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08.7.2012
Trust remains an integral part in every situation or relationship whether business or personal in nature. When it comes to cloud hosting, trust earns the top spot in its core operations and if not, then it should. This is primarily due to the fact that clients entrust their private information to a service provider that controls their data on the cloud. Giving a third party the authority to store and use your data may leave a person or company vulnerable to loss, theft, abuse or tampering of that certain information. Thus, fear and apprehension to avail of cloud services are the usual feelings that any client may go through as it may be detrimental to their business and even their personal lives.
Whether choosing to use a single or multiple cloud service providers, a customer could be at risk when security systems are not in place. Some companies nowadays are opting to work with multiple cloud hosting providers to store their data. Through this setup, when one server crashes, they can still have a back-up of that lost data on another server with a different provider. When your data is on multiple servers around the world however, your data is in the hands of more people in the cloud than the usual which means a higher risk that it could be hacked. But this does not necessarily mean that your data is safer on a single provider since the most important matter to consider is whether your single or multiple cloud hosts are implementing strict security measures for your protection.
When selecting a cloud host provider, you must look for different types of security measures that they could offer in your contract. This should involve protection not only for your software applications but also for the hardware systems to be used. One of the basic security approaches is encryption, which entails that data be seen by authorized persons only. Encryption must be required for static data as well as those being transmitted especially to various servers around the world. With encryption, it is paramount that key management is restricted to trusted individuals only and that contingency plans are available when key access has been compromised. Highly advanced encryption methods could however be too expensive for the customer, which is why companies can opt to build their own encryption system before letting out the information from their hands.
Access control to the information must also be set-up depending on the kind of information and level of confidentiality. When policies and procedures are strictly employed with corresponding penalties for internal non-compliance, then there is a better chance that data will remain secure. Firewalls have also been widely utilized to ensure that networks are not being attacked by malicious individuals from the internet that is open to the public. Exposure to harmful websites must also be minimized while authentication tokens, certifications and log in challenges must be included in their offerings.
Physical security is also a main concern in protecting data from being accessed or damaged. The servers being used must be located in a highly secure place that can only be accessed by authorized individuals. Password codes, alarm systems and cameras must be in place for heightened security. The hardware itself must be damage-proof if possible in the event of attackers or natural disasters. When using external media such as flash drives, encryption could also be implemented and restrictions on the allowable media to be used should be placed.
As you choose the cloud service provider to run your applications online, you have to consider all these mentioned security measures before signing that contract or agreeing to pay a fee that won’t be worth it in the long run. Make sure that the cloud service provider prioritizes transparency in what they do in order for trust to be earned and sustained in your working relationship. Visibility in all aspects of operations allows you to monitor and identify possible issues and risks in security that could harm your business. When cloud host providers remain open and communicative, customers feel safer to entrust their data for a longer period and even at a higher price because they know that their privacy and protection are always the number one goal of the cloud service provider.
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:
Rodolfo Lentejas, Jr. is a fulltime freelance writer based in Toronto. He is the founder of the PostSckrippt, a growing online writing business dedicated to producing top quality, original and fresh content. To know more about him, please visit www.postsckrippt.ca. Like him on Facebook or follow him on Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest.
08.6.2012
The billion dollar empire that is the gaming industry has hit a major breakthrough with cloud hosting rising to fame. Hosted on various virtual servers, gamers experience a new high with easier access and lower costs delivered by cloud hosting companies. With cloud gaming, data and applications are on the “cloud” or online without the need for multiple, expensive, high-maintenance, and trouble-prone physical servers or machines.
Instead of purchasing high end computers with a large capacity to play the most in-demand games available, anyone can just sit and relax at home or anywhere they want with just their laptop, tablet or mobile phone to access their favorite video game or play with or against another person from the other corner of the world. An internet connection is merely what they need in order to stream the games thru their regular-performing computers. To simultaneously manage millions of players in any location playing the same game is only one of the most astonishing features of cloud gaming. Not only are these virtual servers able to withstand high traffic without crashing or any delay, cloud hosting providers could also deliver rich graphics that is key to attracting more players for an even bigger profit.
These immense technogical requirements of the gaming industry fit perfectly with the services that cloud hosts could offer. Since players won’t need to go to the physical or online store to buy the software, chips or consoles, convenience is at the tip of their fingers with cloud gaming. It is definitely cheaper with an affordable monthly fee with no installation required or hours to wait for the usual downloading of files. Though console manufacturing companies have hit some dents, gamers and gaming companies obviously benefit from this economical technology instead of purchasing any hardware or building the needed infrastructure.
Just recently, Sony has joined the bandwagon of cloud gaming to further their brand and reach more gamers around the world. Sony has acquired GaiKai, a cloud gaming provider on different platforms for a whopping $380 million. This move by the makers of the popular Playstation could be perceived as a contingency plan to up their sales by investing in cheaper gaming services. This may also be a consequence of having lower sales in their console products since more consumers are preferring online-based games due to their convenience, flexibility and affordability.
The emergence of these cloud gaming service providers in the scene provides gaming companies the chip to power what they need in order to boost their business. One of the most common features available today is having unlimited virtual servers which allows gaming companies to expand their offerings while providing stability in their operations. Scalability options have also been an enticing feature of rising cloud computing service providers since it provides the necessary flexibility. Online gaming or cloud gaming often experiences heavy load, which is why, these scale up or down options come in handy whenever they need to upgrade or downgrade their resources such as in the number of servers in order to handle an upsurge in access or load.
A lot of these cloud hosting providers in the market offer a traditional fixed price whether customers use a little or big amount of resources in their operations. However, customers have another better option in sight with a number of cloud hosting providers offering flexible terms depending on the resources used such as memory, disk space and virtual CPU. If you are starting your own gaming company, you need to conduct more research on which cloud hosting provider could be more beneficial to your end. Some cloud hosting services offer monthly fees for a certain period with no charges for initial set-up. But if you don’t want to be tied to a long-term commitment, you can look for companies offering services paid by the hour for more room to move.
For gaming company masterminds, mobility is definitely a plus factor when managing their growing business on the cloud. With this in mind, it is important to choose a cloud hosting provider that allows you to access and control every facet of your cloud gaming business anytime and anywhere you may be. This type of convenience is often a top priority for small to medium sized gaming businesses dreaming of growing their empire around the world. Since travel is inevitable in their business, being able to make decisions and implement changes on their laptops or phones are essential in selecting a cloud hosting provider. These evolving offerings only make the future of cloud hosting even brighter by having more visibility and power in the gaming industry.
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:
Rodolfo Lentejas, Jr. is a fulltime freelance writer based in Toronto. He is the founder of the PostSckrippt, a growing online writing business dedicated to producing top quality, original and fresh content. To know more about him, please visit www.postsckrippt.ca. Like him on Facebook or follow him on Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest.