Whether you are already using the cloud or not you will have made certain assumptions about it – some benign, but some that are potentially hazardous. The false assumption that your data is suddenly 100% secure once it’s in the cloud can be dangerous, because it is NOT safe until you make it safe. Clouds have been hacked and data has been stolen. Your data is only as safe as the security measures your cloud hosting company provides.
Note that NO cloud provider guarantees the security of your data. You must have your IT team bolster the basic protections they offer. All cloud hosting services are not equal.
Choosing a good cloud host is not the place to pinch pennies. You will get far superior Cybersecurity using Microsoft’s cloud than you will if you choose ‘Frankie’s Discount Cloud Hosting’. Go with the best – you have your business riding on it.
There are numerous cloud platforms and degrees of use from which to choose. There are so many choices it can be mind-boggling, especially for anyone who is not versed in some measure the tenets of IT support and services.
With the tremendous upsurge in the Hybrid Work Model, some employees exclusively work from home, some in the office, and some mix the two environments – hence ‘Hybrid Work’. This upsurge correlates to the vast expansion of cloud users since March of 2020. The ease, reliability, and security cloud platforms offer has facilitated this transition.
The move to the cloud can be tricky for a novice. If you want to move to the cloud but have a very small business with just a few computers and have not yet initiated a formalized IT plan, doing it yourself may seem like your best option, but think twice. If you are still using your manager’s nephew to pinch-hit as your IT, do not let him use your cloud migration as a learning opportunity. Even if you are not ready to sign up with a professional IT firm, consider using a pro on this project at least.
At ITFirm.com, we have been contacted by many home-based businesses that glean knowledge from our blogs and downloadable materials for day-to-day issues but are daunted by a big step like moving to the cloud. Ask any respected and experienced member of the Charlotte IT community, and they will most likely have had similar experiences.
For a step like this, consult with a top IT Managed Services Provider (MSP), at least for the main cloud migration – it will be well worth it, because it will be done right. Having the MSP set up all security and reliable backups would also be money well-spent.
Whether you opt to move to the cloud as a ‘do-it-yourself’ project or enlist a qualified IT support firm to do it for you, remember these basic tenets:
1) Choose the right people for the job: You (or your nephew, or ‘IT Guy’) may know how to install a firewall on a local network, but cloud security requires a much higher level of expertise.
2) Choose the right tools: The move/migration itself is a prime point of vulnerability – you are moving your data from one protected area (your local network) to another (the cloud). The journey between the two is the weak point. Some use a ‘data-centric security’ approach, wherein the security is attached to the data itself rather than the start and end points.
3) Test the data after migration: Make sure it is still usable after the migration.
4) Analyze all security concerns before migration: Ensure that all steps have been taken to protect your data during the transition. As with Murphy’s Law, that security obligation that you overlook WILL be the one that hurts you. Guaranteed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do I choose the best cloud service provider?
A: There are as many levels of quality within the cloud hosting community as there are in the IT Services community. If you have a Managed IT Services vendor whose knowledge and experience you trust, ask them for their input. They will already have done the homework – rely on their expertise.
Factors to be examined range from the most basic, such as a potential cloud service’s level of Certifications & Standards to a look at the prospect’s bottom line – how healthy is the cloud host’s company? Cloud Industry Forum provides a roadmap of the top ‘8 criteria to ensure you select the right cloud service provider’
Q: Which cloud service type is best?
A: It depends somewhat on what your company’s particular needs require. In my book it’s Microsoft, with Google close behind, and Amazon Web Services (AWS) lagging further behind. Google produces a fine product, and AWS is getting there, but both companies’ trustworthiness in the marketplace remains a question mark. Google doesn’t guarantee not to sell your data (it’s a huge moneymaker for them), and both have been known to shut down users or censor enterprises for political reasons.
With the introduction of Windows 365, coupled with the improvements and rebranding of Office 365 to Microsoft 365, Microsoft has sealed all of the gaps that other cloud providers are still just stringing together. They have produced a platform that is fully integrated and negotiates full cloud operations with ease and the height of security.
On C-Sharp Corner, Mahesh Chand provides an intriguing breakdown in his article ‘Top 10 Cloud Service Providers of 2021’.
Q: Is the cloud completely secure?
A: Nothing is 100% secure. The data you store in the cloud should be more secure than the data you store on your local network or computer hard drive. The best Cloud services providers use the strongest security measures available. Among others:
Security Updates
AI and Auto-patching
Firewalls
Data Backup Redundancies
Third-party security testing
As we always say, Cybersecurity is like playing a game of ‘Whack-a-Mole’ – crooks never ever stop finding new ways to get around security defenses. You stop one threat and another one pops up immediately. The crooks don’t sleep on the job, and you cannot afford to either.
Q: Which is the most important challenge in migrating to cloud?
A: The number one challenge rules all others:
1) Failing to have a clear plan for migration. If this step falls apart, all others will follow.
2) Exceeding your budget for migration.
3) Cloud Sprawl, which means that your cloud plan is all over the place, resulting in too many variables such as different software applications in conflict with each other and unused yet paid for services.
Security weak spots; users who lack the skill to navigate a complicated cloud infrastructure.
How Secure is your network?
Also, as a longstanding, reputable member of the Charlotte IT Support community, ITFirm.com offers a FREE, no-risk network and Cybersecurity assessment. We perform a non-intrusive scan that allows us to deliver a comprehensive report of the state of your system and its vulnerabilities that is yours to keep. There are no strings attached, and you are under no obligation to ever use our Managed IT Services.
The two best defenses are next-generation Cybersecurity to protect your data from theft, and a top-notch Managed Services Provider to ensure continued reliability and defenses against newly emerging threats.
We put our 100% Money Back Guarantee in writing, so there is no risk in trying us out. Because we do not require a ‘hard’ contract, our clients can fire us at any time with 30 days’ notice. We have to be good.
Among the Managed IT Services we provide:
IT HelpDesk Service
Onsite IT Support
Cybersecurity
Cloud migration and management
Email migration services
Backup and disaster recovery
VoIP phone systems
IT disposition and recycling
Office moves
White label services (IT to IT)
Planning an Office Move?
Contact us today! We have the experience to ensure a seamless transition. After the move, your employees will arrive at the new location to find their IT infrastructure ready and open for business!
For more information on office moves, or to receive your FREE no-risk network and Cybersecurity assessment, just fill out the form on this page or call us at:
704-565-9705
