by: Chris Knotts, PMP – ASPE Creative Director

Everybody has heard about the cloud. If you don’t really understand its potential, there’s no excuse to wait. We offer a quick overview of what the cloud offers business, who the big players are, the potential benefits, and most importantly – 10 main security concerns you should be aware of.

Cloud computing is on the rise. It was just a few years ago that the mainstream tech community began to use this term in earnest, and since then even folks not involved in tech have been introduced to the term and the general concepts of cloud computing, even if they don’t understand exactly how it works. As soon as Apple introduced the iCloud service for content and applications, and mobile devices began to offer thousands of cloud-powered apps, consumer-level technology users were familiar with the term.

But cloud computing has much more to offer than just consumer content management. What about those of us who have a little more to gain (or lose) by engaging in the potential of cloud technology? The business world has a lot to gain by harnessing this potential, but also has to look more closely at risks than does the average consumer. In particular, security has quickly captured the spotlight as one of the most critical topics surrounding cloud computing, and how to handle it has become one of the most important conversations going on in the world of tech.

We’ve partnered with one of the premier training companies in the business to offer this brief white paper giving you a quick overview of cloud capabilities, and ten of the most important security concerns you should be prepared to address as you make use of them. We cover:

• The three basic designs of cloud computing models (Iaas, Paas, and Saas)
• Providers of cloud computing services
• The potential benefits of using the cloud
• The following ten security concerns:
  • Where’s the data?
  • Who has access?
  • What are your regulatory requirements?
  • Do you have the right to audit?
  • What type of training is available?
  • What type of data classification is being used?
  • What are the terms of your SLA?
  • What is your provider’s long-term viability?
  • What happens if there’s a security breach?
  • What is your DR/BCP plan?

• We’ll also present a quick overview of the top four malicious attacks hackers use to compromise systems, and what to consider as you prepare to guard against these liabilities while taking full advantage of the benefits of cloud computing and services.

Click to view the 10 Security Concerns for Cloud Computing white paper.

We are one of the nation’s premier providers of real-world technical training and advanced professional skills. Our IT division focuses on cloud collaboration and practical tools that allow your organization to cut costs and boost project successes using Microsoft SharePoint, backend server support, Microsoft Project, and ITIL best practices. To view more white papers and free offers from ASPE-IT, please click here. This resource series is offered in partnership with Global Knowledge.