Michalina Staszewska
Have you ever wondered where the lack of confidence in cloud computing comes from?
In my opinion, the main aspect is security in the broadest sense. The higher, the more confidence we have in a given thing. We cannot deny that its level is also influenced by third-party opinions. When we want to use a new solution, service or change a company’s plan of action we are guided not only by our own beliefs, but we ask for the opinion of others. We want to make as few mistakes as possible that will affect the future.
When it comes to choosing IT services, it’s the same. We wonder if the technology providers will meet our requirements, and in fear of making the wrong choice, we use what most do. We are afraid of change and distrust new solutions because we simply don’t know them. What is the main reason for this? Lack of confidence in cloud computing security is mainly due to ignorance and listening to the significantly louder opinions of opponents of modern cloud solutions.
Just why do we make statements, most often without knowing the subject? Isn’t it better to explore it yourself and decide if the concerns are valid? To dispel doubts, hard arguments are needed to challenge them.
Despite numerous claims that moving resources to the cloud by a company is a key part of growth, there are still many enterprises shying away from using cloud servers. Most often we are afraid:
However, one has to wonder if all these concerns apply only to cloud computing. IT security has always been a controversial topic, and building trust among users is a long and never-ending process. That’s why I hope this article will dispel any doubts and give you an insight into exactly what cloud solutions are.
Companies moving to the cloud are most concerned about the security the infrastructure offers. It is understandable that we are afraid of what we do not know, much less see. However, breaking the situation down, when you buy shared or dedicated hosting, do you see your services? Do you have access to the hardware, using a third-party provider? No. Only and only if you have your own server room can you have direct access to the server room.
However, this does not change the fact that physical access to the server room will not give you constant control. Own business is a constant challenge that consumes many hours a day. Additional personal supervision of the server room is even impossible.
Seeing how entrepreneurs are afraid of security, cloud providers as well as their partners provide the highest level of it. They implement solutions that not only eliminate risks, but also take care of the legal aspects. We don’t have to worry about RODO or other regulations. However, if we want cloud servers closer to our company to choose from, we have European providers that meet all legal takes.
Losing control of any element, we panic. When company or customer data is involved, a lot of confusion can arise. What we fear most is ridicule, loss of reputation and the damage that data leakage can cause. When considering whether cloud computing sufficiently protects its customers from losing control, we should learn how it works and what choices we have for its types and models. Regarding the service delivery model, we can choose from three main variants: IaaS (infrastructure as a service), PaaS (platform as a service) and SaaS (software as a service). The model is chosen because of the needs of the organization, and the difference is the scope of duties and responsibilities in each solution.
Having total control over cloud services will provide IaaS – infrastructure as a service. The customer receives a virtual machine tailored to his needs. The service provider provides the operating system, storage, servers and network. The customer is responsible for the application, the data and the running environment in the cloud.
Another cloud service model is PaaS – platform-as-a-service. Under this model, we as clients can create services from scratch in any language from the browser. In addition, we can provide and manage the application. We do not have access to the cloud environment. In addition, we can use and implement off-the-shelf software.
The last model is SaaS – software as a service. In this case, the service provider provides an off-the-shelf solution in the form of cloud-based software. Despite many concerns about the security of cloud solutions, SaaS is the most widely used service type in cloud computing. The lack of user responsibility for maintaining a working infrastructure is responsible for this. We get a turnkey solution that we can use on demand or in a subscription model.
According to a 2018 survey by IDG , 89% of respondents use SaaS, 61% use PaaS, and 73% of users use IaaS. The high rates show that there is less and less concern about cloud computing. According to the study, the trend of cloud use in enterprises will grow all the time.
The growing reliance of public and especially financial institutions on cloud computing cannot be overlooked. A case worth noting is the British start-up – Revolut. He started all his operations from the beginning in the cloud, making high security an integral part of the enterprise. An article with the company’s cybersecurity chief is available online, in which he confirms the view that cloud services are better secured than standard infrastructure. In his statement, he emphasizes the storage location of the data, which is the EU territories, additionally meeting legal obligations. All data is encrypted and access to applications is unlimited, providing flexibility and scalability to the cloud.
The popularity of the services offered by the start-up has grown in a very short time. Users have praised them not only for their low currency exchange prices, but also for their functional, transparent and always-available application. The startup showed full confidence in cloud services back in 2015, and no specific mistake can be pointed out to it that would indicate a wrong decision.
There are more and more examples of public institutions choosing the cloud as a place to host data. Even Poland is thinking seriously about creating a national cloud. All this is due to the rapid development of technology and the need to ensure the highest possible safety standards.
For more information on the potential use of cloud services in Polish companies, see the McKinsey & Company report. The link is left here.
When thinking about using cloud computing, don’t think in stereotypes. Think about the future, as Revolut has done. In a few moments, he acquired millions of customers and sowed panic among banking institutions. You could be next, as long as you make good use of the cloud’s potential.
