Cloud Migration Assessment Checklist
With ongoing technological advancement, the cloud has taken over businesses across the world. By conducting a cloud migration readiness assessment, organizations can convert their ideas of transitioning to the cloud into a comprehensive roadmap that outlines the necessary steps and their chronological order. As the recognition of the benefits of virtual environments, such as high efficiency, agility, and scalability, grows among businesses, these assessments play a crucial role in providing a solid foundation before proceeding with cloud migration plans. They offer invaluable insights and guidance, ensuring a well-informed approach to embracing the cloud and maximizing its advantages. In this blog, we will provide every detail you need about cloud migration assessment, followed by a checklist you must consider before making a move.
What Is Cloud Readiness Assessment?
A cloud readiness assessment employs a comprehensive checklist to determine the suitability of migrating applications and data to the cloud while minimizing disruptions to business operations. This tool collects valuable data to visually represent the organization's needs and outline the steps for a seamless migration.
Cloud Readiness Assessment Tools
To evaluate an application’s cloud readiness assessment, here are the three most popular tools:
- AWS Migration Acceleration Program (MAP) and the AWS Migration Hub
- Google Migrate for Compute Engine and the Google Storage Transfer Service
- Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit and Azure Migrate
Cloud Migration Assessment Questionnaire
Here is a cloud assessment checklist you need to consider:
Assess Workloads
This stage involves assessing and planning the migration of workloads to the cloud. It requires understanding the existing assets, such as applications and hardware, their dependencies, and compatibility with the chosen deployment model.
Define Your Desired Outcomes and Business Objectives
To begin your cloud journey, it is crucial to prioritize the first step: defining your business objectives and aspirations when transitioning to the cloud. Adopting the cloud with a clear strategy is the key to success. Hence, it would be best to establish distinct goals and desired outcomes that can be achieved through the migration process. Besides, you must ensure alignment with stakeholders to prevent any misunderstandings or communication gaps. These objectives serve as metrics to gauge the success of your venture.
Define Your Technology Stack
In the next phase of cloud migration readiness, it is essential to assess your current technology stack and architecture while also deciding on the appropriate technologies to be utilized. It may comprise an organization’s data, applications, and infrastructure. Other considerations include security requirements, legacy systems, and outdated technologies. Additionally, evaluating the availability of in-house resources and the skill set of your IT team is crucial. Inadequate expertise may lead to delays, necessitating the involvement of external specialists to ensure a smooth and efficient migration process.
Build Your Tech Team
Initiating a cloud readiness assessment involves the evaluation of the technical staff within the organization. It is crucial to gain insights into their perspectives regarding change tolerance, adaptability to learning new concepts, and readiness to embrace new methodologies for executing their roles. A comprehensive staff assessment should encompass critical aspects, including their skills, particularly in cloud technology, their exposure to various technologies, the time available for adopting new technology, and their overall ability to embrace technological advancements.
Create a Dependency Map
A comprehensive cloud readiness assessment checklist must include a thorough inventory of the servers utilized for running applications and an evaluation of the complexity level associated with each application and infrastructure. By constructing a dependency map, you can effectively categorize them based on migration priority or complexity.
Evaluate Security Requirements and Infrastructure
During this phase, assessing your IT environment and infrastructure is crucial to determine which assets are suitable for cloud migration and which should remain on-premises. Additionally, careful planning is required to ensure a smooth transition of applications to the cloud, including necessary adjustments for the new architecture. Security considerations are vital, including evaluating regulatory compliance and compatibility with your cloud provider, such as GDPR readiness and industry-specific requirements like HIPAA compliance in healthcare.
Run Tests
As part of the cloud migration process, it is essential to prioritize testing, including application and data tests, in a cloud-hosted staging environment. A robust disaster recovery plan and backup strategy are crucial to handle unforeseen issues and avoiding delays. Implementing a cloud readiness assessment checklist helps anticipate challenges, ensuring a smoother migration experience. Our dedicated team of professionals can assist in creating a comprehensive application assessment and facilitating successful cloud adoption.
The Bottom Line
A cloud readiness assessment is a crucial step in ensuring a successful and seamless migration to the cloud. By following a comprehensive checklist, organizations can assess their workloads, define their desired outcomes and business objectives, evaluate their technology stack, build a competent tech team, create a dependency map, and evaluate security requirements and infrastructure. Running tests and having a robust disaster recovery plan further contribute to a smooth migration experience. By conducting a thorough cloud readiness assessment, organizations can identify potential challenges and take the necessary steps to address them, ultimately facilitating a successful cloud adoption and reaping the benefits of cloud computing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are the Assessment Questions for Cloud Migration?
Before migrating to the cloud, here are some of the questions you need to answer for cloud readiness assessment:
- What are the reasons why you are migrating to the cloud?
- What kind of database do you use?
- Which application servers and versions do you use?
- Which type of load balancers do you use?
- Which type of security services do you use?
- What is your backup strategy?
What Are the 5 Cloud Migration Strategies?
According to Gartner’s 5 R’s model, cloud migration strategies include the following:
- Lift and shift
- Replatform
- Replace
- Refactor
- Rebuild
Unlocking the Value of Eramba: Exploring the Benefits of Affordable Cybersecurity GRC Solutions
Introduction
In today’s interconnected digital landscape, cybersecurity has become a critical concern for organizations worldwide. As technology continues to advance, organizations face increasingly complex cybersecurity challenges. Many companies are turning to Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) frameworks to manage these challenges and safeguard their digital assets. These frameworks provide a structured approach to managing cybersecurity risks, aligning business objectives with information security goals, and ensuring compliance with regulations and standards. This article explores the significance of cybersecurity GRC and highlights the benefits of Eramba, an affordable and robust GRC tool.
