Public cloud is now a significant part of the majority of IT budgets. For instance, a Flexera report found spending on these services now totals more than $12 million a year.
It’s been a beneficial step forward. The cloud is quicker, more efficient and better for the environment than on-site servers. But it’s not foolproof, as with every new technology comes new challenges and risks.
Here are six cloud computing issues every IT professional needs to be aware of.
With the rising threat of cybersecurity attacks and a growing focus on GDPR and other data use legislation, cloud computing faces a problem.
A study conducted by IFP reported that nearly three-quarters of IT professionals are worried about the security of their infrastructure and services in the cloud. What’s more, one-third of enterprises experienced a data breach between 2020 and 2021.
Moving sensitive data offsite and into the cloud exposes you to a wide array of potential risks. So it’s vital to select a secure, properly protected storage option from your cloud service provider.
There’s also the risk of breaching data protection laws, especially if you work with sensitive user data. For instance, medical institutions making the move from paper to digital have managed to increase security while still keeping the data in-house. But with the move to cloud technology they, and a range of other industries, are facing the new challenges inherent in moving the data out of their direct control.
Organizations with significant storage needs that have already invested in on-site servers are now finding they need to spend further funds on cloud services. These expenses are also ongoing rather than the one-off cost of setting up onsite storage. In 2019, Facebook Founder Mark Zuckerberg commented on how expensive cloud technology has become. He also blamed the rising costs for the slow advancement of the field.
Investing in cloud infrastructure also means investing in the technology that helps you use it properly. This further adds to the ongoing expense and, while technological progress is starting to bring down the overall cost, it still represents a big investment for business.