Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/45522
SAFER CLOUD, BETTER PRACTICE: TEN CLOUD-COMPUTING CONSIDERATIONS could lose as much as an entire day's work. As such, backups should be performed on a daily basis at a minimum, but should ideally be performed on an hourly or even continual, real-time basis to minimize the potential impact of a disaster. Backups should also be stored in geographically redundant (georedundant) locations. By storing backups in at least two geographically disparate locations, the risk of a single catastrophic event destroying both the primary data center and its backups is significantly reduced. As with the cloud computing provider's primary data center, all backup data centers and backup storage locations should be disclosed and located within an acceptable jurisdiction. 5. How can I retrieve my data from the cloud? You should be able to retrieve all of your data from your cloud provider easily, quickly, whenever you like and in the original format in which you uploaded the data. Alternatively, if you have entered information into a SaaS application directly, you should be able to retrieve that information in a common and accessible format, like CSV, to facilitate a smooth import into other applications. In any event, your cloud provider should make it easy to download your data from the cloud in a secure fashion. 6. How reputable is my provider? An essential component of your due diligence prior to selecting a cloud solution is an assessment of the provider's reputability. You will likely be entering into a long-term relationship with the cloud provider, and you should therefore have a solid sense of the following dimensions of the business: • How long has the provider been in business? While cloud computing is a fast-growing field with many new startups, understand the risks associated with a startup and plan accordingly — backups and data escrow are two meaningful ways to mitigate business continuity risk. • Does the company offer a service level agreement (SLA) and historical uptime report? As is often the case, the best predictor of a given cloud provider's future performance is past performance. Ask the cloud provider for a report of their last six months of uptime performance. Look for uptime of at least 99.9%. Furthermore, ask the company if they are willing to provide minimum service level guarantees via an SLA. • Are the company's customers happy? If you are entering into a long-term relationship with a cloud provider, you want to be assured the company makes their customers happy. Ask for customer references from your geographic region and/or practice area. Look to blogs and news sites for reviews. Social media channels, such as Twitter and Facebook, can be hugely valuable sources of open, unfiltered feedback on a company or product. Spend some time getting to know the company's existing customers — if they're happy, there's a good chance you will be, too. www.iltanet.org Risky Business 23