Understanding Cybersecurity GRC
Cybersecurity GRC is a discipline that enables organizations to establish comprehensive frameworks for managing and mitigating cybersecurity risks. GRC frameworks encompass various components, including policies, processes, and controls, and provide a systematic approach to identifying, assessing, and managing risks. By adopting a GRC approach, organizations can align their cybersecurity efforts with their business objectives, ensuring that resources are prioritized effectively. GRC frameworks also facilitate compliance with relevant regulations and standards, reducing the risk of legal and reputational issues. All in all, cybersecurity GRC allows organizations to proactively address vulnerabilities, assess risks, and establish a robust cybersecurity posture.
The Importance of Cybersecurity GRC
Implementing a cybersecurity GRC framework offers several key benefits for organizations:
- It enables the proactive identification of potential cybersecurity risks and vulnerabilities. Organizations can mitigate these risks by conducting risk assessments and implementing appropriate controls before they materialize. This proactive approach helps prevent cybersecurity incidents and minimizes the potential impact on business operations.
- GRC frameworks provide a structured and systematic approach to risk management. Organizations can allocate resources effectively by aligning cybersecurity efforts with business objectives, ensuring that critical assets and processes receive appropriate protection.
- Implementing GRC frameworks helps organizations demonstrate regulatory compliance.
- Compliance with industry-specific regulations and standards reduces the risk of penalties and enhances trust and credibility with customers and stakeholders.
The Cost Challenge: Expensive GRC Tools
While the benefits of GRC are clear, the cost of implementing GRC tools often poses a significant challenge for organizations. Many traditional GRC solutions are expensive, with high licensing fees, complex implementation processes, and ongoing maintenance costs. These financial barriers can make it difficult, especially for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), to afford robust GRC tools. Limited budgets and resources can hinder their ability to enhance their cybersecurity posture effectively. This cost challenge has created a need for affordable GRC solutions that provide comprehensive functionalities without sacrificing quality or security.
Introducing Eramba: An Affordable GRC Solution
Eramba presents itself as an affordable alternative to expensive GRC tools, offering organizations comprehensive functionalities at a fraction of the cost. As an open-source GRC platform, Eramba eliminates licensing fees associated with traditional GRC solutions, making it an attractive choice for organizations with budget constraints. Despite its affordability, Eramba does not compromise on features or security. It provides modules for risk management, compliance management, incident management, policy management, and more. These modules cover a wide range of GRC activities, allowing organizations to streamline their cybersecurity efforts and ensure compliance with regulations and standards.
Key Features and Capabilities of Eramba
Here are the main features of Eramba:
Risk Management
Eramba provides robust risk management capabilities, allowing organizations to identify, assess, and prioritize risks. It enables the creation of risk registers, facilitates risk assessments, and helps define risk mitigation strategies. With Eramba, organizations can proactively manage risks and take necessary actions to minimize their potential impact.
Compliance Management
Eramba helps organizations comply with regulations, industry standards, and internal policies. It provides a centralized repository for storing compliance requirements, tracks compliance tasks and deadlines, and generates reports for auditing purposes. This helps organizations ensure that they meet their legal and regulatory obligations.
Policy Management
Eramba allows organizations to effectively define, store, and manage policies. It enables the creation and distribution of policies, tracks policy acknowledgments, and ensures that policies are up to date. With Eramba, organizations can establish a robust policy framework and monitor policy adherence across the organization.
Incident Management
Eramba facilitates the management of cybersecurity incidents by providing a structured approach. It allows organizations to track and document incidents, initiate investigation workflows, and maintain incident response plans. This helps organizations effectively respond to and mitigate the impact of security incidents.
Audit Management
Eramba assists organizations in managing the entire audit process, from planning to reporting. It helps define audit programs, schedule audit activities, track findings and recommendations, and generate audit reports. With Eramba, organizations can streamline their audit processes and ensure transparency and accountability.
Vendor Management
Eramba enables organizations to manage their relationships with third-party vendors and assess cybersecurity risks. It provides a platform to conduct vendor assessments, monitor compliance, and track vendor performance. This helps organizations ensure that their vendors meet the necessary security requirements.
Workflow Automation
Eramba offers workflow automation capabilities, allowing organizations to streamline and standardize their GRC processes. It helps automate tasks, notifications, and approvals, improving efficiency and reducing manual effort. This enables organizations to focus on critical activities and ensures consistent execution of GRC processes.
5 Benefits of Eramba
Here are the benefits of Eramba:
Cost-Effectiveness
Eramba is an open-source tool that does not involve costly licensing fees. This makes it an affordable option, particularly for small and medium-sized organizations with limited budgets.
Collaboration and Workflow Management
Eramba facilitates team collaboration, streamlining workflow processes and enhancing communication. This capability ensures that cybersecurity efforts are coordinated effectively across the organization.
Continuous Improvement
Eramba’s active user community and regular updates contribute to its constant improvement and evolution—organizations using Eramba benefit from ongoing enhancements and new features without incurring additional costs.
