Cloud Computing, Data & Security

When we advise customers of cloud solutions, we start by ensuring that we understand the primary drivers for going into the cloud.  We can help you to achieve these goals and also to manage and mitigate some of the inherent risks.

With cloud solutions, one size does not fit all.  Cloud computing requires a focus on your objectives.  Common considerations include the following:

• have a clear vision: is your organisation ready to adapt?  Cloud requires buy-in from leaders of affected business units and the C-Suite
• expectation alignment: ensure that you and the vendor are aligned on approach, responsibilities and the risk landscape
• be selective: the cloud has many benefits but it’s not always right for everything, such as sensitive data or applications over which you need greater control.  Hybrid cloud models are likely to remain commonplace for some time
• cost certainty:  cloud solutions aren’t always as low cost as might be perceived. ‘Pay as you go’ models may require minimum term commitments and so it is important to ask yourself what price protections you have both during the contract term and on renewal. Also, cloud solutions can give rise to unexpected costs because of unanticipated storage requirements so ensuring you have enough headroom under the fair usage policy is key
• deal with downtime:  ensure your SLAs are focused and the remedies are meaningful and workable
• data security: this remains paramount.  In an increasingly crowded marketplace, vendors are recognising that customers need more transparency and are turning security into a USP.  While vendors will become directly accountable under GDPR, minimising the risk of any security breach (and associated PR issues) requires thorough due diligence by customers as a first step

We advise on all aspects of data protection and privacy for customer and vendors dealing with technology including cross border and intra group data transfers, data processing arrangements, cloud solutions, IoT technology, ISMS and general data protection audits on a UK and global basis, privacy impact assessments, cyber security and data breach management and data security by design. We can also help you to manage, investigate, resolve and recover from a crisis in the event of a data breach. Also see our Data & Privacy pages

Our recent insights: