Saturday 12 May 2012

Cloud governance is more than a security


THE BIGGER PICTURE: IT governance is critical to the success of cloud computing - which is to say that cloud computing needs processes, policies, and procedures. - Reuters
FOR many enterprises looking to increase operational agility, cloud computing increasingly looks to be a more flexible and efficient solution.
Many of the technologies used by today's cloud environments - both public and private - are heavily based on open-source software, which offers robust application frameworks, rapid development, adherence to standards, vendor neutrality, and avoidance of vendor lock-in.
It is no secret that more and more businesses are embracing cloud computing. According to IDC's 2010 Asia / Pacific (excluding Japan) Cloud Services and Technologies End-User Survey, 24% of organisations in the region are currently using cloud, with 6% actively researching or testing out cloud services.
Additionally, 23% of respondents are planning to use cloud services over the next 12 months, while the remaining 47% have plans to use cloud services at some point after 12 months.
With thousands of services and data elements under management, there is a need to control how they are accessed, added, deleted, and altered, especially in environments that aren't under your physical control.
Therefore, IT governance is critical to the success of cloud computing - which is to say that cloud computing needs processes, policies, and procedures.
Virtualisation, dynamically moving workloads and an increased reliance on third parties for many types of IT functions mean that well thought-out and documented processes, policies, and procedures tend to be more important in cloud computing than with a more static and manual environment.
Governance is a broader concept than security and technology
When people talk about security or risk in the cloud, they are usually talking about governance. Security procedures and technology are part of governance, but governance is a broader concept.
Legal and regulatory procedures, transparency, service levels, indemnification, notification, and portability are all part of this bigger picture, especially as the discussion widens to include public cloud infrastructure providers and software-as-a-service (SaaS) vendors.
Consistency and portability are two of the most important pillars supporting well-governed cloud architectures whether on-premise, public or hybrid architecture. These concepts are closely related, but they are not the same thing.
Consistency refers to having a consistent runtime environment (such as an operating system or middleware) in different clouds, private and public. The same application should be able to run in both places.
For starters, this means that you can take a given Linux, Java, PHP, or whatever application and the target environment(s) will have the supporting software and hardware infrastructure that allows that application to run in the same way in all these places.
The bottom line is that the user of that application should not be able to tell where it is running. It goes without saying that the IT operations people need to know where workloads are running as well as specifying up-front where different workloads are allowed to run.
Multiple forms
One of the ways that consistency breaks down is that public clouds encourage ad-hoc development that doesn't necessarily comply with an organisation's standards for applications run on-premise.
This may be fine for prototyping or other work that is throwaway by design. However, it's far too easy for prototypes to evolve into something more - as often happened in the case of early visual programming languages - and the result is applications that either have to be rewritten or that may have support, reliability or scalability issues down the road.
Just because developers find that a given public cloud environment offers the cheapest and easiest path to write and test an application doesn't mean total application lifecycle costs will be lower. Public cloud-based development will happen though, so the best strategy is to recognise this inevitability and channel it in a way that fits within organisational standards.
Consistency goes beyond just technical factors though. Consistency between on-premise and public cloud environments also requires that the full runtime - including the applications running on it - be supported and certified by the same ISVs and others when running in the cloud or in the cloud (may want to clarify whether this means in a public vs private cloud, or in the cloud vs on premises), a commitment that is as much about business relationships as technical ones.
Portability takes multiple forms. Portable computing creates scalable private clouds that can be federated to a public cloud provider under a unified management framework.
Portable applications mean that developers can write once and deploy anywhere, thereby preserving their strategic flexibility and keeping their options open while lowering maintenance and support costs. Such services simplify development and operations by eliminating the need to re-implement frequently needed functions in private clouds and enable the movement of data and application features across clouds.
Portable programming models let existing applications be brought over to cloud environments or be evolved incrementally.
And, as with consistency, there are aspects of portability that aren't primarily technical - such as whether software subscriptions and licences can be transferred from one location to another. Consistent support and maintenance environments are also essential elements.
Organisations are expected to use public cloud providers in various forms - the goal should be to govern that use, not block it
Cloud computing infrastructure allows for rapid experimentation and expansion. Hosted applications can often be brought online more quickly than conventional on-premise software and thereby start delivering business value faster.
The reality is that cloud computing in some form will happen throughout all organisations whether as the evaluation and adoption of a new CRM platform through a formal IT process, the ad-hoc use of public cloud infrastructure by developers, or the "bursting" of an on-premise cloud to a public cloud to gain temporary capacity.
Given the importance of properly securing data and minimising lock-in to specific third-party provider, it is especially critical to bring cloud computing activity that involves corporate data or production applications under a common governance umbrella.
For the vast majority of organisations, simply forbidding the use of public cloud resources and applications is a poor strategy. For one, it cuts the organisation off from the benefits of using those third-party providers. Secondly, that approach is unlikely to work as the unofficial use of personal mobile devices and free or inexpensive Web-based services of all sorts, tend to happen.
It is better to acknowledge that reality and make public cloud resources an explicit part of overall IT governance. An IT organisation might, for example, freely allow personal devices to access corporate e-mail but put in place mechanisms such as tokens that add a layer of security to that access. Perhaps the most important process is to involve users in formulating the policies rather than creating an "IT vs everyone else" dynamic.
Cloud computing isn't "risky" any more than IT overall is risky. Rather, like all IT activities, cloud computing projects should be undertaken in a way that both mitigate risks and considers those projects in the context of IT as a whole.
(Dirk Peter van Leeuwen is vice-president and general manager at Red Hat Asia Pacific.)

Friday 11 May 2012

Safe Online Shopping Guide & Avoiding Scams

Now you can shop anywhere, anytime, and you can be competitive about it. Of course, there are some risks that come with shopping online, too. Although identity theft is more common in the real world, it still happens online pretty frequently, as does credit card fraud. So staying safe while you’re shopping online is paramount. Here are five tips for shopping safely online:


Verify Website Security: The variety that’s available when shopping online can be dizzying, but it doesn’t stop at just the products and prices that are available online. There are also different levels of security that are available online, and you want to be aware of them. Some online web sites don’t offer secure shopping, but the risk level depends on the business establishment. If you’re going to shop online, limit yourself to secure sites that are verified by trusted online certificate issuers. Secure sites display 'seal certificate' that indicate the verification of legitimate business owners, company address & correspondence of the website. Make sure the website display any of the following seals :-
Avoid Online Shopping at CyberCafe: If you plan to do any shopping online, do it at home. At home, you can shop in your pajamas (or nekkid) and you can do it any time of the day or night. You also know who accesses your computer at home. If you’re using a public computer—at the library, at a cyber café, or at work—to do your shopping, you have no control over who might be using that computer as well. You also don’t have any control over what kind of spyware or malware might be infecting that computer. So, just don’t do it. Shop at home. It’s much safer.

List of GizmoBytes recommended stores :

Hammacher 

Go to Hammacher Schlemmer now
Hammacher Schlemmer have gadgets you didn't even know you needed yet! All to make your life easier and less complicated. Gadgets for TV and Video, Weather Devices, Kitchen Appliances, Clocks, Radios, Security, Telephone and Accessories and a whole lot more

iRobot

www.store.irobot.com
Go to iRobot now
The ultimate gadgets - Unbelievable, iRobot has created a line of robots that clean pools and gutters, wash and vacuum floors and sweep shops.

Discovery Channel Store

www.discoverychannel.com
Go to Discovery Channel Store now
The Discovery Channel Store has high-tech gadgets that glow, cool gadgets that watch the wind blow, and musical gadgets for when you're on the go. A fun selection that will have you and your friends thinking - 'how did they do that'Discovery Channel Store

OnSale Audio, Video, TV Store

www.onsale.com
Go to OnSale Audio, Video, TV Store now
GPS Navigators, Wireless presenters, Antennas, TV's, Electronics, Hands Free gear - Over 125,000 unique products. Brands include Apple, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Microsoft, Sony, Toshiba, Cisco, Lenovo to name a fewOnSale Audio, Video, TV Store

eBatts

www.ebatts.com
Go to eBatts now
Batteries and accessories to keep all your Gadgets going - Laptop, Camcorder, Digital Camera, Cell Phone, Cordless Phone, PDA's, UPS and Power TooleBatts

myDigitalPort.com

www.mydigitalport.com
Asian based supplier of DRAM and Flash memory upgrades, portable computing products, storage devices, and other experience-enhancing technology solutions.