User-Friendly Interface
Eramba offers an intuitive and user-friendly interface, making it easy for organizations to navigate and utilize its various features. This reduces the learning curve and promotes quick adoption by users.
Ongoing Development and Community Support
As an open-source tool, Eramba benefits from an active user community that contributes to its development and improvement. Regular updates and enhancements give organizations access to the latest features and capabilities.
The Bottom Line
Cybersecurity GRC is vital in managing and mitigating cyber risks. However, implementing traditional GRC tools can be prohibitive for many organizations, particularly SMBs with limited resources. Affordable alternatives like Eramba offer organizations a cost-effective solution without compromising functionality or security. Eramba allows SMBs and budget-conscious organizations to implement a robust GRC framework, effectively manage risks, ensure compliance, and enhance their cybersecurity posture. By embracing cost-effective GRC tools like Eramba, organizations can protect their assets, maintain trust, and stay ahead in today’s evolving threat landscape. The availability of affordable GRC tools paves the way for organizations of all sizes to strengthen their cybersecurity practices and effectively address the ever-growing challenges in the digital realm.
Rising Tide of Cyber Breaches in 2024: Safeguard Your Business with These Preventative Measures
Since the beginning of 2024, businesses have witnessed an alarming surge in cyber breaches. With AI-powered tools, like ChatGPT taking over manual work, companies are at a high risk of losing critical data due to vulnerabilities tied to open-source libraries. According to a recent report by IBM, 83% of companies fell victim to data breaches in 2022. This can have a long-lasting impact on businesses, leaving them to crumble over time. This article will shed light on cyber breaches in 2024, followed by a list of preventative measures to avoid them.
Cyber Breaches in 2024
- A leading pharmaceutical company in the US, PharMerica, recently underwent a data breach where an unidentified party gained unauthorized access to its systems. It resulted in extracting personal information from 5.8 million individuals, including sensitive data such as their names, birth dates, social security numbers, and health insurance details.
- The UK authorities have fined TikTok for violating data protection laws. The penalty was imposed due to breaches in handling user data, highlighting the importance of compliance with data protection regulations.
- A data breach at the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) has reportedly exposed the personal information of 237,000 current and former US government employees. The breach primarily affected systems used for administrative functions, specifically those involved in processing "TRANServe transit benefits" for commuting government employees.
- T-Mobile has disclosed a data breach, impacting approximately 800 customers. It involved scraping customer contact information, social security numbers, ID cards, and other personal data from PIN-protected accounts. This incident marks the company's second data breach of the year, following a breach in January that affected 37 million customers and data violations in November 2022 and December 2021.
- Chick-fil-A is investigating reports of "suspicious activity" associated with a limited number of customer accounts. The fast-food chain has guided customers on steps to take if they observe any suspicious activity, including removing stored payment methods from their accounts.
- Yum! Brands, the parent company of popular fast food chains Pizza Hut, KFC, and Taco Bell, has notified individuals that their data was compromised in a ransomware attack in January. The company confirmed that stolen information included names, driver's license details, and ID card information. An investigation is being conducted to determine if the exposed data has been used for fraudulent activities.
- A data leak occurred in ChatGPT's open-source library due to a bug, resulting in the unintended exposure of customers' personal information. The leaked data included partial credit card information and the titles of specific chats initiated by users. OpenAI acknowledged the incident and stated that, before taking ChatGPT offline, some users could view another user's first and last name, the last four digits of a credit card number, payment address, email address, and credit card expiration date. However, it was confirmed that full credit card numbers were never exposed.
- Reddit has officially acknowledged a data breach that occurred on February 5. The breach occurred when an attacker acquired the login credentials of one of its employees. Furthermore, this allowed access to internal documents, dashboards, code, business systems, and information about current and former employees.
- A data breach involving Twitter has emerged, revealing that user data has been traded on the dark web throughout 2022, and this trend is expected to continue in 2024. Recent reports indicate that a collection of email addresses from approximately 200 million Twitter users is currently available for sale on the dark web, with prices as low as $2. Despite the vulnerability that caused this leak being addressed in January 2022, multiple threat actors continue to leak the data.
These recurring breaches highlight ongoing challenges in protecting customer data and raise concerns about data security practices within companies, emphasizing the need for robust cybersecurity measures. While most organizations have taken necessary steps to address the issues and ensure user data security, some are actively investigating the incident and taking measures to mitigate any potential impact. On the other hand, companies like T-Mobile have experienced recurring breaches, raising questions about their ability to protect customer information.
10 Ways to Protect Your Business Against Cyber Breaches
Here are some of the most effective tips and techniques you must incorporate in your organization to prevent cyber breaches:
- Regularly back up your data.
- Use a firewall.
- Enable data encryption.
- Update your software and systems regularly.
- Secure your Wi-Fi networks.
- Create cyber awareness programs.
- Use passphrases instead of passwords.
- Enable multi-factor authentication.
- Perform security audits regularly.
- Limit access to critical data.
Reach Out to Mobiz: Your Go-To Cyber Security Provider
Now that you are aware of various cyber breaches that have taken place in the last five months, you must work on having a proper security plan in place. It can be challenging for businesses to build security solutions that are unique to their companies. To simplify this process, you should contact Mobiz at your earliest! A team of highly skilled experts will guide you through your journey. So, stop worrying about potential risks and threats related to cybersecurity and start implementing the best security practices with Mobiz!
