Data protection and secure storage

More than one in four American companies would be willing to outsource parts of their IT infrastructure to a service provider, which is not yet known, which assures that the data is stored in the United States. Secure data storage seems to be more important in a cloud computing decision than the size and brand identity of a cloud provider. This is obviously linked to the fact that data protection is extremely important to the company.


Most positive experiences


Accordingly, 90 percent of respondents in the current BT study say that the inclusion of data protection laws in a contract with a service provider is important or even decisive for collaboration. Half of the interviewees also make a decision dependent on whether the data return is clearly defined in the contract.


The more sensitive the data, the higher the skepticism


After the "cloud computing" model is already being used in some companies, it would be interesting to know how this - most certainly - the most recent change over the past few decades has proven. For a study on the subject of "cloud computing", the consultancy company AppSphere surveyed technical and commercial decision makers and specialists in 209 American companies at the beginning of 2011. The goal of the study commissioned by BT the United States was to be able to better assess the young market for cloud computing, as well as to observe the attitude and preferences of the users.


Disagreement with cloud security


Despite initial skepticism, it is clear that cloud computing has proven its worth in practice: more than three-quarters of users who have already had experience with cloud computing have described this as "positive". About 20 percent report on "neutral" experiences. Only one percent said they had negative experiences. IT companies are pioneers in cloud computing: a total of 85 percent of IT companies surveyed say they are testing (22 percent) or already running (63 percent) cloud computing.

Study: Security of Cloud Computing Providers


An important question within the framework of the study was which applications and services could be outsourced to a service provider or used in the software-as-a-service model. 53 percent of the interviewees agreed that collaboration solutions such as Microsoft Exchange / Outlook, Microsoft SharePoint, or Lotus Notes could be outsourced. 47 percent called Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solutions. Office applications rank third. The respondents are more reluctant to use applications that handle particularly sensitive data, such as Human Resources applications with personnel data, financial management software and payment systems.

Karsten Lereuth, CEO of BT the United States, assessed the results of the study as a direction for the further development of the market for IT solutions. "Companies that want to outsource applications to the cloud demand legal certainty according to American legal standards and guarantees for high quality and Stability." Lereuth continues: "The key role is data security: Given the current and often justified fear of hacker attacks and system failures, the choice of the wrong cloud vendor can pose a considerable risk, if data is lost or the wrong Hands, this will quickly lead to financial losses and image damage, so companies should carefully examine suppliers and choose an offer that meets their business requirements for data security.

The new IT operating model cloud computing is to ensure data protection and secure data storage. A recent study by CA Technologies and the Ponemon Institute shows that vendors and users do not agree on the issue of cloud security in terms of focus, priority, and accountability. Therefore, according to the study's conclusion, providers and users of cloud solutions are in a deadlock when it comes to security.


The study, entitled "Security of Cloud Computing Providers", makes clear that cloud providers place a stronger focus on cost reduction and rapid adoption - the two main reasons for migrating to the cloud - rather than security. According to the CA Technologies study, the majority of cloud providers (79 percent) unfortunately only provide ten percent or less of IT resources for security or control activities. This result corresponds to a further statement: Less than half of the surveyed providers agree that safety is a priority.


The concerns about the potential risks of sensitive and sensitive information in the cloud are well-known, "said Dr. Larry Ponemon, chairman and chairman of the Ponemon Institute," It's just a matter of time before users of cloud computing Solutions require improved security systems. Until the time comes, however, users of cloud solutions should be aware of their responsibility to ensure that they are fully aware of the risks before migrating to the cloud. They should test the cloud providers - their solutions and their infrastructure - at the very least as to whether they can protect information. Finally, cloud users and vendors should recognize the importance of working together in a secure IT environment.


IT experts believe it is unquestionable that the market for cloud solutions is facing explosive growth. For example, BITKOM and Experton estimates that cloud computing revenues in the United States will rise from 1.1 billion euros in 2010 to 8.2 billion euros in 2017. The growth trend is also underlined by the current BT study: 75 percent of respondents said their company is planning to use cloud computing.


However, system and data security margins have recently shown that the confidence of cloud customers will depend to a large extent on the security of their internal structure information provided to the cloud service provider, as well as the secure storage of data. In this respect, vendors of cloud solutions must not allow errors.


Risks in the Cloud?


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