Why Public Cloud Is The Future

By Kana Sabaratnam, former General Manager of Lava Labs

cloud computing

Public cloud computing is set to increase from USD 3 Billion in 2008 to 160 Billion in 2020 (Feb 2011 Frost  &  Sullivan).  This growth forecast  is driven by the confidence that public cloud data security will only keep getting more secure. Therefore, public clouds  have  to provide  the  highest  possible  security to maintain this rate of growth.

Furthermore, government and Enterprise users are demanding that public cloud security standards be much higher than in their own private cloud environments.

Currently the standard set far exceeds most private cloud security architectures. In retrospect, public cloud providers are increasing their security standards to meet this demand faster than what is available commercially as private clouds.

Immediate  first  steps  on  why  cloud  is  an important differentiation:

  • Public cloud data up-time and availability

The technology cloud providers use to maintain up-time of more than 99.8% is a consideration when comparing with internally hosted data centers.

  • Public cloud collaboration tools

Collaboration among business users is taking over from social discussions. The benefit in business collaboration has got a dollar value that makes it profitable for businesses.

  • Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)

Mobility is the key adoption driver. It is not a “nice to have”. It is required for user adoption and success of your implementation

The primary focus of public cloud providers are data security and up time so that all three key important differentiation of cloud are available as a service. Each public cloud provider has a home-grown scalable platform to meet their unique offerings. This is the only way the public cloud providers can ensure that their cloud computing service will be available 24/7.

The  public  cloud  has  a  dedicated  and  scheduled development and deployment plan that ensures the security and up-time is maintained at all times. This value is not for sale and will not be available in any private cloud unless it is driven by a sustainable commercial model.

RelatedThe 60 Second Data Security Checklist

claranet_virtual_data_centre

Virtual Data Centers

The fact that there is no single point of   identification   where   the   data resides, is already a security control that can deter attacks. Data situated in  a  defined location  will  attract attention and become a sitting duck. Data located in a virtual environment which has multiple instances, is less vulnerable to be broken into. Virtual locations   can   be   brought   down systematically  and  traffic  redirected.

The primary  focus of public  cloud providers are data security  and up time so  that all three  key important differentiation of  cloud are available as a service.

Architecture-Driven Framework

Public cloud is driven by proprietary architecture. The benefit of public cloud such as multi-tenancy, scheduled redundancy and  virtualization,  is  what  makes public  clouds  more secure.

In the current public cloud platforms, there are many providers that bring all these benefits into a single platform, specifically the multi-tenancy is standard that implements data security.

Multi tenancy is an architectural design of the system, and it can not be altered just to target a single tenant. It is the framework of how information is stored. All information is hard coded with the org identifier in every level. The database processes transactions where the ID is the identifier of how information is partitioned. This partitioning is then done in the model level (database) and application level (business logic).

Furthermore, the architecture is closed. It is constantly built on to meet the ever increasing demands of public cloud users. It has a well-established development and deployment schedule that ensures security and up-time. This technology is not and will not be made available commercially.

Secure Public Cloud Data

CipherCloud for public cloud addresses data privacy, residency, security, and compliance concerns so that organizations can confidently deploy Salesforce, Force.com  applications, Amazon Web Services and Google Gmail App.

In this example, CipherCloud solution understands Salesforce metadata and provides organizations with the ability to easily tag any standard and custom fields, files, and attachments as sensitive. Once configured, the CipherCloud solution secures this data and prevents it from being leaked to unauthorized users, while working seamlessly with

This revolutionary technology, based on function-preserving encryption and advanced tokenization, provides full protection and control, and allows customers to retain complete control over keys. The solution is transparent to the end user, and all native Salesforce functionalities, such as searching and sorting, are preserved.

Public Cloud is Defining Mobile Applications

Public  cloud  is  defining  the  future of  mobile  applications.  The  cloud providers  have  a  strangle  hold  on mobile   applications   and   how  it delivered  to  the  user.  The  sale  and distribution of mobile applications is controlled  by  public  cloud  providers.

The  features  that  are  included  or embedded  in  the  operating  systems of mobile phones are set by the cloud providers.  In  order  for  private  cloud providers to engage with users, they would need to create their own mobile app store to distribute and deliver the apps.

The adoption of newer app stores has been  very  unconvincing.  Developers would  use  the  more  popular  public cloud  development  platforms  than private cloud platforms.

Furthermore, the mobile device itself will not install the apps unless it is installed from one of these stores. If you are not already in the game, the barrier of entry is very high.

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Conclusion

Private   clouds   are   derived   from open  systems  that  are  available commercially.  Therefore  it  is  not proprietary technology. However, public clouds are home grown solutions that are  derived  from  customer  needs. Google is the third largest hardware manufacturer for internal consumption. This is the typical paradigm for cloud providers  to  have  their  proprietary software and hardware.

Private clouds will not exist if public clouds have not shared their expertise and knowledge. Private clouds will not be able to lead the cloud technology in terms of security and information access.

 

Lava is an authorised Salesforce Partner in Malaysia and has more than a decade of experience in cloud solutions which includes marketing automation, CRM implementation, change management, and consultation. We pride ourselves in not just being a CRM partner but in also understanding the needs of our customers and taking their business to the next level.

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