Gadget Universe

www.gadgetuniverse.com
Go to Gadget Universe now
Gadget Universe sells a wide range of nifty products including: Massagers, Spy Gadgets, Audio/Video Gadgets, Car Gadgets, Health Gadgets, Toys and more.Gadget Universe

Tool King

Go to Tool King now
Tool King offers competitive pricing on tools and machinery. Products include: Power Tools, Cordless Tools, Air Tools, Automotive Tools, Hand Tools, Power Cords, Gardening Tools, Woodworking Tools, and more.Tool King

Super Media Store Flash Memory

www.supermediastore.com
Go to Super Media Store Flash Memory now
At Super Media Store you can shop online for a variety of flash memory cards from the major manufacturers. They also have many types of USB flash memory drives, blank CD DVD media, CD DVD packaging cases, computer hardware, memory, ink and toner cartridges.Super Media Store Flash Memory

Chief Supply

www.chiefsupply.com
Go to Chief Supply now
Chief offers a massive range of batteries, flashlights, footwear apparel/uniforms and much more. Chief also provides competitive pricing, personal customer service and fast delivery.Chief Supply

4inkjets Flash Memory

www.4inkjets.com
Go to 4inkjets Flash Memory now
One of the largest online retailers of printer supplies in the US, 4inkjets has printer inkjet cartridges, inkjet refill kits, laser toner, fax toner and other printer supplies for every inkjet or laser printer on the market.4inkjets Flash Memory

Crucial Technology USB Flash

www.crucial.com
Go to Crucial Technology USB Flash now
The solution to get the best possible performance for your systems with quality Secure Digital cards. It's ideal for high-speed digital cameras, camcorders, MP3s, cell phones, PDAs, and global positioning systems. Interface options include an SD interface or a serial peripheral interface.Crucial Technology USB Flash

Crucial Technology 1GB SD Card

www.crucial.com
Go to Crucial Technology 1GB SD Card now
Secure Digital cards are solid-state devices that provide much greater data protection than conventional magnetic disk drives. The SD card's nimble, portable data transfer and low battery consumption makes it ideal for high-speed digital cameras, camcorders, MP3s, cell phones, PDAs, and global positioning systems.Crucial Technology 1GB SD Card

Edge Tech 2GB CompactFlash

www.edgetechcorp.com
Go to Edge Tech 2GB CompactFlash now
EDGE Tech Corp, an ISO 9001:2000 certified company founded in 1986, is a leading supplier of DRAM and Flash memory upgrades, portable computing products, storage devices, and other experience-enhancing technology solutions. EDGE's DRAM-based memory product line offers upgrade solutions for desktops, Laptops, servers, printers, hubs and routers.Edge Tech 2GB CompactFlash


Laptops For Less

www.laptopbattery.net
Go to Laptops For Less now
Laptops For Less sell quality laptop parts and PDA accessories at discount prices. Choose from Laptop Batteries, PDA Batteries, Laptop AC Adapters or Digital Camera Batteries, Printer Power Supplies, MP3 Batteries and more, they supply laptop batteries for most every Laptop computer and other product from the leading brands.Laptops For Less

Super Media Store

www.supermediastore.com
Go to Super Media Store now
Supermediastore.com is a major reseller and wholesaler of blank CD DVD media products in Southern California, supplies a wide variety of blank CD DVD media, CD DVD packaging case, computer hardware, memory, ink and toner cartridges. Being rated as #1 preferred online store to buy good media for excellent selection, excellent pricing and fast shipping by DigitalFAQ.com, we maintain that all products are genuine and authentic.Super Media Store

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