05 Dec 2008

Cloud security 'depends on the provider'

Businesses concerned about the security of hosting data in the cloud have been advised to consider certain important IT solutions provided by vendors.

According to Hadrian James, technology manager at Compuware, cloud server security depends on how the provider is firewalling and what services they provide.

Companies might wish to consult with managed IT services providers, such as Proximitum, to ensure that they receive the best support and deployment possible for their infrastructure.

On the security of cloud-based IT services, Mr James said: "They should as standard be using secure sockets layers so you can't interrupt it."

He added that a virtual private network can be used to create a secure connection between the supplier and customer.

"It's a point-to-point connection, as apposed to a 'anywhere-you-like' connection," Mr James commented.

It comes after Microsoft launched its new Azure operating system in late October.

In the press release that accompanied its release, Dot Net Solutions commented - to show the scale of the cloud - that Microsoft was purchasing 10,000 new servers each month.