midsize business. For example, violations of GDPR data subject access rights can result in significant penalties for non-compliance, further emphasizing the importance of robust data protection measures. Additionally, the Payment Card Industry (PCI) can impose fines of up to $100,000 per month for violations of its compliance. Although these fines will be levied on the acquiring bank, they’re likely to impact the merchant as well.

Last words

To combat the risks, cloud service providers must have a fundamental understanding of cloud computing data security, and data sovereignty. These facts will help you build a foundation to ensure you are getting the best service from your cloud provider and that the security at your end is top-notch.

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