In the ongoing evolution of technology infrastructure, the debate between cloud and on-premises solutions has taken center stage. There is no question that the cloud dominates as the go-to solution for agility and scalability but concerns of security and complexity have bubbled to the surface.
A single concern lies at the center of this dilemma: Should organizations reconsider their cloud commitments and return to on-premises solutions, or is the cloud still worth the added security stress? It’s a tough question to answer and one that becomes even more convoluted when considering the strong, conflicting perspectives between developers and security teams.
The allure of the cloud for developers is undeniable. The flexibility, ease of deployment, and access to a rich ecosystem of cloud-native tools facilitates innovation and speed to market. However, this same agility and the plethora of interconnected tools introduces complexity for securing cloud environments. This is causing friction between cloud development and cloud security.
The Cloud Advantage
For developers, the cloud offers unparalleled benefits that position it as an essential component in modern software development. In the cloud, developers can focus on building and innovating at a break-neck pace, knowing they are supported by robust, scalable infrastructure.
- Scalability: Easily scale resources and services such as: compute, memory, capacity of the server, and applications, up or down to meet demand.
- Flexibility: Experiment and deploy without the limitations of physical hardware or the need for significant upfront investments.
- Integration: Seamlessly integrate with various services and APIs to enhance functionality and permit access to employees anywhere in the world.
The Cloud Challenge
Security teams are still grappling with the unique challenges of the cloud. With CISOs and CIOs still struggling to report the threat landscape, risk management, business impact, and return on investment to other executives and enterprise board members, business-focused security concerns stir up legitimate questions about whether the cloud is too complex and risky to secure effectively. This is pushing some organizations to seriously consider a return to on-premises solutions.
- Complexity: Organizations often use a combination of public, private, and hybrid cloud infrastructure. Protecting this dynamic, distributed cloud environment is complicated due to interoperability requirements, data synchronization, and the continuous addition of features and services.
- Visibility: Achieving comprehensive visibility and control over distributed cloud resources is a significant task that may require multiple tools, techniques, or priorities. Cloud visibility also entails understanding how resources are used and how applications perform normally and in the event of an incident.
- Compliance: While this may not always fall on the same team defending against cloud attacks, ensuring compliance with the various new and developing global regulations across cloud platforms requires meticulous attention and maintenance.
Striking a Balance Between Security and Agility
So, do cloud benefits outweigh the risks? Developers seek agility, while security teams emphasize safety. The answer lies in striking a balance.
Organizations operating in the digital world must acknowledge the concerns of security teams while also recognizing the immense value that the cloud brings to developers and their business at large. The scalability and flexibility of the cloud that appeals to developers allows organizations to optimize their investments and only pay for the resources they need and use. It is also accessible anywhere, allowing global data access for an increasingly remote workforce. Cloud infrastructure also uses less energy than on-premises servers, creating a smaller carbon footprint. Win-win, right?
- Invest in security: Investing in robust, yet appropriate, cloud security solutions can help bridge the gap between development and security teams and reduce many known security risks. It is important to have proactive and reactive security tooling in place for preventing known and unacceptable risks and detecting unknown and accepted risks. In addition, enterprise-wide security training is just as important to preventing security incidents. Ensure your organization’s workforce is aware of the threats that target cloud users within your business sector.
- Collaboration: Fostering a culture of collaboration between developers and security professionals can lead to better-aligned goals, priorities, and mutual understanding through shared knowledge and skills. Problem-solving will be more efficient and the organization’s security posture will be enhanced due to earlier identification and addressing of potential security issues.
- Innovation and governance: Implementing governance frameworks that encourage innovation without compromising on security is crucial. Standardizing development based on a known and accepted security framework ensures new technologies are deployed responsibly and safely, allowing the organization to prevent and defend against threats while fostering innovation.
A Balanced Perspective
While cloud use presents challenges and lends itself to a nuanced debate, its benefits far outweigh the drawbacks for a business and its operations when approached with a balanced perspective. On-premises solutions no doubt offer well-known control and security but lack the agility that modern businesses need to stay competitive.
By acknowledging the complexities and investing in the right solutions, organizations can ensure that the cloud remains a powerful tool for safe growth and innovation. Ultimately, the organization that thrives will be the one that understands that a secure, agile cloud environment is an investment in its future success.
