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5 Common Misconceptions Made by IT about Cloud Services
Cloud computing has been around for some time now and is seen as the 3rd compute platform by industry experts such as Gartner and IDC Research.
“ Since 2007, IDC has predicted and analyzed the industry’s remarkable shift to the 3rd Platform (built on 4 Pillar technologies) and now IDC predicts that virtually all of enterprises’ new strategic IT investments through 2020 will be built on 3rd Platform technologies and solutions.” IDC 2015
The chances are that by now you have some level of public, private or hybrid Cloud already in place within your business, either as part of your overall IT strategy or as we commonly see now through shadow IT that has been purchased by a line of business manager. In this 1st part of our Cloud Blog Series we aim to help you understand the Cloud better as an IT service provisioning tool, a business enabler and clear up some of the common misconceptions that exist in the market place regarding how effective, secure and reliable a platform built with the future in mind actually can be.
How Secure is The Cloud?
- Without a shadow of a doubt one of the most common misconceptions about Cloud platforms is the perceived lack of Security. As there are frequently high numbers of devices with sensitive information connected to a Cloud platform security is a high concern. If you are using a capable and trusted service then security is likely to be more sophisticated that you would expect. Both Google and Microsoft are backing the cloud as a suitable business solution, and have invested heavily in securing their environments to the point where the only data they say is not suitable is “top secret data”. This is evident in particular with Microsoft Azures platform where their data centres have achieved the coveted ISO27018 standard. The chances are that a cloud provider has more security and security personnel dedicated to protecting your data than you do internally.
Data Centre Locations are a Problem
- Data sovereignty is a hot topic right now with changes in the “Safe Harbour” rule and new data protection legislation due to change in 2016 meaning companies are going to have to keep a very close eye on where information is stored and sent too. The good news is that with reputable cloud providers they will be able to tell you exactly which borders your data is going to reside in. UK companies in particular have found this frustrating with services from AWS or Google not having data centres based in UK & Irish data borders. This is all set to change in 2016 with Microsoft and Google both announcing that they will launch all new Data centres within the UK.
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Cloud Data Centres Increase Global Warming
- When we decided to launch our vFlex Cloud Services Platform the question was raised by our CTO regarding how “Green” a cloud service really is? The common misconception is that the Data Centres deployed to deliver the cloud are going to increase on aggregate power consumption and as a result increase Carbon Emissions. Just like the security myth when it comes to being green cloud providers are ever watchful. By focussing on efficient power consumption, optimal server and CPU utilisation the providers create a more efficient operational model that delivers a great service and keeps Mother Nature happy for everyone. In a world where companies and governments are targeted on reducing Carbon Emissions or potentially face fines it only makes sense that the Data Centre is optimised for Green Policy’s.
Going Cloud is Cheaper
- Sometimes the cloud saves money, but there are many other reasons cited for migrating to the cloud, the most common of which is for agility. Gartner’s 2014 CIO survey shows that cost savings account for only 14% of the reasons for organisations’ use of the public cloud. Saving money may end up one of the benefits, but it should not be taken for granted. Don’t assume you will save money unless you have done the hard work of honestly analysing the situation. This is our first stop on the journey towards cloud adoption with our clients who undertake a Cloud Readiness Assessment. Utilize total cost of ownership and other models on a case-by-case basis and assess the implications of moving from capital expenditure (capex) to operating expenditure (opex). But most importantly, look beyond pure financial issues.
I Could Lose All My Data
- A very real concern and one that should be addressed by every company looking at where they are going to house their data is “What Happens if there is a failure? For many people the lack of a tactile environment creates a worry that data could be lost or destroyed with no way back. Firstly if you are concerned that your cloud data could be lost then there is a need to look at your Backup and Disaster Recovery strategy. We advocate the 3-2-1 best practice when it comes to your business data, and the cloud is frequently a part of that process. You should have in place a solid plan to deal with the unthinkable and get your business back up and running. It is also high on the agenda for providers to make sure that they are building into their systems a Backup and Resolution process for their clients. The chances of losing data in the cloud is smaller than in many companies who do not have a Backup Strategy as robust as the providers. Our last blog spoke Backup in more detail and can be found HERE
Here at thinkS3 we have been developing our range of solutions and services since the very first day that we opened our doors, from our early days as a virtualisation consultancy helping companies to assess suitability of virtualisation projects with VMWare all the way to vFlex our cloud services platform. If you are planning or reviewing your Cloud services our Cloud Readiness Assessment is perfect for you. Providing you with an in depth report on where you currently stand and how to achieve the goals you have in mind. Complete the form below and a member of our team will get in touch to discuss your journey towards the right solution.
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