Posts Tagged ‘cloud providers’
One of the many benefits of cloud computing is the inherent flexibility. Cloud servers can be adapted to meet the needs of a wide variety of businesses and a wide range of computing and storage needs. If you’re already on the cloud and you find that you need to expand your computing capability and storage resources, you have multiple options.
First, you can scale your cloud server environment horizontally. This means that you add computing capacity by provisioning additional cloud servers. Each cloud server allows you to run more applications, consume more bandwidth, and utilize more storage resources. You can set up load balancing to evenly distribute traffic among your growing population of cloud servers.
Second, you can scale your cloud server environment vertically by upgrading existing cloud server models. For example, you may have provisioned a cloud server using a small server model that you have since outgrown. You can use the ReliaCloud portal to upgrade the cloud server model to a larger model that contains more CPU, memory, and storage.
Finally, you can scale your cloud server environment by leveraging outside services such as our cloud storage.
IT managers trust cloud now more than ever, according to coverage of a new survey. The survey, conducted on behalf of IT conference 360, found that the majority of European organizations now believe that cloud computing will result in an improvement in security defenses.
This represents a substantial increase from a similar study conducted in February of this year, and reflects a growing trend among IT managers on both sides of the pond who have increasingly relied on cloud computing as a secure and forward-thinking option.
As more and more businesses place their trust in the cloud, providers like ReliaCloud continue to work hard to maintain that trust. One way that we help ensure optimal security levels is through firewalls. Our cloud servers are located behind a two-layered firewall perimeter. The outer firewall security layer is provided by Cisco ASA hardware firewall devices, and the second security layer is provided by a virtual router running a software packet filter.
If you think the cloud is big now, the IDC (International Data Corporation and Premier market intelligence provider) thinks you haven’t seen anything yet. The Wall Street Journal is among those reporting on a recent IDC study indicating that the cloud market is expected to experience dramatic growth over the next few years. What does this mean to you? Well, let’s take a look.
According to the Wall Street Journal coverage, the boom will be particularly strong among private cloud servers as more businesses embrace the era of automated and virtualized data centers as opposed to “In-house data centers that have become increasingly more expensive and complex to set up and maintain,” writes Journal staffer Benjamin Pimentel. In contrast, “Cloud computing enables companies to access computing power through a network.” This means companies can spend less time and money dealing with IT headaches and get back to their core business with less effort at every stage of the process.
The article quotes IDC analyst Katherine Broderick as saying that “now is a great time for many IT organizations to begin seriously considering this technology and employing public and private clouds in order to simplify sprawling IT environments.” Isn’t it worth a few moments of your time to see if Cloud Computing can save hours of it?
To learn more about how to get on the booming Cloud, contact ReliaCloud today.
I ran across another interesting article the other day – this one by the BBC, stating that cloud computing has come out from behind the clouds to shine in the mainstream business world. Tim Weber, Business Editor for the BBC news website, interviewed many people in both the business and information technology sectors. He cites five key reasons the cloud has attracted a growing fan base:
- Cheap: Your IT provider will host services for multiple companies; sharing complex infrastructure is cost-efficient and you pay only for what you actually use.
- Quick: The most basic cloud services work out of the box. For more complex software and database solutions, Cloud computing allows you to skip the hardware procurement and capital expenditure phase—it’s perfect for start-ups.
- Up-to-date: Most providers constantly update their software offering, adding new features as they become available.
- Scalable: If your business is growing fast or has seasonal spikes, you can go large quickly because cloud systems are built to cope with sharp increases in workload.
- Mobile: Cloud services are designed to be used from a distance, so if you have a mobile workforce, your staff will have access to most of your systems on the go.
Your cloud servers, applications, and data are physically located on computer nodes within data center facilities. The reliability of these data centers is crucial to your cloud computing experience.
One of the best ways to ensure reliability is to select a cloud provider that has obtained SAS 70 Type II certification. The American Institute for Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)’s Statement on Auditing Standards (SAS) number 70 applies to service organizations such as cloud providers. This widely recognized auditing standard indicates that a service provider has undergone an in-depth audit of their control activities. Specifically, SAS 70–certified providers must demonstrate that they have adequate controls and safeguards in place when they host or process data belonging to their customers.
SAS 70 Type II represents an even higher level of certification, which requires an audit over an extended period of time to ensure policies and procedures are followed and adhered to.
To learn more about the importance of SAS70 Type II certification, contact ReliaCloud today.
