Featured article by Rick DelGado, Independent Technology Author
Despite the many cloud advancements made in 2016, there are still challenges to be addressed. Some of these are still keeping some organizations from migrating their data and infrastructures. The main concerns are the same. As cloud computing has evolved, these issues may have changed as far as level of priority. They haven’t yet disappeared, and more must be done to prevent organizations from avoiding the cloud.
One issue is having the presence of experts, who may include trained employees, cloud vendors, and third-party specialists. Another is the pervasive concern of security. Organizations are also struggling on how to manage cost and keep their cloud cohesive and manageable. Here’s a breakdown on the major challenges of the cloud as we head into 2017 and their potential impacts on your own cloud implementations.
Level of Expertise Available
Currently, the cloud has evolved faster than the availability of expertise to run it. There isn’t a list of standards and certifications to check for, so you know that a given expert has what you need. This also makes training a challenge. Industry standard training programs in other fields help find education for employees and experts in the field who hold known qualifications and certifications. Another challenge is a profound lack of standards in the cloud field. A given cloud vendor may have their own set of strengths and even use their own terminology. These can be profoundly different from one provider to another.
Adding to these challenges is the hybrid clouds that have been created. With solid training, employees can better understand the differences, and even identify experts and vendors who have the expertise they need through due diligence. This does more than help in vetting cloud service providers. You can also give your organization a broader perspective of the cloud computing industry so it can make better decisions.
Security
Cloud security has improved, so it may not be the highest level of concern, but it is still up there. In the cloud’s current level of development, providers have fined tuned security measures to protect data. They can keep unwanted traffic away and protect the data and apps on machines. Automatic security updates help stop hackers from accessing databases and from executing other security threats. There is proof that sensitive information is now better protected; banking organizations have been among the most active in the cloud.
It’s still important, however, to analyze the security posture of a cloud vendor, and have tough internal security policies. Cloud providers can’t do everything. You still need to manage devices and have policies for when they’re lost or misplaced. Application management is important on the client side too, because some apps have vulnerabilities that can bypass the best of security.
Cost Control
Cloud costs can be better managed by putting together an expert team, implementing effective training, and having good security. The complexities of working with multiple cloud vendors complicates matters in terms of cost as well. Consolidating resources and working with a single vendor can help you save. You could also leverage public cloud resources just during work hours. All these measures will cut down on expenses, and enable you to save over on premise systems.
Organizing the Cloud
There’s also the matter of keeping things organized. Don’t just load all your applications into a cloud. Rewrite applications so they take advantage of the flexibility and other perks now available. Hyperconvergence will help to give you an automated, standardized system with all the bells and whistles of virtualization and resource monitoring like those found with all flash storage arrays. Self-service access will limit the amount of help desk support needed. For organizations developing code for their cloud apps, containers help to manage that software code. These also simplify the monitoring, storage, and security needs of such initiatives.
Overcome Your Cloud Challenges in 2017
You can overcome any concerns about the cloud by being aware of the current challenges. Available options and resources can be leveraged to make your cloud secure, cost-efficient, and organized. Relying on common knowledge will offset issues related to lacking standards. Simply put, the cloud can be as reliable, affordable, safe, and organized as your organization makes it to be in 2017.
by Rick DelGado, Independent Author
“I’ve been blessed to have a successful career and have recently taken a step back to pursue my passion of writing. I’ve started doing freelance writing and I love to write about new technologies and how it can help us and our planet.” – Rick DelGado
