Good Governance Controls Risk in the Cloud

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 08:45:00 EST

Cloud computing provides organizations with an alternative way of obtaining IT services and offers many benefits including increased flexibility and cost reduction. However, many organizations are reluctant to adopt the cloud because of concerns over information security and a loss of control over the way IT service is delivered. These fears have been exacerbated by recent events reported in the press including outages by Amazon[1] and the three day loss of BlackBerry services from RIM[2]. What approach can an organization take to ensure that the benefits of the cloud outweigh the risks? To understand the risks involved it’s important to understand that the cloud is not a single model. The cloud covers a wide spectrum of services and delivery models ranging from in-house virtual servers to software accessed by multiple organizations over the Internet. A clear explanation of this range is described by NIST[3]. This document describes the five essential characteristics that define the cloud, the three service models, and the four deployment models. The risks of the cloud depend on both the service model and the delivery model adopted.

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Good Governance Controls Risk in the Cloud