More companies and people are going to the cloud for a lot of very good reasons: hosting servers, storage and backup, email and calendar sharing, and virtual desktops. But when everything goes to the cloud, security becomes a great concern. Some skeptics have yet to make the switch because they say the benefits don’t outweigh the risks. Well, there’s a new solution for the cloud, and Oracle Corporation is letting skeptics know.
The Case of Cloud Skeptics
Despite its rising popularity and use, the cloud is berated for concerns over accessibility and security. Some skeptics may argue that with the cloud, if the site is down or users can’t connect to the internet, then all information stored in the cloud is inaccessible—making work impossible and efficiency minimal. And others can argue that hackers have an easier time gaining access to information stored online than information stored on-site. Hackers accessing the cloud and all its data storage might be a matter of simply stealing a password. For companies that store personal information for millions of customers, cloud security is a key factor that can’t be ignored. Risking security over convenience is what most skeptical hold on to when they debate their use of the cloud.
The Best of Both Worlds: Cloud and Local Server
So while security is a top concern for people publishing on the cloud, it remains that putting information online allows companies to easily stretch their information and resources to all departments and employees. So to provide companies with cloud sharing capabilities and the desired security, Oracle Corp. has developed a hybrid of the two: a cloud center that can be placed within a company or IT management’s own data center. So information can be accessed by everyone, while keeping that very information on the company’s own site, protected by its own security defenses. Oracle Corp CEO, Thomas Kurian, explains, “There are some customers who say, hey, I like the benefits, of speed, of productivity, but my company is just not ready yet, because of policies, security concerns, whatever. And now we have the ability to say you don’t have to worry about it. You can run it on your own floor.” For companies that want the benefits of storing information and files on the cloud, but want to keep that information protected by company walls, this hybrid option is a fitting solution.
A Fitting Solution for the Cloud-Wary
A 2015 survey found that 62% of companies expect to have all of their information moved to the cloud by 2020. That leaves almost a third of the companies keeping their business off the cloud. But with the benefits of the cloud, and now this hybrid solution, skeptics have little reason or excuse to stay off the cloud.
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Source: blogs.wsj.com/cio/2016/03/24/oracles-new-service-turns-cloud-computing-inside-out/
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