Cloud Computing Stuart Dillon-Roberts

“In the simplest terms, cloud computing means storing & accessing data & programs over the Internet instead of your computer's hard drive.” source: pcmag.com What is the Cloud? 2

3 Cloud Computing

 Internet based computing ▫Large groups of remote servers - networked ▫This network allows;  sharing of data processing tasks  centralised data storage  online access to services/resources 4 So the Cloud is..

Clouds can be classified as;  Public – service multiple clients using shared infrastructure  Private – accessed by a single organisation, providing greater control & privacy  Hybrid – uses private & public clouds e.g. an organisation can use cheaper public cloud services for non sensitive info 5 Types of Clouds

Key reasons SMEs cite for moving to the Cloud:  Lack of skills to manage IT in-house  Reduces spend on technology infrastructure  Cost advantages because of ‘Pay for Use’  Improve security/ Disaster Recovery Plans  Easier to share & collaborate with others 6 Benefits

Other benefits include:  Scalable & flexible - you only pay for the resources you use  Improved accessibility  Globalise your workforce cheaply  Manage ‘Big Data’  Automatic software updates  Security  Decreased deployment time  Increased protection against computer failures & network outages 7 Benefits

 Someone else is responsible for your data  Your data could be anywhere  Cyberattacks & insider threats  Legal liability  Lack of standardisation  Lack of support  Ownership of data 8 Risks

 Privacy Commissioner’s cloud computing checklist for small business  Go to  Search ‘cloud computing’ 9 Mitigating the Risks

 Know what info you’ll put in the cloud  Encrypt your data – in transit and in storage  Check out potential providers (audits, breaches, certifications & memberships, compliance with industry specific stds, downtime history, company stability, customer support)  Compare contracts (termination clauses, breaches, clarity, accountability, data management)  Find out where your data will be stored (country, privacy laws, management of government requests)  Determine who will have access to your data (3rd parties and their contracts)  Complete the Privacy Commissioner’s checklist 10 Mitigating the Risks

Moving to the Cloud 11

Cloud Services Cloud services are generally grouped into 3 categories;  Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS)  Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS)  Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)  Enterprise infrastructure, cloud hosting, virtual data centres  Operating systems, server software, storage, network access, hosting  Software e.g. Microsoft 365, Google Gmail, Xero, 12

Examples of cloud based software:  Financial Accounting Software  Sales Software  HR & Payroll Software  Storage Software  Software  Instant Messaging 13 More on SaaS

 Id your needs ▫What do you want to achieve? ▫What problems are you solving? ▫Don’t replace ‘like for like’ – investigate how it can transform  Do your research ▫Talk to others in your industry, mentors, research online, will your current Internet connection allow easy fast access to data in the cloud?  Compare Cloud Providers – pros/cons list  Narrow your list to 2 or 3 ▫Take advantage of free trials to double-check service will meet your needs ▫Talk to other businesses using them  Select your provider & plan implementation carefully ▫Consider resourcing, budget, testing etc 14 Moving to the Cloud –where to start

15 Comparing Providers – Considerations Customer support Can you contact them when you want? Can you speak to a person? Response & resolution times? Metrics provided? Costs What is the monthly fee? What are the costs to migrate data? Are there support fees? What other fees are there? Organisation Reputation Where are they based? Where are there servers? How long have they been in business? What is their downtime history? Scalability How easy is it to add services? How easy is it to add data? How easy is it to add users? Migration How does this process work? Do they need to integrate with your existing systems? How would they do that? If the agreement is terminated how would they migrate to another provider? Data How do they protect your data? Who ‘owns it’? Who can gain access to the data? How will they deal with government requests? Are you notified if someone accesses your data? Contract Is it clear & enforceable? Does it include pricing, contract length? What are the termination clauses? What accountability do they have? What will they do if things go wrong? Will you be notified of a breach? What happens to your data if they go under? Security What certifications and/or memberships do they have What country are they in and what are the privacy laws What contracts do they have with 3 rd party providers & are the security protections the same? How do they deal with breaches? Are they independently audited?

16 Case Studies Case study of using a cloud based accounting system (Xero) by tradies Case study of using a cloud based job management system (GeoOp) by a gas & plumbing services company