Edge vs. Cloud Computing: Unraveling the Key Differences
In today’s day and age, cloud computing has transformed the world, revolutionizing the way businesses operate. On the other hand, edge computing has proven a game-changer, empowering organizations with unparalleled capabilities to speed up business processes. Yet, many people find it difficult to differentiate the two. If you are in the same boat, don’t worry! In this blog, we will distinguish the two technologies, equipping you with the knowledge to harness the full potential of both cloud and edge computing. Get ready to embark on an enlightening journey as we unravel the mysteries behind these powerful innovations. Continue reading until the end to find out!
Before diving into the edge vs. cloud debate, let’s understand edge computing and cloud computing in more detail.
Cloud Computing
The term ‘cloud computing’ refers to storing and processing data on the cloud. It can be accessed at any time, irrespective of your physical location. Since data storage in the cloud demands hosting through servers, software, and networking, it is known as cloud computing. Cloud computing service providers are responsible for maintaining these servers.
Through virtualization, cloud providers can optimize the utilization of their data center resources, allowing them to extract the utmost value. Many corporations have embraced the cloud delivery model for their on-premises infrastructure, enabling them to achieve maximum efficiency and cost savings compared to traditional IT setups. Additionally, this approach empowers organizations to provide self-service capabilities and enhanced agility to their end-users.
Edge Computing
The term ‘edge computing’ refers to a distributed IT architecture where data storage and computation remain close to the data sources. Since it enables fast data processing without compromising data security and bandwidth, it is known as edge computing. This way, businesses can benefit from quick response times, timely insights, and higher bandwidth.
Edge computing facilitates real-time predictive analysis and in-depth insights by leveraging the expanding computing power within the devices. This heightened analytical capability within edge devices fuels innovation, improving quality and added value.
What Describes the Relationship Between Edge Computing and Cloud Computing?
Edge computing is a part of cloud computing. While edge computing involves hosting applications in close proximity to the end users or data sources, cloud computing requires hosting applications in a central data center within the cloud.
Edge Computing vs. Cloud Computing
Since the concept of virtualization vs. cloud computing has been discussed earlier, it is time for you to know the differences between edge and cloud computing.
We have compiled the most significant specifications that will help you distinguish between the two:
The Approach
Edge computing is a data management approach that involves positioning data closer to its point of origin. This enables swift responses to fluctuations in demand and promotes seamless information access. On the other hand, cloud computing is a data storage and processing method that utilizes remote servers instead of local systems. While it allows users the flexibility to access their files anytime and anywhere, it no longer controls data once it is uploaded to servers operated by external entities.
As the Internet of Things (IoT) continues to grow, edge computing has emerged as a decentralized and distributed computing infrastructure. IoT devices often generate data that requires rapid processing and real-time analysis. CloudOps addresses this using a central, cloud-based location, typically a distant data center. Alternatively, edge computing reduces the necessity to transfer data to the cloud by decentralizing computation, storage, and analysis to the devices at the point of data generation.
Processing of Data
Data processing involves collecting and manipulating digital data to generate meaningful information. Any alteration of information that an observer can perceive falls under the umbrella of data processing.
On the other hand, edge computing prioritizes rapid and high-volume data processing near the data source, enabling real-time, action-oriented solutions. Hence, it stands out from traditional models that centralize processing power in on-premise data centers. While edge computing offers deterministic behavior as one of its notable advantages, cloud services often lack real-time guarantees and exhibit non-deterministic performance due to the sharing of computing and network resources.
Primary Focus
Edge computing emphasizes real-time data processing and device-to-device communication, whereas cloud computing is designed for storing and processing substantial volumes of unstructured data simultaneously.
While cloud computing is suitable for managing non-time-sensitive data, edge computing excels in processing time-driven data. In remote areas where connectivity to a centralized location is limited or unreliable, edge computing is preferred due to its ability to mitigate latency. It is an optimal solution for local storage requirements in these locations, effectively functioning as a compact data center.
Mobiz: Your Go-To Cloud Services Provider
Implementing the latest edge or cloud computing strategies has become essential for businesses in today’s world. To make it easier for you, Mobiz, a cloud solutions provider, is a firm that helps companies transition from traditional on-premise infrastructure to cloud computing. At Mobiz, we have a dedicated team of seasoned professionals who work relentlessly to ensure a secure migration process to the cloud. If you have questions and queries about edge computing and cloud computing relationships, contact us today; our customer service representative will assist you! Call us at (909) 453-6700.
Final Thoughts
While most organizations are familiar with data storage and management on cloud computing, edge computing provides many benefits to businesses by offering real-time data processing and proximity to data sources. Both cloud computing and edge computing have unique advantages and applications, catering to different data processing needs. Understanding the difference between edge and cloud computing empowers businesses to leverage their strengths and make informed decisions. By harnessing the potential of both technologies, organizations can unlock innovation, enhance efficiency, and stay ahead in the dynamic digital era. Stay tuned to explore further possibilities and maximize the benefits of edge and cloud computing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between edge computing and cloud computing?
The main difference between edge computing and cloud computing is that edge computing processes time-sensitive data, whereas cloud computing processes non-time-triggered data.
What is the relationship between edge computing and cloud computing?
Edge computing falls under the umbrella of different subsections that form cloud computing. Cloud computing hosts applications in the core data center, while edge computing hosts applications near the end users.
