With the adoption of cloud computing accelerating, there is now an urgent need for a globally accepted, universal standard and code of behavior for service providers delivering these solutions.
Today, the cloud is unregulated. It actually takes more licensing, oversight and continuing education to cut and style hair than it does to manage data in the cloud.
According to Ed Ferrara, principal security analyst with Forrester Research, “understanding the cloud provider’s underlying capabilities, resources, security processes and safeguards, as well as the provider’s overall financial health will be very important for organizations who want to safely and successfully utilize cloud computing.”
Despite the absence of governmental laws or regulatory safeguards for small, medium and large businesses that rely on third parties for IT and cloud services, it is important to ask your cloud provider for their credentials.
Industry-wide, cross-border standards for evaluating a cloud provider are crucial to protecting businesses’ safety and privacy.
Standardized due diligence on every cloud or outsourced IT relationship must be made available–and accepted–on a worldwide scale. Cloud and Managed Service Provider (MSP) certifications, as opposed to vendor specific certifications, are a first step and currently a very useful tool in helping customers know precisely with whom they are dealing in terms of infrastructure, resources, capabilities, financial health, as well as many other requisite characteristics.
Until we have an industry-wide standard, and before investing time or money – or entrusting your organization to any cloud or managed service provider – make sure you address the following: READ MORE:
