Data Security: Cloud or On-Premise, Which is the Best?

Cloud Platform is defined as the SaaS Model ( Software as a Service ) or Off - Premises, where the users get access to the application software and databases situated remotely. It also includes PaaS (Platform as a service) and IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service). The Cloud providers are responsible for the management and maintenance of the infrastructure and platforms that run the application. In cloud computing, economies of scale and coherence can be achieved by the sharing of resources.

In other terms, the cloud environment allows an organization to focus on their core business in spite of maintenance and management of their IT infrastructure.

On-Premises, on the other hand, can be defined as the group of softwares that are installed and run on the computers that are situated on the premises of the organization or people accessing it. The data is stored on the local servers, on the on-premises. It can not provide remote access. It is termed as “Shrinkwrap” software which relies on a EULA ( End User License Agreement ). You can not examine it prior to its use.

Data Security is a major issue for business organizations nowadays. Many organizations have been spending a huge amount just to maintain and manage their data. Data loss affects an organization in a variety of ways and is expensive to restore. It is considered as the major cybersecurity challenge.

Following factors describe which platform is better for the data security and maintenance purpose: -

1. Flexibility: Cloud platform provides better flexibility when it comes for fluctuating scalability. You can easily scale up and down your cloud capacity as per your requirement.

2. Frequent Auditing and update: The cloud service providers undergo yearly audits to protect against the flaws in the security and comes up with through updates. When you are associated with the cloud platform, you need not worry about the updates as it is carried by the Cloud service providers itself. But in the case of the On-premises, it becomes very difficult for the organizations to be updated as it requires several hundred platforms to check and update security systems. Moreover, it incorporates more expense. In case of Cloud, you are not charged extra for the updates.

3. Controlled Access: In the cloud, the data is stored off-site and access of selected data is given to selected people who are meant to access it. Rest of the people are not aware of it. The lack of the physical absence of the data separates the third party also to have access to it. This adds to an extra security to the company’s confidential data. As on the on-site part, data is stored on the premises and is accessible to all the people inside that organization.

4. Strong Perimeters and Surveillance for Legacy Systems: In case of the legacy systems security part it has been observed that a locked door is the main defense to protect its IT Equipment, important files, and business-related data and serves as the data center which is very unreliable. And this makes the data vulnerable to hackers whereas, in the cloud platform, several data centers are situated worldwide separated by geographical distances as well as multi-layer security defenses. Precautions include high-level security including guards monitoring 24x7, security cameras, high fences with barbed wires.

5. High-Level Data Encryption: In the cloud, data is encrypted for additional data security. The data is encrypted under 256-bit AES in the Google Cloud and each encryption key is also encrypted with a set of regularly changed master keys. In case of on-premises, doing data encryption of large data consumes more of the processor’s power and making the whole functioning slower. In the cloud, the availability of multiple servers reduces this fluctuation.

6. Data Recovery: Cloud platform provides data recovery which is very beneficial. If any natural disaster occurs, your data is not affected when it is stored in the cloud. As the data centers are located worldwide, and the harm in one particular geographical area does not harm the data but in case of the on-premises two servers has to be maintained with other being unused if any disaster does not occur, making it an expensive task.

7. High Availability of Data: The high availability of data refers to the continuous operation for a desirably longer length of time. The Google cloud gives 99.99 % guaranteed uptime. It is possible due to the availability of multiple servers. On-premises, there is no such guarantee of the operational time and it can be hampered anytime if encounters any obstacle and will result in fluctuation.