What are the benefits of edge vs. cloud?
The main advantage of using Edge over cloud computing is that it yields more efficient data management. Besides, it offers higher security at a relatively lower cost, making it more reliable and consistent for a stable connection.
The Crucial Differences Between IT Consulting and Managed Services
A managed services provider may be a more hands-on technology partner, guiding your decisions and fitting their solutions to your needs. But some companies don’t need that level of engagement and when you need expertise for a project, IT consulting is the way to go.
IT Consulting Vs. Managed Services, Which is Right for You?
For a business needing outside IT help, the choices can be daunting. There are so many companies out there that offer customized solutions to IT needs and other services, it is difficult to know where to start. Fortunately MOBIZ is a different kind of technology company.
This blog will explore the differences between IT consulting and managed services, what situations are right for each, and how MOBIZ combines the two to create a lasting technology partner that will help any business lower costs, improve operations, and do business better.
Managed Services
When done on your own, technology can be expensive. Not only do you need to hire and train the right people, but your department has to be the right mix of ongoing support for day to day operations and planning for growth. Both are equally critical to the success of your business but for organizations with limited means, it is extremely difficult to accomplish both at the same time.
A managed services provider is a company that is contracted to perform either as an extension of your existing IT department or as your entire IT department. They can manage IT infrastructure and end-user systems or concentrate on specific goals such as compliance, security, infrastructure as a service, or proactive risk assessment. They are more concerned with day to day operations but the right provider can also provide vCIO services and IT assessments that help you plan for the future. This advice is usually tempered along the lines of the services they already provide and while isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it does hamper your ability to choose what you want.
IT Consulting Services
A consultant is an advisor that is more concerned with how to use IT in such a way that will address their current business goals and find solutions for specific issues. A consultant is called when you have a project that needs to be completed or a company has grown to where they need strategic guidance for their IT and related infrastructures in response to growth or industry changes. For example, a company may need to connect warehouses through a custom-built intranet, a consultant would provide the technical expertise so a solid plan can be developed and carried out.
IT consulting is more about advising and helping their clients modernize with the real-world tools they need to meet immediate and future issues. The consultant investigates an issue or a need, analyzes the best outcome, and develops a plan that can be implemented by the client alone or with further outside help.
At MOBIZ, we are consultants that thrive on a challenge and by leveraging our extensive expertise with the latest technology, we can ensure you get the IT solutions you need to compete.
How MOBIZ Combines the Two
Throughout our company history, MOBIZ has developed our IT partnerships by solving our clients immediate needs. We are consultants that thrive on a challenge and by leveraging our extensive expertise with the latest technology.
Traditional managed services model will handle the day to day responsibilities for you, but MOBIZ is different. We’re here to help you tackle the big-picture tasks. Whether you want to upgrade your servers, tighten network security, or move your data to the cloud, large IT projects require a business to invest time and capital in the management of these projects.
Once the work is done, you may find that the company that built your custom solution is the one that is best equipped to help you manage it. This is how we can combine the project mentality of a consultant with the managed security an MSP has to offer.
What are your IT challenges? Reach out to MOBIZ today and let’s get them solved.
What Are the Benefits of Cloud Computing and the Downsides Associated With It?
Over the past ten years, cloud computing has transformed business operations in various ways. It has enabled companies to store, process, and manage data and applications efficiently without paying a hefty amount. As a result, businesses have become more scalable, agile, and responsive to the needs of customers and clients with maximum productivity, growth, and innovation. So, if you are looking for ways to take your business to the next level, cloud computing offers what you are looking for! But before implementing new technologies, you need to evaluate all the pros and cons associated with them. This blog will provide you with all the benefits of cloud computing and the downsides you should know before making an informed decision. Keep reading till the end to find out!
Advantages of Cloud Computing
Here is a list of cloud computing advantages that are worth noting:
Cost Effective
The most significant advantage of cloud computing is that it allows customers to pay for their required resources without additional charges. These expenses are quite transparent; hence, you don’t need to worry about incurring unexpected costs in the future. This way, companies can reap all the benefits of cloud infrastructure without purchasing hardware or equipment.
Highly Secure
Cloud service providers have developed a highly secure solution for businesses to store data on the cloud. It offers various advanced features to ensure your data always remains secure. With updated software and security protocols in place, your data becomes less susceptible to a wide range of cybersecurity risks and threats. This may include data breaches and employee thefts that can affect your data security.
Partnered with Azure, Mobiz is a leading cybersecurity service provider that offers automated cloud management services. Our team of highly skilled cloud security experts ensures that your cloud applications comply with the latest security regulations and standards. This way, you can safeguard cloud applications and data stored on various platforms and avoid the risk of any gaps in your cloud security coverage.
Easy to Access
With a cloud computing system, you only need an internet connection to access your data. It doesn’t matter if your employees work on-site or remotely; they can access the cloud from anywhere without any restrictions.
Backup and Recovery
As long as your data is stored on the cloud, you can back it up quickly. Besides, automated backups do not require manual intervention; hence, they minimize the possibility of human errors. In addition, it provides an efficient recovery plan with minimal downtime to prevent the risk of data loss during system failures.
Disadvantages of Cloud Computing
Here are some of the downsides of switching to cloud computing:
Dependency on Internet Connectivity
Despite all the benefits of cloud services, it can be vulnerable to technical problems, like outages. With no connectivity to the internet, you cannot access the data, applications, or software stored on the cloud. Due to this reason, you need to look beyond. Even if the cloud service provider offers regular maintenance, you may occasionally need help with technical issues.
Cloud Migration Costs
Cloud migration services can put a dent in your wallet. In addition to this, the process of migrating to the cloud can be quite time-consuming. To avoid such issues, cloud providers like Mobiz offer solutions that match your specific requirements to reduce costs associated with cloud migration. It helps minimize the manual efforts, time, and overall expenses using Terraform pre-defined templates, leveraging CAF Terraform to deliver highly automated Azure Cloud landing zones, platforms & services (PaaS/IaaS). It allows you to create, change, and improve infrastructure without compromising data safety. Moreover, you can automate the deployment and provisioning of resources without errors and misconfigurations.
Limited Control and Flexibility
Since cloud providers monitor and manage the cloud infrastructure, companies may need more options to control their data, services, and applications. Therefore, it can restrict customers from accessing key administration services, such as cloud operations services.
Lack of Technical Support
Businesses that rely on cloud services want full support because technical issues can occur anytime. With prompt support, companies can fix such problems on time. In such situations, they have to hire additional technical staff, which can be expensive and time-consuming. Besides, this increases the possibility of delays while completing the task.
To solve these issues and provide exceptional support to our valuable customers, Mobiz has created multiple delivery and support centers to resolve technical problems across many regions. It provides 24/7 technical support to help businesses of all sizes across the globe.
All in All
Now that you know all the pros of cloud computing, it will be easier to decide whether you should switch to cloud computing or not. For instance, Google Cloud benefits businesses by offering scalable infrastructure at cost-effective prices, whereas Microsoft Azure provides hybrid cloud solutions, scalability, and seamless integration. Apart from cloud computing benefits, you need to assess all the limitations that come with it. Many factors can affect your business processes, from technical issues to lack of assistance. Hence, you must ensure that your decision to switch to cloud computing aligns with your business objectives and goals while maximizing the productivity and efficiency of your organization.
A Complete Guide to Network Security Levels
Over the years, cybercriminals have come up with increasingly complex ways to compromise business security. Whether you run a small venture or a large enterprise, your corporate network security can be vulnerable to a broad range of cyber attacks. To avoid the risk of cyber threats, it is crucial to understand the levels of network security. This blog will provide you with all the information you need to implement the appropriate measures for cybersecurity.
Information Security Levels
The 3 main network security levels are as follows:
Level 1: Minimal Protection
The first level of cybersecurity ensures that the corporate network remains safe from cyber threats, such as malware and phishing attacks. These may appear as malicious software, links, or files infected with viruses.
Companies that invest in minimal protection are likely to use a firewall but may fail to manage it. In addition to this, their Wi-Fi passwords are shared across the organization, which can pose a threat to their cybersecurity. Therefore, it is essential to have a properly configured firewall protection system along with updated antivirus software. This can be achieved by taking security measures regularly and performing penetration testing and vulnerability assessment. These methods will help ensure that your company’s devices and data remain protected from all sorts of cyber threats that may arise in the future.
Level 2: Advanced Protection
The second level of network security protects corporate networks from non-targeted attacks. This may include spoofing attacks, malware, and even spamming. The main goal of the attacker is to steal confidential information from its victims. Often, mid-size companies remain susceptible to non-targeted attacks. This is because most of them do not adhere to regulatory standards in place. Therefore, they are more likely to encounter cyber attacks compared to any large enterprise.
In addition to firewalls and antivirus, company network security must be protected using the following components:
- Intrusion Detection (IDS) and Intrusion Prevention System (IPS): They can help detect and store information regarding security events that may occur in the future.
- Email Security: This includes malware scanning and filtering spam.
- Network Segmentation: This includes the division of networks by departments using firewalls for protection against cyber threats.
Level 3: Maximal Protection
The main objective of level 3 is to protect corporate networks from targeted attacks. Some examples of such attacks include advanced malware and spear phishing. Most of the time, mid-sized organizations and large enterprises fall victim to these attacks. This is because such companies are more likely to have a large amount of data, such as bank account details, healthcare records, and regulated personal data). Therefore, targeted attacks generate tangible results.
To combat this, Mobiz offers Palo Alto Networks Managed Services for businesses of all sizes. It comes in the form of a physical device as well as a virtual service for real-time threat detection, response, prevention, and security maintenance. Besides, it provides comprehensive and scalable solutions for various organizations, such as:
- Cloud security management
- Network monitoring and management
- Security policy management
- Security operations center (SOC) services
- Firewall management
- Reporting and analytics
- Vulnerability management
Some of the most effective cybersecurity components you may need for additional protection are as follows:
- Data Loss Prevention (DLP): This software helps prevent the risk of leakage of critical data, including social security numbers and credit card details.
- Endpoint Security: This includes devices within the corporate network that can become potential entry points for cyber threats.
- Security Information and Event Management (SIEM): It works as an effective solution for tracking, collecting, analyzing, and reporting information within the IT environment.
Security for Cloud Environments
With the 7 layers of cyber security in place, companies can secure their cloud assets without any hassle. However, different types of organizations have similar levels of network security risks associated with them. Hence, storing data in the cloud is not just an efficient and cost-effective solution but also helps companies secure their corporate networks. Similarly, Mobiz provides robust strategies to protect cloud assets, such as infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS), platform-as-a-service (PaaS), and software-as-a-service (SaaS).
