Debunking the Cloud, does anyone know where my Data is?

The cloud is quickly becoming the norm and the standard of IT, but just because something is the norm doesn't mean that it comes without concerns. One major issue and question we hear all of the time is, where will my data be once I move into the cloud? Its a great question, and with growing security concerns its an important one as well.

Thanks to marketing folks (like myself), a big issue that surrounds the cloud is how ambiguous and and vague it is. The name itself would lead you to believe that your data is just floating around in some giant server in the sky. In reality the cloud is merely a move to utility based IT, instead of having  to provide your own hardware and software in your office you simply pay for what your office needs, a cloud provider will then take care of everything from setup to maintenance and support.

As a cloud user your data will be held and hosted on a server in a cloud providers data center. Most cloud providers will be able to provide you with detailed information as to exactly where your data is (which data center and which server blade). For some industries this is extremely important information to have access to in order to maintain industry security guidelines. In addition to data location cloud providers will generally be able to provide you with additional security information as well such as data center location, access information and security measures.

In general cloud transparency has improved drastically over the years, clients now know much more about where their data is being held than in the past. However, the best defense is making sure to ask the right questions when you're selecting your cloud provider in the first place, here are a few quick ones to get you started.

• Where is my data located?
• Who has access to the facility?
• What security measures are in place for the facility?
• Is my data backed up to a secure secondary location?

These are just a few quick questions to get the ball rolling, you can find an in depth look at how to choose the right cloud provider and cloud strategy below.

Written By: Sam Watkinson
Marketing Associate, TOSS C³

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