If we listen to all the cloud computing gurus and the people who sell their services, we might be led to believe that this new computing platform is too good to be true. But just like our parents used to tell us, if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. So when proponents of cloud computing insist that their platform is the perfect solution because it’s cost-effective, maintenance free, and secure, be careful to separate the hype from the truth.
Like any platform, cloud computing has some inherent risks. Despite what we’re told it’s not the perfect world that some believe it to be. We’ll talk about some of those risks here, and hopefully help you understand what you need to think about before you jump into the Cloud. And by the way, we are not necessarily anti-cloud, and just believe in caution.
Data Loss
Back in the 1980s, when the business world was beginning the transition from paper to computer, consultants and computer experts were constantly beating the backup drum. Clients were told to always back up their data on two separate sources before closing up shop for the day. Without backups, a computer meltdown could have catastrophic consequences. Yet in today’s cloud, the need for backups doesn’t change.
Sure, your cloud service promises daily backups full redundancy, but you are not there to check. They are not your employees, they do not get paid directly by you, and they may not necessarily have the best interests of your business at heart. Let’s face it, when your data is in the hands of strangers you are risking losing it.
Security
As recently demonstrated by popular cloud service Drop Box, security is always an issue. Drop Box initiated a change in their code earlier this week that resulted in their password protection being turned off for four hours. Yes it was accidental. Yes you can have the same accidents in house. But the more hands you have in the pie, the greater potential you have for these types of things.
Not only that, you also have unscrupulous employees that may work for your cloud service, or a security staff that’s not keeping up with the latest threats. Once again, if you cannot control your own security you are risking it at the hands of others.
Scalability
As businesses grow, virtual hosting solutions need to be scalable. If you’re with a cloud computing company that doesn’t tend to be at the top of their game, you could have a complete system failure once you reach the limits of your capacity. Your hosting company might be able to get you up and running within a couple of hours, but for every hour you’re down it’s costing you money.
When you have an in-house system you have your own IT people whose job is to look forward and anticipate your scalability needs. When you have strangers doing that work for you, they may not necessarily be keeping a real close eye on your business.
