Many companies are hesitant to move to the cloud, fearing it is less secure than on-premises infrastructure. However, this is a misconception, it is easier to secure the Cloud than on-premises.
Leading cloud providers invest heavily in security, and they have implemented state-of-the-art security systems at every level. In addition, cloud providers offer a wide range of security features and services that can help businesses protect their data and applications. This can help organizations improve their security posture without having to invest in their own security infrastructure.
Data center security and compliance is a shared responsibility between many stakeholders involved in the provisioning of the infrastructure (buildings, facilities, communication networks, racks, servers, routers, switches, monitoring systems), the resources needed to run the infrastructure (electricity, water, cooling, technicians), and the software that is deployed at those servers.
On-premises deployments are often considered more secure because they are under the direct control of the organization. However, this does not mean that they are inherently more secure. In fact, on-premises deployments can be just as vulnerable to attack as cloud-based deployments, and the bureaucratic and cumbersome procedures that some companies have established result in a lack of market agility that has terrible business consequences and a great impact on the technical team.
In terms of security, cloud deployments offer a number of advantages over on-premises deployment. Here are some of the cloud security features and services that are available:
Traditional on-premises controls can be successfully replaced in the Cloud with automated policies and detailed continuous observability.
Cloud deployments offer a number of advantages over on-premises deployments, including:
Despite the advantages of cloud deployments, there are a number of security considerations that organizations need to be aware of, including:
Here are some questions to ask someone who says the cloud is not secure:
If someone cannot answer these questions confidently, then they should not be making claims about the security of the cloud.
The decision of whether to deploy on-premises or in the cloud is a complex one that depends on a number of factors, including the organization's security requirements, its budget, its business needs, and its willingness to change and embrace modern IT processes. Organizations should carefully consider all of the factors involved before making a decision.
Awarala Insights are based on the rich and diverse experience of Javier Ruiz, who founded and bootstrapped a SaaS company in the energy sector. His company, which was later acquired by a NASDAQ traded company, managed over €2 billion per year of electricity for prominent energy producers across Europe and America.
Javier has more than 20 years of experience in building and managing IT companies, developing cloud infrastructure, leading cross-functional teams, and transitioning his own company from on-premises, consulting, and custom software development to a successful SaaS model that scaled globally.
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