Learn how to evaluate the security of your cloud computing provider
The ability to ensure data security is - of course - a critical part of evaluating any cloud provider. And while most providers will make grand claims about “state-of-the-art security,” many don’t even control the data center in which they are storing your data. A fact that can make it next to impossible for them to live up to those grandiose promises of security.
So how do you weed out the cloud security pretenders and find a provider capable of offering true peace of mind? Expedient has created this list of three questions to consider when searching for a cloud solution:
Does the cloud provider own the physical facility where the cloud is being housed? Most system downtime is the direct result of human error:
This means you need to carefully evaluate who has control and access to the data. Unfortunately, the answer is not always the cloud provider. In fact, the vast majority of cloud service providers use an additional third party to support their data. This gives them little if any control over the physical access to the data central to your operations.
How does the cloud provider prevent outside attacks?
Statistically, your data is most vulnerable to attacks from outside the data center:
Ask your cloud provider how they are prepared to handle a wide range of threats – from common desktop malware to more sophisticated worms and root kit installations. While no one can guarantee completely impenetrable security, your cloud vendor should maintain robust procedures for anticipating and mitigating risks.
Does the provider execute their environment on rack servers or in isolated virtualized environments?
Virtualization should be your first line of defense against outside threats:
At Expedient, virtualization ensures that all incoming and outgoing traffic is monitored – and if a threat is detected it can be quickly isolated, mitigated and restored before it causes significant damage. Learn about what it means to create a secure cloud computing environment. Watch The Cloud on Lockdown Video for more information.
As Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Jonathan Rosenson is responsible for overseeing organizational functions that drive growth at Expedient. Jon additionally acts as an external spokesperson conveying the Expedient story. Follow him on Twitter.
