Firms increasingly turning to IaaS
Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) is becoming an increasingly popular part of cloud computing for organisations, new research shows.
According to a poll conducted by AlgoSec, two-thirds (66 per cent) of companies are either in the midst of IaaS deployments or are planning to start them in the next 12 to 36 months.
The report also highlighted some of the issues facing firms adapting to cloud technology, with network security high on the list of concerns for businesses. The poll of hundreds of chief information officers, information security and network operations professionals, data centre architects and application owners, found 80 per cent of organisations need to improve visibility to avoid cloud security issues.
Many small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are already using software as a service (SaaS) and IaaS solutions, but companies are unsure how to go about maintaining a high level of network security once they start to use the cloud.
Nimrod Reichenberg, vice-president of marketing and strategy for AlgoSec, told eWeek: "When it comes to SaaS, the best thing small businesses can do is choose a reputable vendor. Despite some well publicized breaches, most large cloud providers have resources and expertise to manage security far better than your average SMB."
The research found that only a third of the companies planning to deploy IaaS solutions in the near future have a security plan in place for when they do so.
Mr Reichenberg added that he believes cloud security will continue to be a key challenge for companies in the near future. He noted that cloud security is expected to come under the remit of existing security teams.
He said: "So while security in general will continue to increase in importance as the threat landscape intensifies, we will not draw a distinction between "cloud" security and "regular" security."
Businesses looking to move services into the cloud should evaluate the performance of their existing network and consider setting up a leased line or MPLS network.
