Page 39 - Campus Security & Life Safety, July/August 2019

event of a natural disaster or system melt- down. In addition, those who archive their information in an off-site location do not have to worry as much about potential natu- ral disasters.
In the event of a fire, flood, or some other disaster, as the information is not located onsite, it will be accessible and safe even if campus damage has occurred. Once repairs are made, administrators can retrieve the information via the internet and restore their servers to working order.
While cost can be a risk, it can also be a benefit. Instead of having to purchase and maintain hardware in order to back up all the systems, that cost is absorbed by someone else. The company will only pay a subscrip- tion fee which will help the provider offset these costs. Organizations can actually save money by allowing someone else to maintain their storage facility.
When it comes to making the company work more efficiently, the cloud offers the benefit of anywhere access. Documents and data can be accessed via the internet from any location, allowing users whether employ- ees or students to work while traveling or at home if necessary.
The same technology also allows users to work together on a project, saving time and endless email revisions. Many enterprise level cloud storage providers offer tools that will allow users to collaborate on documents at the same time even if they are not at the
same location. Managers can also monitor work using the same tools.
Security concerns can make the cloud sound like a risk. However, there are also some security benefits to using the cloud. These include:
• Most cloud providers offer 128 or 256 bit AES encryption
• They also offer zero-knowledge security
• Anywhere, anytime accessibility (depend-
ing on your internet connection)
• Cloud providers have a redundancy in place to ensure files are not corrupted due
to lack of access
• Cloud storage providers have security in
place to ensure a physical site is secure, whereas external hard drives and USB drives are susceptible to theft
Making a Successful Move to the Cloud
Utilizing new technologies does come with a risk, however, with adequate research and understanding, many of these problems can be avoided. IT administrators should take plenty of time to research potential vendors prior to making any commitments.
Areas that should be monitored include reliability, security, and location. In order for a cloud storage solution to be successful for an enterprise-level consumer, a few areas should be considered prior to select- ing a vendor.
• Cloud storage management must be a priority • Ensure good security measures to save
sensitive data
• Location of cloud storage providers’ phys-
ical servers
• Scalability of service to ensure enough
storage space
Most of the cloud vendors only provide a platform with a well-defined service—migra- tion and management require the companies to either build/acquire the capabilities or to engage IT service providers that deliver pro- fessional services or managed services. So, companies have to select the right partner to accompany them, with right business knowl- edge, accredited certifications and strong references. When done right, using a great cloud platform with the support of a good IT Service Provider will bring you the best out- come at the best cost.
Conclusion
By taking time to weigh the risks and bene- fits of cloud storage solutions, campuses can find a service or product that will work best for them. This is not something that should be taken lightly and all of the risks should be understood prior to purchasing a subscrip- tion. While the cloud offers many convenient and useful tools to help businesses grow, it is something that should be studied and researched before making a commitment.
Steve Rosa is the Vice-President Global Business Development, Cloud, Infrastruc- ture and Security for Getronics.
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