Blog/Development
Myths About Cloud Based Systems
Share:
Copy Link
Tolu Folayan
May 27, 2022
The most common myth about cloud-based systems is that they compromise security, making sensitive data susceptible to breaches and unauthorized access. Despite the evident rise in their use, doubt about the safety of cloud platforms remains a persistent obstacle.
This prevailing myth often hides the strong security measures put in place by trustworthy cloud service providers, leaving people more confused than ever. Is it safe to use cloud-based systems, and what exactly are these systems? Do they differ from cloud-based software? Well, you are about to find out. This article will discuss the most popular myths about cloud-based systems. Our goal is to debunk false misconceptions but also to provide clarity on which concerns hold merit. Excited? Let's get started!
Table of Content
- What is Cloud Computing
- Myths about Cloud Computing
- Cloud-based systems vs Cloud-based software
- Conclusion
WHAT IS CLOUD COMPUTING
Cloud Computing is the transmission of —hardware, storage, databases, networking, and software—on demand to organisations and people through the internet.
It can otherwise be called on-demand computing. It is all about delivering computing services through the Internet. The services include- but are not limited to applications like storage, databases, servers and intelligence.
These resources are kept over the internet or cloud to enable flexibility and increase productivity, efficiency, performance and security for businesses.
5 Myths about Cloud Computing
Myth 1: Your data is not secure on cloud-based systems
The myth surrounding cloud security often centres on concerns about the safety of data stored in the cloud compared to on-premises servers. Contrary to common belief, data housed in a cloud server is frequently more secure than its on-premises counterpart. While physical access poses risks to on-premises servers, cloud environments afford meticulous control to users, mitigating the possibility of unauthorized interference.
Additionally, most leading cloud service providers (CSPs) employ cutting-edge facilities that safeguard data against a myriad of risks, including power outages, natural disasters, and theft. They also guarantee continuous monitoring which ensures seamless operations, reinforcing the vital element of trust in the CSP business model
Breaking down the myth, our take is straightforward: it needs debunking. Cloud-based storage, backed by top-notch security measures and round-the-clock monitoring from trusted providers, is a safe and dependable choice!
Myth 2: Cloud-Based Systems are expensive
The cloud is a powerful tool for businesses, but it does not always save money. The reason is that the cloud can be more expensive for specific businesses and at certain times — such as when a business sells a product or service that requires a lot of bandwidth or memory. This is why we maintain that there is no silver bullet for migrating to the cloud. Instead, each business will have to carefully evaluate its current setup and decide whether migrating to the cloud is worth it.
Mike Lloyd, CTO of RedSeal, a security risk-scoring platform put it best when he said, "A lot of people misunderstand cloud pricing. They assume that, because it's new and really popular, it must be cheap."
In essence, Mike Lloyd's remark underscores the misconception that the popularity of cloud services implies cost-effectiveness. The point being made is that businesses need to conduct a thorough evaluation of their current setup, recognizing that the decision to migrate to the cloud should be based on careful consideration of costs rather than assumptions about inherent affordability.
Cost-influencing factors to consider before migrating to the cloud include:
- The amount of data you’re migrating to the cloud: cloud-based storage space
- Cost of your on-premise systems
- The cloud service provider
- The time of migration: the faster the migration, the faster the dependencies on on-premise infrastructure
- The functionality of the services you plan to migrate
- Post-cloud migration costs like monitoring, maintenance, and security compliance.
So yes, whilst it may be true that it saves money before you commit, do the requisite research to analyze your current business situation. Essentially, what we mean is that the myth that cloud-based systems are universally cost-saving needs to be debunked, as their affordability depends on various factors specific to each business.
Myth 3: Data on cloud-based applications are public
It’s crucial to know the difference between public clouds (shared environments) and private clouds (dedicated environments) because that’s where the misconception often lies.
Public clouds, such as Microsoft and Google, are multi-tenant- where your server shares the same hardware, storage and network devices with the other tenants in the cloud. At the same time, a private cloud is a single-tenant environment where the hardware, storage, and network are dedicated to a single client and designed to ensure high-security levels that other clients cannot access in the same data centre.
"Because the term public is used, many users have the false impression that the data they store in the cloud is easy to get and is not private," said Engin Kirda, co-founder and chief architect at Lastline, a network security provider.
While it's essential to consider the security and privacy of your data when hosting on a public cloud provider, it is equally important to remember that there are many paid providers of reliable cloud hosting.
Security and privacy are built into their services. Ensuring customers have access to the data they have paid for is just as important as being able to back up data in case of a disaster.
Therefore, the myth that data on cloud-based applications are inherently public needs to be debunked, as there are public and private clouds, each with their varying level of privacy and security measures.
Myth 4: Just one cloud vendor is enough
With the level of interest in cloud-based apps today, many businesses want something simple.
But cloud services are broad and span various levels, models and applications. So it’s safe to say not all clouds are created equal.
Most IT businesses use public clouds and leverage cloud-attached storage solutions as part of their cloud strategy.
As a result of the ability to utilise multiple public cloud vendors, organisations are able to reap the benefits of new technologies from all providers and choose the most cost-effective service provider based on storage and application workloads.
Furthermore, a multi-cloud strategy allows businesses to take advantage of new technologies and features from different public cloud service providers. Contrarily, with an all-or-nothing approach to your cloud strategy, you might not be able to get the most out of the cloud computing system. This is why ublic cloud providers, like Amazon web services, and Microsoft and Google cloud platform (GCP), offer similar services, such as data storage and disaster recovery. Still, they also have separate sets of cloud infrastructure resources that are unique to them.
It is also important to note that a successful cloud strategy requires a clear statement of objectives, agility to select among needed services—like infrastructure, platform and SaaS — and a plan that allows the enterprise to scale up or down quickly.
In essence, the myth that relying on just one cloud vendor is sufficient needs to be debunked, as a multi-cloud strategy enables businesses to leverage diverse technologies, cost-effective services, and unique infrastructure resources from various public cloud providers.
Myth 5: Cloud migration is difficult.
“A good number of company executives believe moving their apps into the cloud is difficult and beyond them”, said Sean Roberts, general manager of the public cloud centre of excellence at Ensono, a managed IT, service provider.
Cloud migration is moving applications and services from on-premise infrastructure to a cloud service provider's infrastructure. Cloud migration is not a difficult task. However, it is complicated.
Migration to the cloud may involve many applications, cloud platforms, and migration methods. Moreover, the lack of talent raises the risk of errors, increased costs, and system downtime and failures.
Security fears do not hinder cloud migration, but meeting compliance requirements and navigating the process securely can be challenging and costly.
Cloud-based systems vs Cloud-based software
Cloud-based systems and cloud-based software are related concepts but not the same. Cloud-based systems encompass the overarching infrastructure, including computing resources, storage, and networking, delivered over the Internet. In contrast, cloud-based software specifically refers to applications and programs that operate in the cloud without local installation. The primary distinction lies in the scope, where cloud-based systems provide a comprehensive digital framework, and cloud-based software focuses specifically on delivering functional applications. While they work in tandem to support modern computing, the former encompasses a broader range of services, while the latter is more application-centric.
CONCLUSION
A team with the experience and skills to manage cloud migration simplifies and minimises risks. Wazobia Technologies implements a risk averted cloud migration strategy without obstructing your business workflow. Get in touch!
Related post
Recent Posts
Need help with a project?
© Wazobia Technologies 2024
Powered by:
