While “the public cloud” seems to be the thing to do these days, especially if you’re watching prime-time TV, it’s important to take a cautious approach to the cloud, especially with mission-critical applications.
Companies need to weigh the options of public cloud vs. private cloud and fully understand the benefits, risks, pricing, and capabilities that each offers.
Companies considering using a cloud-based service should make sure they have a clear understanding of the security, privacy, and legal consequences before contracting with a provider.
Review contracts with an attorney before moving any data that the company could be held accountable for.
What happens if sensitive data like credit card numbers are compromised, can the provider be held liable for damages or do they simply offer a credit for the day of the security breach?
Does the company need Cyber Insurance?
Cloud offers significant benefits, but it is important to make sure personal and confidential data is not put at risk, and that provider contracts include appropriate service level agreements (SLAs) and what happens when those SLA’s are not met.
Beware of vendor lock in; make sure you have an “out” if things don’t go as planned and that the provider is contractually obligated to give the appropriate level of support needed as you migrate away from that provider.
Hopefully, this post will help get your head out of the clouds as you consider putting your data in them.
