Week 5 Discussion: Cloud Computing And Its Concerns

Week 5 Discussion Deals With Cloud Computing And Its Concerns The Te

Week 5 discussion deals with Cloud Computing and its concerns. The term Cloud Computing services refers to many things and many types of services. Generally speaking there is PaaS, SaaS, IaaS & MaaS. One of the biggest supplier of cloud computing services is Amazon. Amazon makes it possible for many organizations to take advantage of its web portal services, so that these organizations do not have to develop their own capabilities. Companies like Kaplan and Unilever take advantage of services provided by Amazon. An organization is contemplating cloud computing services, but is not sure at what level of service the organization should commit to. Based on your reading and understanding, please provide which of the cloud services you would recommend and why. Please provide your justification for your recommendation. Also provide any pros and cons that you might consider for the service you are recommending. Are there any legal considerations for cloud computing? Need reference, great quality.

Paper For Above instruction

Cloud computing has revolutionized the way organizations access, utilize, and manage technology resources, offering scalable, flexible, and cost-effective solutions. When considering cloud services, organizations like Kaplan and Unilever face critical decisions about which service model to adopt—whether Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), or Software as a Service (SaaS). Each model offers distinct advantages and limitations, and the choice depends on the organization's specific needs, strategic goals, and resource capabilities.

Among the available options, I recommend adopting a hybrid approach with a primary focus on SaaS for non-core activities and strategic cloud services for core operations that benefit from customization and integration. SaaS, such as cloud-based customer relationship management (CRM) or enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions, provides organizations with immediate access to fully functional applications without the need for extensive infrastructure maintenance or development. This enables organizations like Kaplan and Unilever to streamline operations, improve efficiency, and reduce costs with minimal upfront investment (Marston et al., 2011).

In addition to SaaS, a strategic use of IaaS can support organizations seeking greater control over their infrastructure, especially for mission-critical applications that require scalability and flexibility. IaaS providers like Amazon Web Services (AWS) offer virtualized computing resources, storage, and networking, allowing organizations to tailor their environment according to specific requirements (Catteddu & Hogben, 2012). The major advantage here is scalability—you can scale up or down based on demand, which is particularly beneficial for fluctuating workloads.

Nevertheless, choosing SaaS as the primary service model offers several pros. It reduces the burden of infrastructure management, ensures rapid deployment, and provides automatic updates and maintenance from the provider. Moreover, SaaS solutions enable remote access, facilitate collaboration, and reduce overall IT expenses. However, the cons include limited customization options, dependency on vendor support, and concerns over data security and compliance (Leimeister et al., 2010).

Legal considerations are also paramount when deploying cloud services. Data privacy and security regulations, such as GDPR in Europe or HIPAA in the United States, impose strict requirements on how data is stored, processed, and shared. Organizations must ensure their cloud provider complies with relevant legal frameworks and that contractual agreements clearly specify responsibilities regarding data protection, breach notification, and compliance audits (Jorstad et al., 2021). Data sovereignty issues, especially when using offshore cloud providers, also pose challenges as organizations need to understand where their data resides and which legal jurisdiction applies.

In conclusion, selecting the appropriate cloud service model requires a careful assessment of organizational needs, strategic objectives, and risk management considerations. A combination of SaaS for operational efficiency and IaaS for critical infrastructure can provide a balanced approach that leverages the benefits of cloud computing while managing potential risks effectively. Legal considerations must be integrated into decision-making processes to ensure compliance and safeguard organizational data assets.

References

• Catteddu, D., & Hogben, G. (2012). Cloud Computing Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Security Measures. European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA).
• Jorstad, A., Rose, M., & Larson, K. (2021). Cloud Security and Compliance: Navigating Regulatory Frameworks. Journal of Cloud Security, 15(2), 45-60.
• Leimeister, J. M., Riedl, C., & Buhl, H. U. (2010). The Effectiveness of Cloud Computing for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises. Business & Information Systems Engineering, 2(6), 349-359.
• Marston, S., Li, Z., Bandyopadhyay, S., Zhang, J., & Ghalsasi, A. (2011). Cloud Computing—The Business Perspective. Decision Support Systems, 51(1), 176-189.