Despite its many advantages, cloud computingis not without its issues. You should be aware of these if you're considering moving your business into the cloud.
Cloud security and data
Most cloud service providers implement relevant security standards and industry certifications to ensure that their cloud environment remains safe. However, storing data and business-critical files in virtual data centres can potentially open you up to risks.
Common risks are:
- data loss or theft
- data leakage
- account or service hijacking
- insecure interfaces and APIs
- denial of service attacks
- technology vulnerabilities, especially in shared environments
The levels of data protectionand security achieved and maintained by different cloud providers can vary. Choose your provider carefully and make sure that the provider is stable, reliable, reputable and offers reasonable terms and conditions of service.
Cloud downtime
The cloud, like any other IT set-up, can experience technical problems such as reboots, network outages and downtime. These events can incapacitate business operations and processes, and can be damaging to business.
You should plan for cloud downtime and business continuity. Try to minimise the impact and the number of outages and ensure the maximum level of service availability for your customers and staff.
Limited control
The cloud service provider owns, manages and monitors the cloud infrastructure. You, as the customer, will have minimal control over it. You will be able to manage the applications, data and services operated on the cloud, but you won't normally have access to key administrative tasks, such as updating and managing firmware or accessing server shell.
In order to mitigate risks, it may help to carry out a risk assessment before you hand over any control to a service provider. Once you have a clear idea of the risks, you will be able to weigh them against theadvantages of cloud computing.
FAQs
Businesses can be impacted by the disadvantages of cloud computing in the aforementioned ways, like increasing security and privacy concerns, a growing number of data breaches, unauthorized access to sensitive information, constant downtime, limited customization capabilities and lack of flexibility, vendor lock-in, ...
What are the 5 disadvantages of cloud computing? ›
Businesses can be impacted by the disadvantages of cloud computing in the aforementioned ways, like increasing security and privacy concerns, a growing number of data breaches, unauthorized access to sensitive information, constant downtime, limited customization capabilities and lack of flexibility, vendor lock-in, ...
What are the disadvantages of cloud storage for business? ›
Below are the disadvantages of cloud storage:
- Vulnerability. The majority of PCs and servers that save data require an internet connection. ...
- Internet Dependency. The internet starts to be reliant on your storage. ...
- Issues in Security and Privacy. ...
- Limitations on Control. ...
- Cost. ...
- Migration. ...
- Regulatory Compliances. ...
- Minimal Support.
Some key issues that may be faced when using cloud computing include: Security: Storing sensitive information and software in remote data centers can make it more vulnerable to cyber attacks. Reliability: Internet connectivity and power outages can disrupt access to cloud-stored data and software.
What is the biggest disadvantages of cloud computing? ›
Disadvantages of cloud computing
- data loss or theft.
- data leakage.
- account or service hijacking.
- insecure interfaces and APIs.
- denial of service attacks.
- technology vulnerabilities, especially in shared environments.
The three challenges in cloud computing are Cybersecurity issues. Lack of resources/expertise. Cost management and containment.
Who should not use cloud computing? ›
The Internet-impaired. Cloud computing is based on the Internet cloud and depends on Internet access. If you don't have Internet access, you're out of luck. Users without readily available Internet access simply shouldn't consider a switch to cloud-based computing.
What of the following is a drawback of cloud computing? ›
The main drawbacks of cloud computing are: downtime, security and privacy concerns, the fact that you have to give up control and flexibility, and vendor lock-in.
What are the security risks of cloud computing? ›
7 Security Risks of Cloud Computing
- Malicious malware.
- Limited visibility into network operations.
- Compliance issues.
- Data loss.
- Data breaches.
- Account hijacking.
- Insider threats.
Security: Cloud storage often offers greater protection against cyberattacks than other options because it's backed up regularly and stored off-site. It's also monitored for suspicious activity 24/7. Cloud storage protects against security risks by keeping all of your information safely off-site in an encrypted format.
If your Internet connection fails, so does your access to remotely stored data. Internet failure thus leads to costly downtime when your business heavily relies on cloud storage. Furthermore if your Internet connection is slow you will need to wait a long time in order to access your remotely stored data.
Which company is leading in cloud computing? ›
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
To summarize, here are the top limitations or issues in cloud computing:
- Cybersecurity issues.
- Cost management and containment.
- Lack of resources/expertise.
- Governance/Control.
- Compliance.
- Network dependence.
- Managing multiple clouds.
- Performance.
Data backup & restore, automatic software integration, unlimited storage capacity, collaboration, and rapid development are other benefits of Cloud Computing. Perhaps the biggest disadvantage of cloud computing is its reliance on the internet.
What are two pros and two cons of cloud computing? ›
Below we list pros and cons of this not-so-new technology.
- Advantage #1: Disaster Recovery (DR) ...
- Advantage #2: Access your data anywhere. ...
- Advantage #3: Low cost. ...
- Advantage #4: Scalability. ...
- Advantage #5: Security. ...
- Disadvantage #1: Lack of total control. ...
- Disadvantage #2: Difficult to migrate. ...
- Disadvantage #3: Requires Internet.
Cloud computing gives your business more flexibility. You can quickly scale resources and storage up to meet business demands without having to invest in physical infrastructure. Companies don't need to pay for or build the infrastructure needed to support their highest load levels.
