Embracing the Public Cloud: If Not Now, When?

As we start the new decade it may seem surprising that some business leaders are still reluctant to embrace the public Cloud. For years they’ve been hearing about public Cloud data breaches and compliance nightmares. Others feel trapped by legacy systems or a corporate culture fearful of new technology. These are all valid concerns that warrant careful consideration and discussion among key decision makers. However, since Salesforce launched the modern Cloud era in 1999, Cloud technology has evolved to solve those concerns.

First and most importantly, Cloud data security has far surpassed the capabilities of legacy on-premise systems. Still, many organizations believe a “security by obscurity” philosophy outweighs the security benefits inherent in the public Cloud. In a fully connected world where data is its most valuable commodity, simply reducing the number of pathways to the data is no longer a sound security posture. Your data will be attacked by cybercriminals no matter where it is stored. However, public Cloud providers have the capability and resources to use AI to learn from and adapt to each attack. Furthermore, once data is in the Cloud, metadata categorization can be used for additional security and DLP (data loss prevention) measures.

Nonetheless, securing your data whether it be on-premise or in the Cloud is ultimately your responsibility. The same is true of any compliance or regulatory requirements. If you think of the public Cloud as an apartment building, the Cloud provider’s job is to secure the main entrances, and they do that very well. However, if a tenant leaves their apartment door wide open, is it the fault of the building owner that something was stolen? This is why it’s so important to use a trusted and experienced partner like Thrive to make a move to the public Cloud both successful and secure.

If you are still reluctant to embrace the public Cloud, consider these points:

• Microsoft is no longer a software company, they are a Cloud provider and will invest in their products accordingly
• The Department of Defense is fully leveraging the public Cloud for its Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure (JEDI)
• FINRA, the government organization tasked with protecting investors, was an early adopter of the Cloud and stores nearly 30 petabytes of data there

Still have doubts? Speak with one of Thrive’s Cloud experts to take the first step towards public Cloud migration today.