A lack of confidence in cloud computing security measures is holding decision-makers back from maximally protecting their network assets. Despite advancements in hybrid cloud technology that enable highly interconnected IT environments, enterprise and public organizations still aren't achieving optimal levels of data protection in both their on-premise and off-premise systems. Upholding best practices in both settings has posed an even bigger challenge for IT administrators.
While issues such as data center sprawl have been diminished with consolidation efforts and the use of virtual machines, the locations of computing and storage units may not be so centralized in a hybrid cloud environment. According to eWeek, this has led many decision-makers down a tough road with regard to cyber security, as these multi-tiered data center architectures are not the most intuitive to defend with standard protective measures. If you have data and applications being powered by internal servers as well as off-premise units, these security challenges may sound familiar.
The source pointed to an AlgoSec study of 363 IT professionals, including network operations staff, data center architects, CIOs and other team members throughout the tech department. Research showed that 59 percent of respondents believe network security in hybrid environments suffers from a lack of operational workflow, while 80 percent claimed their organizations need improved visibility to ensure best practices across on-premise, public and private cloud deployments.
Second only to data security, network protection was cited as one of the most significant challenges of a cloud computing migration, and ranked as the most complex transitional element for small and midsize organizations.
"In the foreseeable future, security will remain a key challenge when organizations are migrating into the cloud. I think the next few years will remain challenging as best-practices and best-of-breed solutions have not emerged yet," Nimrod Reichenberg, AlgoSec vice president of marketing and strategy, told eWeek. "Over time, I actually think cloud security will be yet another security discipline that security teams will have to take care of."
You'll need to ensure sufficient and consistent security measures across each database and application to get the most value out of your modernization efforts, especially if you're juggling cloud deployments with legacy computing technology. Teaming up with an expert cloud infrastructure provider can be the key that protects your cloud assets and unlocks their long-term value.