Moving to the 'cloud' Simple Storage Service (S3)
Moving to the ‘cloud’ 3 key aspects to consider whitepaper
2
The rise of the ‘cloud’ There is no doubt that the cloud is upon us. No matter where you turn, every technology company is talking about it, every organisation is thinking about it and some businesses are already profiting from it. But before you embark on your journey into the cloud, there are 3 key aspects you need to consider: 1) Data Storage: Where is your data stored and how does this affect your organisation? 2) Data Access: Who has or can potentially gain access to your data? 3) Data Backup: What process is in place to ensure you don’t lose your data? This whitepaper outlines the key aspects you need to consider before moving to the cloud.
3
Data Storage
under. If a dispute was to arise between you and
When you subscribe to an existing cloud application
court system will settle the dispute.
or migrate your custom system to the cloud, your
your provider it is important to know which country’s
data will be stored in a secure location and you will
Laws differ from country to country, so it is
only pay for what you use.
important to note what laws you need to comply
But where is your data stored?
with before moving your data to the cloud. You also need to consider that if a dispute was to
Physical Location
arise, would you be in a position to provide the
Your data could be in any country around the world
financial means and resources to settle the dispute
and you may not know where the data centre is
in another country?
situated. This could potentially pose a compliance
Some cloud vendors may be hesitant to disclose the
risk.
location of their data centres, so it is imperative
Government regulation in Australia often requires
that you attain this information before you commit
that certain industry sectors disclose the physical
to signing any contract.
location of certain types of data. If you do not know where your data is stored then you run the risk of being non-compliant. It is important to ensure that before you move to the cloud, you are aware of the exact physical location of where your data will be stored.
Jurisdiction
Data Access Vendor Access Data stored in the cloud is generally secure but the cloud vendor can gain access to your data. It is important to ascertain what internal security policies the vendor has in place and who within the
If your data is stored in a data centre outside the
provider’s business has access to your data and to
country in which you operate, then it is important to
what extent. You must ensure that you are informed
ascertain which jurisdiction your cloud vendor falls
of when your data is accessed and by whom.
4
Third Party Access It is imperative that you understand the governing laws of the country in which your data is located. In some countries, government agencies or privileged third parties can be given access to your data without your consent. Be sure to ascertain the policies of your cloud vendor in allowing government and third parties access to your data without your consent.
Intellectual Property If your data is your own unique creation, be sure to understand the intellectual property laws of the country in which your data is stored. Will your data be protected under the intellectual property rights of that country? What means do you have if
is located. As previously mentioned, different laws
your intellectual property rights are infringed?
apply in different countries regarding the access of data and this extends to backups as well.
Retrieving Data Some very high profile cloud application providers
Vendor Insolvency
are known to delay the handover of data - this
You need to be aware of what will happen to your
could be for a variety of reasons including increased
data should the vendor go out of business. There
switching costs. Be aware of the terms and
needs to be a process in place that will ensure your
conditions surrounding the acquisition of your data if
data is handed over to you upon such an event.
you decide not to renew a contract. This is especially important for business critical applications.
Data Backups Potential Disaster It is imperative to understand what backup and restore contingency plans a cloud vendor has in the event of a disaster. How will you regain your data if
Moving to the ‘cloud’ Moving to the cloud can reduce costs by not having to invest in hardware and other physical infrastructure. It can also aid business growth by allowing organisations to access additional services as the need for resources increases, without an initial investment outlay.
such an event was to occur? How business critical
However, you need to be diligent about the vendor
is your data and what remedies are at your disposal
you choose to provide those cloud services. With
should your business suffer a loss as a result of such
a structured approach and by being aware of the
an event?
policies of the vendor and the laws of the country in which the data is stored, moving to the cloud can
Location of Backups It is just as important to know where the backups of your data are stored as it is to know where your data
provide many efficiencies for your business.
AUSTRALIA P: 1300 55 30 50 Sydney: Level 2 83-97 Kippax Street Surry Hills NSW 2010 Melbourne: South Rialto Tower 27/F, 525 Collins Street Melbourne Vic 3000 Brisbane: Riverside Centre 18/123 Eagle Street Brisbane Qld 4000 E: [email protected] W: www.solentivesoftware.com
Copyright © 2010 Solentive
Creating software people love to use for over 15 years Solentive Software specialises in custom software development and systems integration. You’ll benefit from our real-world expertise in software built in .Net and Java that is task-matched for affordability and designed to grow with your business.
Solentive products and services mentioned herein are registered trademarks of Solentive. All other product and service names mentioned are the trademarks of their respective owners. Data contained in this document serves for informational purposes only and is correct at time of printing. These materials are subject to change without notice.
