Making the right use of cloud data management in the Indian Digital Ecosystem
The advent of the four megatrends - Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data, Cloud Computing and Artificial Intelligence (AI) – are swiftly impacting India. We now have more connected devices churning out ever more data which needs to be accessed and have patterns and understanding derived from it. The Cloud will play a critical role in enabling access to enormous amount of data. For us to derive the best from IoT, Big Data and AI, data will have to reside on the Cloud. The convergence of these four trends will have profound impact on organisations and by extension, on society.
To begin with, management of data on cloud sounds pretty simple. An organization uploads its data on the Cloud where, rather magically, mountains of digital information get managed efficiently and at lower cost, with the organization not necessarily knowing where that data resides.
However, things are actually quite beyond this simplicity. Companies and organisations are realizing that there are many Cloud solutions. Each of these solutions can have serious consequences on the security, accessibility, and-- yes-- even on the real costs of data management.
An understanding of cloud solutions is an imperative for Indian organisations. As a country, India is progressing towards the convergence of new-age technologies and businesses, bringing forth digital transformation with easier solutions for all stakeholders. As per a report by Indian Software Industry Body NASSCOM - cloud market in India to grow 3-fold to USD 7.1 billion by 20221 for which companies such as Thales will continue to play a pivotal role.
“Taking advantage of what the Cloud has to offer, and avoiding its pitfalls, is really all about preparing for a journey and being careful to manage it as you go along,” says Olivier Kermagoret, Critical IT Outsourcing Director at Thales. “Moving to the Cloud is a decisive moment for any organisation. We at Thales apply our own experience in managing data on the Cloud to make sure that our clients get it right—from start to finish. It’s something we have been doing for our customers for more than ten years.”
The value of your information impacts which Cloud you choose Olivier Kermagoret explains that the shift by users from their own management of data Cloud data management by others raises the stakes in how they protect their most confidential data.
One of the first questions that arises is where to store the information. The answer is often linked directly to the worth of information as more sensitive information calls for more protection. The vital question is how to make optimal use of the Cloud while keeping customer data secure and remaining independent with regard to the choice of Cloud services supplier. Customers need full and complete control of data access, integrity, and availability.
One of the increasingly important issues deals with ‘sovereignty’: “The question of sovereignty over confidential data has become an essential factor in the choice of Cloud solutions because some countries claim the right to have access to all data stored within national borders,” says Olivier Kermagoret.
Thales can guide clients on these questions because of its own experience in managing data in critical environments.
“Our vision isn’t rigid or theoretical. We offer pragmatic approaches, based on four criteria which each organisation needs to evaluate based on its goals and acceptable risks. That includes a clear measurement of the benefits of the particular Cloud-based business model, the functionality offered by the Cloud provider and their application to “real life” use cases, the sovereignty of the data concerned, and the degree of reliance on a provider who often becomes a de facto partner.”
Taking all of these into account can often lead to a ‘hybrid’ solution which mixes private and public Cloud. That is, deciding where to place and manage effectively and efficiently the different sets of critical and less-sensitive data.
To counsel its clients in this field, Thales combines its decade of Cloud experience with its leading expertise in the digital technologies that includes security products (encryption, identities management, Key management, …) and services. .
“We’re an impartial, expert guide that enables organisations to get the Cloud right at a time of continuing technological and regulatory change,” says Thales’s Director for Critical IT Outsourcing, “There’s too much at stake to get it wrong.”
In all, innovation is the key to transformation and such innovative solutions in the smart use of technology for an easier life for all will continue to be a key focus for a global technology leader like Thales. Thales Group remains ready to help and guide enterprises in India as they look towards adopting Cloud solutions to prepare for tomorrow’s business requirements.