Related : 7 Layers of Security
Related : Security Issues in Cloud Computing
All in All
While cyber security services are essential for companies of all sizes, IT personnel must take extra steps to ensure maximum protection against cyber threats. This may include implementing firewall protection, email security solutions, endpoint security measures, intrusion detection systems (IDS), data loss prevention strategies, and network segmentation. Moreover, companies should conduct awareness programs to educate their employees on best practices for cyber security. With everything in place, you can ensure that your company’s sensitive data and valuable assets remain secure from all types of cyber attacks.
Related: What is Network Security
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Mobiz: Innovation Centre of Excellence
Mobiz is a global IT company that helps transform organizations by converting vision into reality. With our headquarters in California, we have been serving various organizations for 14 years. Moreover, our delivery centers are situated in multiple regions, which has provided us with an edge to become a 24/7 IT Solutions and Services Company.
We specialize in various domains, from data & AI and ServiceNow to Azure Cloud implementation, cybersecurity, migration, business process automation, digital transformations, advisory services, and hyper-automation. This enables us to achieve our client’s desired outcomes in no time. Besides, we foster a culture of continuous innovation through effective collaboration and our team of well-trained engineers, project managers, and solutions architectures.
Innovation Centre of Excellence
Throughout its journey, Mobiz has consistently delivered innovative solutions to clients worldwide. Building upon our expertise in cloud services, cybersecurity, ServiceNow, Azure Cloud implementation, migration, business process automation, digital transformations, advisory services, and hyper-automation, Mobiz has consistently delivered innovative solutions to clients worldwide.
In addition to these domains, our newly launched Innovation COE (Center of Excellence) is a dedicated unit focused on driving innovation through data and AI. The Innovation COE aims to support and assist organizations by creating tools, frameworks, and processes with the most advanced technology. Moreover, it plays a vital role in improving efficiency through automation. With our comprehensive range of specialized capabilities,
Mobiz is uniquely positioned to provide exceptional value and lead the way in transformative IT solutions.
Features of the Innovative Centre of Excellence (COE)
Here are some of the main features of the Centre of Excellence (COE):
- Develops solutions for organizations and clients to create new products, services, and business models that effectively utilize emerging technologies.
- Consults clients and internal teams for leveraging data and AI technology and assists them in meeting their specific business requirements.
- Facilitates the growth of an innovation-oriented culture that fosters creativity within the team.
- Seeks technology trends to build partnerships, collaborate with startups and academia, adapt external innovations, and incorporate new ideas, talent, and capabilities.
- Creates tools, frameworks, and processes to automate internal processes to improve efficiency and quality.
- Cultivates an innovation culture by fostering organizational excellence in data and AI and aims to encourage creativity, experimentation, and risk-taking within the COE.
The Innovation Centre of Excellence is headed by Mr. Waqas Obeidy. He has garnered 8+ years of experience in artificial intelligence, product development, data engineering, and data analytics. Besides, he excels in developing scalable products, data science, machine learning, creative thinking, problem-solving, and optimization. Having earned his doctoral degree in Human-Computer Interaction from the National University of Malaysia, he has researched “User Acceptance of Wearable Augmented Reality.”
Before starting at Mobiz, he was working as Chief Innovation/Technology Officer (CIO) at The Lorry Online, where he took charge of the Product, Engineering, and Data teams in four different countries and managed a team of 15+ B2B and consumer-driven digital products with more than 1 million users. His extensive experience aligns with the needs of our team, making him a valuable asset for us to achieve sustainable growth and stay ahead in a world full of technological advancements.
The Bottom Line: Unlocking the Potential of Innovation COE for Tech Firms
The Innovation COE is undeniably essential for tech firms, offering a multitude of benefits that extend beyond the development of new products and services. Cultivating organizational capabilities paves the way for long-term growth and success opportunities. At Mobiz, we have you covered! Look no further than our Innovation Centre of Excellence (COE) to leverage new technologies without the need for physical infrastructure in your business operations. Our highly skilled professionals are ready to provide the support and assistance you require. Reach out to us today and discover the possibilities.
Cloud Transformation: 5 Phases of Cloud Migration
Nowadays, businesses around the world are embracing innovative technologies for higher growth and greater success. As part of their digital transformation, companies are leveraging all the benefits of cloud computing to stay ahead of the competition. From small businesses to large enterprises, every organization is looking for cloud service providers like Mobiz, a Microsoft solution partner that provides cloud migration services to customers around the globe. This enables companies to streamline their operations, reduce costs, enhance scalability, and unlock new opportunities for collaboration. In this blog, we will introduce the five phases of cloud migration to help businesses navigate this process effectively.
Related: Cloud Migration Assessment Checklist
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Cloud Migration Phases
Cloud migration requires careful planning and execution to securely move data and applications to the cloud. The phases of migration of cloud are as follows:
Phase 1: Plan
Planning is the first step in cloud migration. It requires enterprises to create a blueprint before establishing a working foundation for the cloud. To make it easier, Mobiz leverages Terraform and the Cloud Adoption Framework (CAF) to design the desired state of the cloud infrastructure (Landing Zone) and generate a plan for migrating to the cloud. This involves creating Terraform configuration files that specify the cloud resources needed for the migration, such as virtual machines, storage, and networking.
