Factors to Consider when Selecting Cloud services
Cloud services have become essential tools of computing over the past decade. Firms no longer need to install software on physical computers in situ; they can enjoy the same services deployed in the cloud. Factors to consider when an organization needs to use these services include whether the application is browser-based (Rafaels, 2018). In this case, it is essential to consider parameters such as optimizing websites for various clients such as smartphones, desktops, and laptops, content synchronization, and which browsers to use. The second consideration is how to back up data because customers always assume that an organization is backing up their data. The third factor is service outages; how an organization’s services will be affected by service outages (Attaran Mohsen, 2017). Platform performance is also a vital parameter since overcapacity for some providers could have severe disruption to services.
How Cloud Services Reduce Costs
These cloud services are very cost-efficient; first, they require less start-up capital, which means a business could dedicate the resources they would have used for purchasing hardware and acquiring dedicated IT departments for other things. The services also do not require updates and patches because they are on the cloud (Rafaels, 2018). Vendors can avail their services to a broader market instead of a small segment of the market. SaaS, IaaS, and PaaS also help in saving storage. Moreover, it is easier to perform data analytics because all the services are run from a central point. These are essential factors in reducing the total cost of ownership(TCO) and increasing return on investment(ROI).
The Impact of Cloud Services on IT Departments
One of the biggest selling points of services such as SaaS, IaaS, and PaaS is reducing costs. One way of reducing the costs is by eliminating or at least thinning IT departments. Eliminating IT departments would be quite a tall order; however, cloud computing has done a great job of revolutionizing them. These services have completely changed the traditional IT department transforming its roles to handling authorization issues, onboarding users to new applications, and choosing applications that fit different departments (Anjana & Singh, 2019). The consequence is a fragmented IT department with various departments having their dedicated IT expert.
Considerations for Management
One factor that an organization’s management should consider is data backup. Data is critical to customers and could lead to serious blowback if compromised or lost; it is crucial to inform an organization’s executives of its seriousness (Rafaels, 2018). Another point of consideration for management is outages; these can bring a businesses’ operations to a halt. It is also essential to inform management of the security risks associated with cloud services to have mitigation measures in place.
Security Issues that Could Arise from Cloud Services
For SaaS, hackers may be interested in breaking into the network to steal data or perform other malicious acts. It is therefore imperative to have data encryption in case hackers breach the networks. Although encryption is necessary, it does not protect against malware (Attaran Mohsen, 2017). For PaaS, the concern is also the critical data that hackers can obtain, such as administrator or shell access; if they can have administrator privileges, they can change the applications’ configurations, which could be detrimental. IaaS security concerns are the same concerns as having a data center (Attaran Mohsen, 2017). It is crucial to consider the sensitivity of information stored, such as intellectual property, the level of control, and the ability to audit the services.
References
Anjana, & Singh, A. (2019). Security concerns and countermeasures in cloud computing: a qualitative analysis. International Journal of Information Technology, 11(4).
Attaran Mohsen. (2017). Cloud Computing Technology: Leveraging the Power of The Internet to Improve Business Performance. Journal of International Technology and Information Management, 26(1), 112–137.
Rafaels, R. (2018). Cloud computing: From beginning to end : cloud technology, design, and migration methodologies explained.
