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Selecting Your Cloud Service Provider – Pay Attention to Details

Like all cutting-edge technologies, cloud computing has several security issues peculiar to the medium. Since most of the environment is virtual, security and business continuity challenges are very different from those faced by more traditional IT centers. Today, about 40% of servers are virtualized, rising to nearly 86% by 2018, meaning that challenges of managing the security of virtual devices will only increase. The key areas that will have to be addressed in the future are –

• An exponential growth in data volumes and mobility – The virtual environment encourages mobility of the user, with databases, workloads and workflows all increasingly accessed by mobile users. This virtual environment is regularly backed up on physical drives in the data center. In a number of cases, hourly instances of virtual servers are maintained as snapshots. While this easily gives IT administrators comfort in management, sensitive data gets stored in different locations. This data has to be managed with care and administrators have to ensure that there is no compromise on security. This requires a well-planned, structured workflow to manage backups and data.
• Is the shredder working? – With the large number of copies of data being stored on physical media, there has to be certainty in its being deleted securely. Fortunately, these challenges have been well understood and handled. The following key steps are implemented routinely by all good cloud service providers to ensure client data and processes are secure –
• Data Isolation – This ensures that data and virtual instances of servers handling critical data are isolated from commonly used components of the system.  Thus even if there is a security issue with the cloud hypervisor, the critical data continues to be isolated, never exposed. Essentially, what data isolation implements is a philosophy and not merely a technology. Based on the structure of your application, your data isolation procedures could be different from those used by another company.
• Separation of Responsibility – Companies take steps to ensure that duties, responsibilities and privileges are distributed among administrators so that no single person can abusively impact a system.
• Using established standards – Companies that build robust applications use established standards tested adequately and in extensive corporate use. An example is the use of the PCI-DSS – the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, the like of which ensures regulatory compliance issues are handled adequately.
• Ensuring multi-tenant protection – Good solutions ensure that in shared environments with multiple tenants in the data center, there are strong and effective controls over instances of virtual machines and data. There is also no possibility of one user being able to gain access to data belonging to another. Once these steps are implemented, the entire VM lifecycle is managed securely starting from provisioning, starting up the instance, use, backup and recovery, and deletion.  Besides this, any product chosen must also comply with a number of other requirements to ensure the business stays agile and responsive.
• Your service provider must support a flexible deployment – There could be a number of occasions when you use hybrid clouds or even keep some critical data on your own premises to meet regulatory or security needs. This could happen after your services have already been launched from (say) a public cloud. The solution provider must be able to support this.
• Deployment must be fast – Using predefined, encrypted server images to speed up the process. These can be modified post-deployment to cater for specific needs, ensure you do not lose fleeting opportunities.
• Administration must be very intuitive, menu driven and efficient – Since the churn in IT sector manpower is a well-known phenomenon, you need not invest too much time and resources in training new staff. The solution you choose must provide administrators with efficient dashboards from where the entire set of virtual machines can be managed efficiently.

Many users also give great importance to integration with third party applications. At some time in the future, this need could arise. You would not want to make major changes to your application just to ensure this.

With cloud computing services becoming the backbone of many companies, service providers who offer these fundamental capabilities will help you get the best from your cloud investments. GMO Cloud competitively offers its services at highly efficient levels such as security, flexibility, deployment and administration. Visit the rest of this website to find out more about their services.

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About the Guest Author:

Sanjay Srivastava has been active in computing infrastructure and has participated in major projects on cloud computing, networking, VoIP and in creation of applications running over distributed databases. Due to a military background, his focus has always been on stability and availability of infrastructure. Sanjay was the Director of Information Technology in a major enterprise and managed the transition from legacy software to fully networked operations using private cloud infrastructure. He now writes extensively on cloud computing and networking and is about to move to his farm in Central India where he plans to use cloud computing and modern technology to improve the lives of rural folk in India.

How Cloud Computing Can Influence the Use of Social Media by Japanese Businesses

Japan has always been regarded as a slow adopter of every new, non-Japanese technology. A typical example is the unexpectedly slow acceptance of social media like Facebook, Twitter and Mixi etc. In a survey reported in Nikkei Computer, the results tabulated below indicate that Japanese businesses are cold to the idea of massively using social media in their day-to-day business activities; however, this revelation obviously points to the fact that there is a huge possibility for their usage in the near future.

