Tuesday 23rd August,
Security and servers are the stumbling blocks to Cloud
– Persistent issues still prevent users embracing hosted services –
Cloud providers that store client data on shared or virtual servers must ensure that private customer information cannot be accessed in the event of a cyber attack or a server being hacked, according to search specialists, Simplexo.
On 9th August, Amazon’s EC2 Cloud computing service experienced another crash, which took down major websites like Foursquare, Netflix and Instagram, as well as millions of users. Unlike the outage that took place in April, the service was quickly restored, however, it yet again raised concerns about Cloud computing and companies that move data from onsite to hosted services.
The impact of the outage was documented in a recent article featured in CNN’s Fortune magazine. The article highlighted four keys areas of concern that still persist when it comes to Cloud adoption: outages, security, servers and confusion.
Simon Bain, CTO of Simplexo, is quick to agree that the four highlighted points do remain stumbling blocks when it comes to Cloud uptake: “The recent Amazon outage, and the one which occurred in April, stick in people’s minds when it comes to concerns about hosted services. The important thing to realise is outages occur, whether it is our computers at home, in the office or in Cloud data centres. We need to ensure that processes are in place in the event of this happening, in order to ensure we continue working fully.
“Security is key when it comes to Cloud computing. We still hear of instances where providers store customer credentials on the servers that house the data. This is not acceptable and in the event of a data breach puts all customers at risk. There needs to be a bigger emphasis on the security of other people’s information; by doing this the number of threats which persist around Cloud adoption will certainly reduce.
“As already highlighted, servers will be prone to cyber attacks and breaches. Time and time again it is proved that if a hacker wants access, they’ll get it. In the event of this happening providers need to ensure that no information that can be used is available. Security is paramount and absolute measures must be taken to protect customer’s private information.
“In terms of confusion, this has been something created by the industry itself. Cloud computing is very simple; the problem lies with too much jargon existing around it. If some of these buzz words were taken away a lot of the issues over the understanding of Cloud would be removed.”
Bain is also quick to highlight easy of access as another area, which possess a threat: “In many instances people need to access information in inconvenient places, be it on a busy street or a crowded bus. In difficult or busy conditions accessing data on your smartphone can be a difficult and time-consuming process. Access needs to be simpler, with the ability for full text search and easier icon controlled interfaces. Once the industry addresses this, I believe we’ll start to see a greater uptake of Cloud services, with end users able to see the true benefits it brings.”
About Simplexo Ltd
Simplexo Ltd is focused on delivering a new experience in federated search, and is founded on a solid history in electronic document management and retrieval. Today, Simplexo technology is delivering value to individuals and organisations in many industry sectors, including financial services, healthcare and local government.
