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Jonathan Nguyen-Duy , Vice President , Global Field CISO at Fortinet
Cloud platform and infrastructure works through an abstraction process , such as virtualization . The goal is to separate resources from the physical hardware they are typically installed on and put them into the cloud . These virtual resources are provisioned into cloud environments using tools like automation and management software , enabling users to access the resources when they need them from wherever they are working .
Three types of cloud architecture
When we talk about cloud infrastructure , we ’ re referring to the tools that are used to build a cloud environment . When we talk about cloud architecture , we ’ re referring to the design or blueprint of specifically how the various technologies for creating a cloud computing environment will be connected . There are three types of cloud architecture :
1 . Public 2 . Private 3 . Hybrid
Public cloud architecture uses third-party cloud providers to make cloud resources available to multiple customers via the Internet . These providers operate multi-tenant environments that lower the cost of data storage and computing power for customers . Public clouds can have a drawback : privacy issues for organizations that handle sensitive data or personally identifiable information ( PII ).
Another cloud migration risk involves its reliance on the Internet .
In a private cloud architecture approach , cloud infrastructure is only accessed by the organization . The private cloud architecture can be built , developed and maintained by a company ’ s own IT teams or delivered by external providers . Private clouds as their name implies address the drawback of the public cloud issue with privacy .
A hybrid cloud model is considered the best of both public and private architectures . The hybrid approach allows private and public cloud infrastructures to interact within a connected but separate system . This is ideal for organizations that handle sensitive information and PII , allowing them to store their critical data in private clouds and while keeping less sensitive data in public clouds . With a hybrid cloud architecture , organizations can maintain their private environments while accessing all the benefits of public cloud services for other computing tasks and storage .
Three types of cloud migration
There are three main types of cloud migration :
1 . On-premises to the cloud 2 . Cloud-to-cloud migration 3 . Reverse cloud migration
When moving data that is being hosted by on-premises servers to the cloud , you will be typically using a technique that ’ s called ‘ lift and shift ’. This is the transfer ( or ‘ rehosting ’) of an exact copy of your current environment without making extensive changes .
This is the fastest and simplest way for an organization to start taking advantage of the cloud . As for moving data between clouds , say public and private ones , it will be done most likely because you want to keep it more secure . On the rare occasion where data becomes no longer important or obsolete , a reverse cloud migration may be employed to free up space and archive it on a local storage device .
To save time and expenses , cloud migration experts recommend some procedural tasks be performed before migrating data . The tasks include doing an audit and deciding what data and applications to retire and what ones to retain and migrate to the cloud .
What are the security risks that come with cloud migration ?
There are several security-related challenges that organizations must overcome in the process , including compliance breaches and malware . Because the cloud is ever-evolving , some vendors will handle the changes well and some won ’ t . If a cloud provider goes out of business or has a dramatic overhaul , any enterprise using their services might be exposed to risk because of the upheaval .
Another cloud migration risk involves its reliance on the Internet , meaning ‘ any cloud solution is only as solid or reliable as the network connection it is built on ’. It ’ s difficult for an enterprise and its users to accept downtime when apps and services aren ’ t accessible . Cloud infrastructures must-have dependable connections and networks that are supported by service level agreements ( SLAs ).
A cloud migration security strategy must also consider that data controls are transferred from the organization to a cloud service provider . For the strategy to be effective , there must be buy-in from enterprise leaders . They need to accept the trade-off of getting cloud computing benefits while having less or limited control over access to applications , data , and any server-based tools .
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