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Slideshow: Cloud Security Pros And Cons

Securing your business in the cloud can offer substantial savings and resources balanced by large and unexpected risks. In this review of cloud security silver linings and storms warnings, we look at some of the brightest and darkest security clouds.

Start The Discussion | Keith Ferrell | July 27, 2010 08:00 AM

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Silver Lining: The Cloud Is Here To Stay

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Silver Lining: The Cloud Is Here To Stay

Every one of the cloud caveats we've explored is countered, if not offset, by a cloud benefit. Perhaps the biggest benefit of all is the sheer momentum cloud computing now carries. Even stodgy, staid industries and businesses are looking to the cloud now. While conservative financial industries and businesses embrace of the cloud doesn't indicate that all security issues have been resolved, their presence does say that the cloud may be no more risky than ground-based computing and connection. That sounds like faint praise, and it may be. But the risks we live with on the ground are risks we also learn to manage and correct on the ground. The same is true in the cloud. Make sure your security protections and procedures are completely up-to-date. Limit access only to those who require access. Be sure you have non-cloud-based iterations of vital data stored in the cloud. Taking care with these and related issues will help see to it that your cloud-based experiences provide you with silver linings, rather than storms.