Applying the cloud to industries with higher security and compliance requirements
29 August 2011 17:28:42
Many organizations have experienced a smooth transition from the traditional IT systems of the past to the new and popular cloud computing services of today. Businesses with the highest security and compliance requirements are generally the slowest to make a massive change to their internal IT operations, but service providers and tech departments are learning ways to ensure security while utilizing cloud storage options.
According to Insurance and Technology, insurance companies will likely begin to adopt hybrid cloud services to account for the sensitive personal information they are responsible for protecting. The website notes that the insurance industry does not fit into a broad, standard line of services quite as simply as other, low-risk fields.
Because many insurance companies are valued for their highly specialized management of personal information, relying solely on a third-party service, such as the cloud, would not make sense for this particular industry, the source reports.
However, a hybrid approach, such as keeping management and compliance matter in the office, while outsourcing storage through a cloud service provider, could prove beneficial for organizations within the insurance industry.
Earlier this year, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory revealed that they have used a hybrid cloud model for the past three years. Even with the amount of sensitive information the JPL is tasked with handling, they reported no security problems.
-McAfee Cloud Security