2
The rise of the ‘cloud’ There is no doubt that the cloud is upon us. No matter where you turn, every technology company is talking about it, every organisation is thinking about it and some businesses are already profiting from it. But before you embark on your journey into the cloud, there are 3 key aspects you need to consider: 1) Data Storage: Where is your data stored and how does this affect your organisation? 2) Data Access: Who has or can potentially gain access to your data? 3) Data Backup: What process is in place to ensure you don’t lose your data? This whitepaper outlines the key aspects you need to consider before moving to the cloud.
3
Data Storage
under. If a dispute was to arise between you and
When you subscribe to an existing cloud application
court system will settle the dispute.
or migrate your custom system to the cloud, your
your provider it is important to know which country’s
data will be stored in a secure location and you will
Laws differ from country to country, so it is
only pay for what you use.
important to note what laws you need to comply
But where is your data stored?
with before moving your data to the cloud. You also need to consider that if a dispute was to
Physical Location
arise, would you be in a position to provide the
Your data could be in any country around the world
financial means and resources to settle the dispute
and you may not know where the data centre is
in another country?
situated. This could potentially pose a compliance
Some cloud vendors may be hesitant to disclose the
risk.
location of their data centres, so it is imperative
Government regulation in Australia often requires
that you attain this information before you commit
that certain industry sectors disclose the physical
to signing any contract.
location of certain types of data. If you do not know where your data is stored then you run the risk of being non-compliant. It is important to ensure that before you move to the cloud, you are aware of the exact physical location of where your data will be stored.
Jurisdiction
Data Access Vendor Access Data stored in the cloud is generally secure but the cloud vendor can gain access to your data. It is important to ascertain what internal security policies the vendor has in place and who within the
If your data is stored in a data centre outside the
provider’s business has access to your data and to
country in which you operate, then it is important to
what extent. You must ensure that you are informed
ascertain which jurisdiction your cloud vendor falls
of when your data is accessed and by whom.
4
Third Party Access It is imperative that you understand the governing laws of the country in which your data is located. In some countries, government agencies or privileged third parties can be given access to your data without your consent. Be sure to ascertain the policies of your cloud vendor in allowing government and third parties access to your data without your consent.
Intellectual Property If your data is your own unique creation, be sure to understand the intellectual property laws of the country in which your data is stored. Will your data be protected under the intellectual property rights of that country? What means do you have if
is located. As previously mentioned, different laws
your intellectual property rights are infringed?
apply in different countries regarding the access of data and this extends to backups as well.
Retrieving Data Some very high profile cloud application providers
Vendor Insolvency
are known to delay the handover of data - this
You need to be aware of what will happen to your
could be for a variety of reasons including increased
data should the vendor go out of business. There
switching costs. Be aware of the terms and
needs to be a process in place that will ensure your
conditions surrounding the acquisition of your data if
data is handed over to you upon such an event.
you decide not to renew a contract. This is especially important for business critical applications.
Data Backups Potential Disaster It is imperative to understand what backup and restore contingency plans a cloud vendor has in the event of a disaster. How will you regain your data if
Moving to the ‘cloud’ Moving to the cloud can reduce costs by not having to invest in hardware and other physical infrastructure. It can also aid business growth by allowing organisations to access additional services as the need for resources increases, without an initial investment outlay.
such an event was to occur? How business critical
However, you need to be diligent about the vendor
is your data and what remedies are at your disposal
you choose to provide those cloud services. With
should your business suffer a loss as a result of such
a structured approach and by being aware of the
an event?
policies of the vendor and the laws of the country in which the data is stored, moving to the cloud can
Location of Backups It is just as important to know where the backups of your data are stored as it is to know where your data
provide many efficiencies for your business.
AUSTRALIA P: 1300 55 30 50 Sydney: Level 2 83-97 Kippax Street Surry Hills NSW 2010 Melbourne: South Rialto Tower 27/F, 525 Collins Street Melbourne Vic 3000 Brisbane: Riverside Centre 18/123 Eagle Street Brisbane Qld 4000 E: [email protected] W: www.solentivesoftware.com
Copyright © 2010 Solentive
Creating software people love to use for over 15 years Solentive Software specialises in custom software development and systems integration. You’ll benefit from our real-world expertise in software built in .Net and Java that is task-matched for affordability and designed to grow with your business.
Solentive products and services mentioned herein are registered trademarks of Solentive. All other product and service names mentioned are the trademarks of their respective owners. Data contained in this document serves for informational purposes only and is correct at time of printing. These materials are subject to change without notice.