 Source: Nikkei Computer

The figures above show ample opportunities for future expansion in the use of social media as Japanese businesses warm to the adoption of these technologies. Foreign developers and marketers of social media applications will also have better chances of entering gallantly into Japan’s social media market.

So, how can cloud computing facilitate the use of social media in Japan?  The table above indicates that a moderate number of Japanese businesses have already been utilizing social media to obtain information about products and services of interest. Large amounts of information will therefore be collected on a daily basis (price information, specifications of products and services, contact/communication information). This bulk of information requires appreciable space on servers for storage, processing and retrieval. In this case, cloud computing will offer more storage capacity for these businesses while making sure that the information obtained is protected and stored in a format that can be easily accessed in a Japanese environment.

Secondly, the results above point to future increases in the utilization of social media by Japanese businesses in advertising. The Japan social media market will be big and profitable, and potential new entrants must be ready for action.

As the volume of advertising on social media increases, companies that offer these services will gain by migrating their storage facility to the cloud when handling the huge data generated. New foreign entrants into Japan’s social media market will benefit hugely because Japanese businesses usually act in a group.

However, there will be huge demand for data storage, protection, easy accessibility and flexibility. The only way to effortlessly achieve this is for the social media companies, developers of applications and other accessories (software and hardware) to adopt the cloud. Cloud computing, tested and trusted, will offer these companies (both local and foreign) the needed storage capacity, security assurance, flexibility and scalability. The good news is that companies can scale down their storage capacity in case Japanese businesses suddenly withdraw from using social media in their advertisement and products/services promotion.

Cloud computing is the only solution for dealing with the projected demand for social media services in Japan. Without it, social media companies as well as their Japanese customers will be hamstrung in their efforts to grow in size and profitability.

Indeed, cloud technology is the next stage in the IT revolution. Looking at the capabilities of previous technologies, Cloud is truly the going trend in terms of social media. Read more about Cloud technology and its flexibility on GMO Cloud’s hosting page.

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About the Guest Author:

Jerry Olasakinju, a Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) degree holder, is a passionate researcher and writer whose interest in everything computing is unparalleled. He blogs about his literary works at http://jerryolasakinju.blogspot.jp/

Cloud Computing to Become an IT Staple By 2020

Although cloud computing has become mainstream, the concept of transitioning from legacy IT systems to a cloud environment is still in its infancy.  While there are enterprises who have fully implemented cloud infrastructures, many are still in the contemplation or planning phase.  In a report entitled “Sizing the Cloud” by Forrester, research indicated that the global market for cloud computing will reach $241 billion by the year 2020, up from $150 billion in 2011. The report is the first to help forecast when each global market sector will hit full capacity. As the demand for cloud computing increases, new technologies will be developed to fully support cloud initiatives and enterprise needs. So, how might cloud computing change by 2020?

Cloud Integration and iPaaS

The current cloud IT software stack consists of three different layers which include:

IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) providing the basis for which systems can be deployed

PaaS (Platform as a Service), which is the middle level that enables the integration of multiple applications as well as the development of advanced applications

SaaS which provides the end-user applications that support business productivity.

The development of platforms making up cloud infrastructure with the absence of integration solutions has been a primary issue. Expansion of cloud computing entails a growing need to find new ways to integrate the contrasting elements of a cloud model. Recently-emerging iPaaS platforms will become the next generation platform for integrating cloud computing applications both onsite and with legacy applications.

Inexpensive Processing

32-bit ARM architecture is currently being widely used. However, Intel has been working on releasing an ARM chip which reduces power consumption and improves performance by utilizing 64-bit capability. Although this technology mostly applies to a family of microprocessors related to mobile devices, it will also likely enter server technology and storage classifications in cloud environments. Some primary companies have already been providing ARM servers to providers of cloud-based infrastructure.

Faster Performance

The increased need for application distribution on a massive scale coupled with implementation of faster processing will result in data centers delivering high-performance, cloud-based environments at speeds of 200-300 GBPS (gigabits per second).  This will allow enterprises accomplish more in less time and at a lower cost than in-house legacy IT systems.

Maintenance Automation

Current cloud environments require reduced intervention from IT professionals as many IT infrastructures can easily be controlled from a single interface.  As new technologies emerge for maintaining hardware and software applications as well as cloud security, cloud IT environments will basically be able to run themselves in terms of automation of routine maintenance tasks, updates, and patch management.  This leaves even more time for enterprises to focus on development of new IT initiatives which contribute to company growth.

Cloud Specialization

Instead of the differentiated cloud services such as IaaS, SaaS, and PaaS, cloud environments will become more specialized, with more cloud providers offering customized services that would otherwise be carried out on company premises.  This will allow more enterprises to easily shift their workloads to the cloud without having to plan for data classification and their relationship with costly legacy IT systems.

The 2020 cloud is shaping up for a significant shift in the middleware PaaS model, to an environment where customized solutions can easily be created. Additionally, the private cloud will take precedence over a public cloud environment thanks to the development of new, accessible technologies.

As discussed in this article, the IaaS is the initial service that cloud adopters should subscribe to. Thus, one must choose a strong candidate to provide their service. GMO Cloud offers a cloud infrastructure complete with high availability and scalability features to accommodate future needs of organizations. Visit the Specifications Page to find out more.

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About the Guest Author:

Aeyne Schriber has more than two decades of accumulated experience in IT security, computer technology, and internet marketing, including technology education and administration field both on the public school and college level. She works worldwide helping companies establish an online presence from small businesses to large enterprises. Her skills as a published copywriter and marketer also include consulting and training corporate personnel and entrepreneurs. For more details, visit www.digitalnewmediamarketing.com

Cloud Computing in the Media Industry: The Possible Gains and Risks

The turn of the millennium saw media companies change their content format from analog to digital for easy storage, transmission and upgrade. The amount of digital archives in the media industry increased, bringing immense pressure on media companies to devise appropriate mechanisms to protect, store, and update their digital archives. Similarly, the recent hike in the demand for media products and services has forced media companies to rethink the way they serve their insatiable customers. Unprecedented demand for online videos, news, reports, commentaries have tasked media outlets with the huge responsibility of fulfilling customer requests within the shortest time possible.

“Media cloud” has therefore been quite instrumental in helping companies respond to customer demands in a faster and properly-coordinated manner.  Traditionally, customers could not have access to media products until sometime after they had been produced. Today, with the adoption of cloud technology, media companies can deliver their digital content as soon as it is made. This gives the media companies a huge advantage of marketing their digital products/services faster than before.

Media cloud offers bigger capacity for digital content as well as maintaining it in archives for long periods so that customers can easily access it anytime, anywhere.  This practice of increased exposure of ocntent for as long as possible has helped some companies achieve higher profitability through increase in sales and revenues. Customers can also receive the latest flow of information in real time owing to flexible and scalable cloud computing, which ensures media products can be updated without delay.

Since media companies won’t be bogged down with huge cost of hiring IT personnel, maintaining inventory and spending recurrent capital on IT software and hardware, many find cloud computing expressly cheap and stable. Media cloud encourages optimal use of technologies and improves asset utilization for reducing the time media products and services are made available to the market.

However, the are two concerns: security and performance doubts. Some media companies that are reluctant to move their in-house IT infrastructure to the cloud often cite security risks as a deterrent. Exposing content archives to subscribers whose activities they cannot control may lead to unauthorized duplication and copyright fraud. Similarly, there is a grave concern about how media cloud shutdown may affect the performance of operations.

But as the issues of security and performance are practically dealt with, the number of media companies adopting cloud will increase. No success-oriented company wants to overlook the cost efficiency, speed of product and service delivery, and potential for business innovation that media cloud promises.

Expectedly, security is a main concern. That is why GMO Cloud prioritized this factor and has come up with a multi-level security strategy. Furthermore, GMO Cloud has a high resiliency in data flow – this means that it provides a fast and reliable network connectivity. For more details, you may visit the specifications page of this site.

Be Part of Our Cloud Conversation

Our articles are written to provide you with tools and information to meet your IT and cloud solution needs. Join us on Facebook and Twitter.

About the Guest Author:

Jerry Olasakinju, a Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) degree holder, is a passionate researcher and writer whose interest in everything computing is unparalleled. He blogs about his literary works at http://jerryolasakinju.blogspot.jp/

Cloud Computing – Changing the Healthcare Scenario

While there are a number of security and regulatory concerns in the health care sector holding back universal adoption of cloud computing, growth in this sector is still robust. The healthcare market which was worth just $1.8 billion in 2011 is expected to touch $5.4 billion by 2017. This is a cumulative average growth rate of nearly 20.5% – exceptional by any standards. While the market is growing robustly, no cloud service provider presently has a market share greater than 5%. Therefore the next five years may see plenty of consolidation, mergers and acquisitions.

Typically, the healthcare industry can be broken into Clinical and Non-Clinical sectors. The clinical sector is where the sensitive work gets done, and is most heavily regulated. Applications in this domain consist of Electronic Health Records, physician instructions and orders, investigations and imaging, and radiographic software. The specific fields covered in the clinical domain are listed below –

1. Electronic health records / medical records
2. Image archiving, retrieval and communication systems
3. Radiology Management Systems
4. Physician order and instruction management
5. Laboratory management
6. Pharmacy management system
7. Other specialty related systems

The non-clinical domain is essentially concerned with managing the business end, handling issues like patient billing, claims, revenue cycle and employee management. This is similar to most other businesses and represents the more easily implemented end of business. The specific modules in this domain are –

1. Revenue management systems
2. Patient billing systems
3. Cost accounting and control systems
4. Payroll and employee management systems
5. Claims management systems

Cloud computing makes it easy to share patient Electronic Health Records between doctors. In case, for example, a person from New York were to face a medical emergency in Los Angeles, the doctor he or she consults should have the latest data about medications, allergies, blood group and medical history. In case the person is unconscious or otherwise unable to tell, much time could be saved if the physician had immediate access to this data.  While technologically there are no difficulties in implementing this, there are many regulatory issues involved. These regulatory issues and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) are presently delaying the roll out of this capability.

Imaging is another major area where cloud computing can help the healthcare industry. Medical science has evolved its imaging capabilities far beyond X-rays, and these images are now occupying thousands of gigabytes. They must therefore be stored because they provide an excellent record of the progress of a medical condition. Storage and retrieval of these images presents challenges that the cloud is uniquely poised to handle.

While security has often been cited as a concern, most cloud security issues have been resolved and large numbers of business enterprises have pinned their faith upon cloud security. In any case, it has been often said that the physical and logical security provided to cloud based services and applications is much more than that of in-house data services. Availability of services in the public cloud has also been shown to be much higher as compared to captive services.

In summary, the healthcare industry will face a round of disruptive innovation as the presence of cloud computing increases. The cloud, as discussed earlier, is the perfect medium for delivery of electronic health records. Once this takes off, patients will save on duplication of tests and time wasted in waiting rooms. Billing will also become more transparent. There is also a churn occurring in the industry with pure cloud computing companies offering low cost pay-as-you-go models. The new cloud-based health care services are also far easier to deploy and have a very gentle learning curve.

It is certain that in ten years time, cloud computing will change the way healthcare works in developed countries.

Be Part of Our Cloud Conversation

Our articles are written to provide you with tools and information to meet your IT and cloud solution needs. Join us on Facebook and Twitter.

About the Guest Author:

Sanjay Srivastava has been active in computing infrastructure and has participated in major projects on cloud computing, networking, VoIP and in creation of applications running over distributed databases. Due to a military background, his focus has always been on stability and availability of infrastructure. Sanjay was the Director of Information Technology in a major enterprise and managed the transition from legacy software to fully networked operations using private cloud infrastructure. He now writes extensively on cloud computing and networking and is about to move to his farm in Central India where he plans to use cloud computing and modern technology to improve the lives of rural folk in India.