Phase 2: Review
Now that you have planned your cloud migration strategy, it is time to identify and resolve all the potential issues that may arise during the process. This may require you to measure app performance and ask for feedback from customers to validate the migration. You can make use of tools such as Terraform and Azure Migrate to discover, test and validate the migration plan before executing it. Then, create a test environment that simulates the target cloud environment. deploying the Terraform configuration files to this environment to detect and troubleshoot potential issues.
Phase 3: Optimize
The next step is to analyze cloud resource allocation. Then, rescale your environment to reduce the number of costs associated with it. In this case, Mobiz will assist you to monitor and manage cloud resources, optimize workload placement, and automate processes to improve performance. For example, Terraform automations can be used to scale up or down the number of virtual machines in response to changes in workload demand, or to automate the deployment of new software updates to the cloud environment.
Phase 4: Modernize
Businesses must remain efficient and productive to meet their ever-changing needs and requirements. Digital transformation and application optimization ensure that your company generates smart, data-driven decisions. To achieve this, Mobiz can help organizations deploy new cloud-native applications or migrate legacy applications to the cloud. This involves using Terraform automations to create the necessary cloud resources, such as container clusters or serverless functions, and configuring them to run the application code.
Phase 5: Measure
Once you have completed the first 4 phases of cloud migration, the last step is to optimize applications and infrastructure for a better customer experience and to control costs. Mobiz will show you how to monitor and analyze the performance of applications and infrastructure in real time, identify areas for improvement, and drive continuous optimization. This involves using Terraform automations and other tools to collect data on application and infrastructure performance, and then using this data to make informed decisions about optimizing the cloud environment.
How Mobiz Can Help Navigate Your Cloud Transformation Journey
In addition to cloud operations service, Mobiz offers cloud migration solutions to simplify the migration process. Our team of highly skilled cloud architects will assess your application and infrastructure to ensure that everything remains up-to-date and free from complexities. With advanced cloud migration tools and techniques in place, your migration journey will be seamless and hassle-free.
Related: Embracing Transformation: A Guide to a Seamless Cloud Migration Project Plan
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What is Infrastructure as a Service?
As your business considers migrating to the cloud, think about Infrastructure as a Service.
Infrastructure as a Service – Delivering Without Physical Servers
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) describes a common delivery model for cloud services where businesses rent or lease servers for computing power or storage in the cloud. With IaaS, a user can run any operating system or application they want and through cloud delivery they can ignore maintenance and operating costs. This makes IaaS delivery much more efficient and cheaper to run for an enterprise as opposed to owning and operating its own network infrastructure. Other benefits?
- Cost Savings – The most important reason businesses choose IaaS is cost. When infrastructure is provided at an as-needed basis, businesses no longer need to plan for expanded abilities in the future in order to satisfy the needs of the present. IaaS also reduces maintenance and service costs.
- Easier Scaling – A business looking to add capability quickly to take advantage of a new business opportunity, expand to a new market, or to handle exponential growth will need additional network resources to handle more users and more data. IaaS can quickly scale resources up or down depending on demand and immediate needs.
- Disaster Recovery – With cloud services operating in multiple locations, businesses can access data and applications during outages or to recover from disasters. IaaS can be combined with automated procedures to ensure consistent data backups making recovery very quick and simple.
- Test Environments – New applications can be tested without adding the additional infrastructure needed to support it.
How is IaaS Different From Other Cloud Delivery Models?
Of the three most common cloud delivery options, IaaS models allow for the most customization. The enterprise leases only the hardware (networking equipment, data center space, storage, and physical servers) but maintains all other components of the technology such as applications, data, operating systems, etc. This allows the enterprise to establish total control over how the network is being used without having to purchase or own the actual hardware used to access it.
Software as a Service (SaaS)
This model has the cloud provider managing the entire technology stack while the subscriber pays a monthly fee to access software through the cloud. While this may be a good option for smaller enterprises, it may not be a viable long term option for large enterprises needing control of resources.
Platform as a Service (PaaS)
This model expands on SaaS to include a platform that incorporates the operating system, middleware, and runtime. The subscriber can still choose what applications they run and this model generally is more of a scalable option.
We Make Sure You Get the Most out of the Cloud
At MOBIZ, our goal is to make sure you do business better and when you are ready to leverage all the benefits the could has to offer, we’ll be there with expert services and advice designed specifically to your needs. How?
Content Delivery – Cloud platforms are perfect vehicles for delivering applications to diverse teams, especially those in different geographical locations. We can help keep your teams connected around the country while ensuring they don’t have any performance issues.
Monitoring and auditing – IaaS is never a static solution, it needs to be monitored and assessed periodically to make sure it is satisfying networking needs. And because security is always a concern, the MOBIZ team is available to assist you in keeping you data and applications safe.
Scaling – One of the greatest benefits of IaaS is its ability to scale as your business scales. But while this seems like a simple management issue, knowing how and when to scale is extremely important. Through expert traffic monitoring and by leveraging our established relationships with cloud providers, you will never be left in the dark or hampered by unexpected downtime.
Testing – Expansion is never easy and the same goes for your network infrastructures. Growth management needs to include the use of technology and with Iaas you not only get a scalable network tool, but the opportunity to test expanded networks. This gives you the capability to catch any issues and plan for them well before they go live.
If your enterprise is considering cloud computing, reach out to MOBIZ today. We can help you unlock the potential of IaaS and plan for a successful transition.