Gartner had it right when it said โ€˜cloud computing, by its very nature, is vulnerable to the risks of mythsโ€™. Even in 2016, a quick Google search highlights that enterprises are still unsure about the perceived risks that come hand in hand with cloud computing.

[easy-tweet tweet=”There is still a worrying amount of misinformation about #cloud” user=”bilco105 @steamhausMCR”]

Just a few of the top searches reveal a worrying lack of information surrounding the concept, with many still in the dark about โ€˜what is cloud computingโ€™, โ€˜what is meant by cloud servicesโ€™ and the โ€˜risks of using cloud computingโ€™.

Itโ€™s time to get rid of the fluffy stuff and dispel some of the myths when it comes to cloud. Weโ€™ve put together three of our favourites here.

1. โ€˜โ€˜I wonโ€™t know where my dataโ€™s being stored or if Iโ€™m being compliantโ€™โ€™

Itโ€™s great that people are starting to think about this โ€“ especially with changes to UK data protection rules coming in early this year as part of legislation being standardised across the EU. With data breaches potentially costing businesses as much as 4% of their annual turnover, itโ€™s a great time to be questioning the ins and outs of your data security.

With data transfers within the EU and soon between the UK and US under โ€˜Safe Harbourโ€™ to become more tightly controlled, itโ€™s important to make sure that youโ€™re asking the right questions. If your cloud provider is worth its salt, itโ€™ll make sure you know exactly where your data is located and whether youโ€™re staying within the law, wherever youโ€™re operating.

[easy-tweet tweet=”Data breaches potentially cost businesses as much as 4% of their annual turnover” via=”bilco105″ hashtags=”data, security, infosec”]

2. โ€˜โ€˜Sharing hardware and datacentre facilities with other customers is a risk to my dataโ€™โ€™

This isnโ€™t true if you pick the right partner. Using a platform such as Amazonโ€™s AWS for example, means you can benefit from the companyโ€™s global expertise and rest assured that its technology is subject to the most rigorous tests and audits. The sheer size of the platform means Amazon can make significant investments in all elements of security.

What that means for businesses is that itโ€™s often more secure than on-premise hardware and can provide better datacentre security isolation than having a dedicated infrastructure. And, for the ultra security conscious amongst us, you can also look to dedicated hardware with full isolation.

Itโ€™s not that sharing hardware and datacentre facilities is never a risk โ€“ but with platforms like AWS, it doesnโ€™t have to be. Take public cloud, for example โ€“ users can access the data stored on their platforms. Numerous policies exist to ensure that this is strictly forbidden. Add in a number of โ€˜at-restโ€™ encryption offers for data, and youโ€™ve got a platform thatโ€™s about as secure as it can be.

3. โ€˜โ€˜Being in control of my own infrastructure will always make it more secureโ€™โ€™

Adamย Selipsky, VP at AWS once said: โ€œPeople think if they can control it they have more say in how things go. It’s like being in a car versus an aeroplane โ€“ you’re much safer in a plane.โ€ The very same perception exists in managing cloud storage infrastructure.

being in full control doesn’t necessarily mean you’re safer from it disasters

This opinion is typically held by CIOs in enterprise organisations, whose responsibility for applications and software naturally prompts them to think that keeping in-house control over their cloud computing will put them in a better position to secure their data.

But in reality, relinquishing the management of that data and allowing a partner to store it for you means youโ€™ll be embracing their huge level of expertise, ability to meet tough compliancy requirements and guaranteeing a higher level of availability and automation of services. And thatโ€™s all while retaining control of your data.

Upcoming changes in legislation, paired with a growing awareness of how cloud computing can tackle security concerns, is helping to redefine perceptions and debunk the cloud myths that are holding businesses back from embracing it.

+ posts

Rob Greenwood, Technical director,ย Steamhaus

Rob is the technical director at Steamhaus, a cloud and network consultancy based in Manchester. Experienced in implementing large-scale solutions using open-source technologies, Rob has over a decadesโ€™ experience and was responsible for the build of the UKโ€™s biggest public OpenStack and Ceph cloud. Prior to this he was technical director for one of Manchesterโ€™s largest managed hosting companies. Rob has also managed a top 10 Alexa UK traffic rank website, averaging over 15 million unique visitors per month.

 

Unlocking Cloud Secrets and How to Stay Ahead in Tech with James Moore

Newsletter

Related articles

Securing Benefits Administration to Protect Your Business Data

Managing sensitive company information is a growing challenge. Multiple...

Which Cloud Type Suits You โ€“ Public, Private, Hybrid?

Valuable lessons have been learnt about cloud deployments over...

A Business Continuity Cheat Sheet

Right, let's be honest. When you hear "business continuity,"...

Challenges of Cloud & Ultima’s Solution to Transform Business

With the way that AWS and Microsoft dominate technology...

The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Subscription Management

AI has revolutionised the landscape of sales and reinvented...