5 cloud myths that will be debunked in 2013

There are a lot of common misconceptions and myths related to cloud computing. Many think of the cloud as less secure and reliable than on premise solutions, when in reality the opposite is actually true. There is also a lot of talk that leads many in the industry to believe that all cloud services are the same. It’s time to start fresh in the new year, and that means busting some of the most common myths about the cloud.

Andrew Jaquith, CTO at Perimeter E-Security, wrote up a list of 5 myths that will be debunked in 2013:

Security issues will remain the biggest obstacle to cloud adoption

This is simply not true. What remains the biggest obstacle to cloud adoption is the “idea’ that the cloud is not as secure as on-premise systems. In reality, the cloud has proven equally to more secure. It’s analogous to keeping your money safely in a bank versus keeping it home under your mattress. Everyone knows a bank is a better, safer option. But when it comes to data, we haven’t quite gotten there yet. It’s all about perception versus reality.

The cloud is less reliable than on-premise

Despite FUD-provoking headlines, downtime of on-premise solutions continues to outpace the cloud. Cloud vendors commit to and generally meet a 99.9% uptime threshold as part of their SLA. But this level of service is not easily replicated by on-premise solutions. But outages do happen – things do go wrong. And when they do, what’s most important is transparency from the vendor – in ongoing, truthful communication and in action when downtime occurs. This transparency is absolutely critical in building trust between customer and provider.

BYOD is a major drain on IT resources

There’s no doubt that BYOD is the hottest thing in IT – and the revolution’s got countless IT departments scrambling to establish corporate policies to keep pace. But contrary to popular belief – and many panicky stories in the press – BYOD management plans are much simpler and less resource-intensive than they’re made out to be – if done right. This means applying holistic, yet sensible management and security policies that are grounded in the law and enforced through technology.

All cloud services are the same

This may have been the case once upon a time, but today, nearly all cloud providers offer customized solutions to meet the specific needs of your business including high service level agreements, integration with existing business applications, private cloud options and specific, tailored contractual terms.

IT needs to make the case for cloud conversion

Relying on internal resources to make the case for cloud adoption is a losing proposition. It is cloud vendors – not IT departments – who are responsible for making the path to the cloud simple, safe and secure. 2013 is the year to start demanding more from your potential cloud providers, especially when it comes to convincing your executive team and board that it’s time to make the move. Additionally, it’s your right to demand functionality, transparency, clarity and assurance around your provider’s data protection policies. In fact, this should be built into your contract – as well as the right to audit the provider’s practices.