Having your “head in the clouds” is an idiom used to describe someone who is not paying attention or who is out of touch with the everyday world; however, with the emergence of cloud computing, this phrase has taken on new significance. Most of us our have our “heads in the cloud” on a daily basis; updating a Facebook status, uploading photos to a photo-sharing site, and checking a bank account from a mobile device all happen in the cloud. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness part remains.
Cloud computing has become an integral part of our everyday lives; so much so that we often overlook the cyber security measures that we should be taking to protect ourselves online. National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) was created to spread awareness about the importance of staying safe and secure online, and to provide access to the resources to do so.
For Sagitec, cyber security is very important. As a pension, unemployment insurance, and health care and life sciences software solution provider, ensuring that clients’ data is safe and secure is a high priority. One data security method that Sagitec recommends is through use of cloud-based services; specifically, Microsoft Azure. Microsoft Azure provides cloud–hosting services exclusively for US federal, state, and local government, and the solution providers who serve them.
Microsoft Azure provides services that can help meet the security, privacy, and compliance needs of our clients. In addition, we work with customers to help them understand their responsibilities to protect their data and environment infrastructure after their service has been provisioned. This infrastructure includes applications, data content, virtual machines, access credentials, and compliance issues requirements.
While some organizations may have reservations about the security of storing data on the cloud, the fact is that the strict regulations enforced upon those who provide cloud-hosting services actually improve security. This is especially the case for those who serve government agencies who must adhere to the highest levels of security, while also meeting complex U.S. government compliance regulations. Microsoft Azure has the most certifications of any cloud provider to simplify critical government compliance requirements.
Other benefits of storing data on the cloud include:
- Disaster recovery. Computers get stolen. Systems crash. Storing data in the cloud allows you to easily recover data, should a disaster occur to physical machines. Cloud computing provides you 24/7 access to your data, regardless of what unfortunate incident your machine may have fallen victim to.
- Automatic software updates. In order to ensure that your data remains protected, security must be kept up-to-date. The beauty of taking advantage of a cloud-computing service is that the supplier will take care of updates for you. So you don’t have to worry about maintaining the security of your data, leaving you free to focus on the things that matter, like serving your participants.
Learn more about Microsoft Azure - and how it can improve your organization’s cyber security.
About Sagitec and Microsoft’s partnership
Sagitec has teamed with Microsoft because it is recognized by top industry analysts as the leader in both Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and Platform as a Service (PaaS). Microsoft Azure provides customers with a comprehensive, open Hosted Services solution that includes infrastructure, network, storage, data management, identity management, and related IaaS operations and maintenance services, all delivered through a secure, compliant cloud solution. (The Microsoft Trust Center provides more details).
About NCSAM
Since its inception under the leadership from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the National Cyber Security Alliance, NCSAM has grown exponentially, reaching consumers, small and medium-sized businesses, corporations, educational institutions, and young people across the nation. This year (2016) marks the 13th year of National Cyber Security Awareness Month. Learn more about NCSAM.