Written by: Kevin Gardner
Commercial cloud services are becoming a popular method of data storage, particularly as many companies make the shift to remote work, but is all of your remote data truly safe? Here are some reasons why cloud monitoring is an easy way to ensure that all of your cloud storage accounts are running efficiently and safely.
1. Continuous Monitoring
Cloud monitoring provides continuous monitoring of your files to ensure that every new file that is uploaded is scanned for viruses. All it takes is one infected file to bring down your company's entire infrastructure, so a robust cloud monitoring strategy should be an essential piece of your overall cybersecurity strategy. Scanning all files in real-time as soon as they are added to your cloud storage is a proactive way to ensure that nothing sinister slips through the cracks. Further, any file that is downloaded is also monitored so you know what was downloaded and by who, and when.
2. Ability to Monitor All Data Through One Platform
If your files are scattered everywhere, it can be challenging to keep track of everything and stay on top of any potential security issues. However, cloud monitoring gives you one simple place to keep track of all of your remote storage accounts. There is no need to log in to each account — and who can remember that many logins anyway? Instead, spend your time tracking your data from one location, no matter where it is stored. Cloud monitoring lets you work smarter and not harder.
3. Visibility Into Server Activity
It is important to be aware of what is happening on your servers, from what files are being uploaded and downloaded to who is accessing company data and when. This type of visibility into server activity can help you establish patterns in behavior, such as the same person downloading a certain type of file regularly or even someone accessing the servers at the same time each day. These types of activities in themselves do not sound dangerous, but this type of granular view into your company's server activity could potentially help you stop a breach before it happens, or at least could give you essential insight into who or what caused a breach if it cannot be stopped proactively.
4. Simple Setup and Maintenance
Generally speaking, cloud monitoring is simple to set up and won't take hours of your tech team's precious time. Once employed, you can easily add new cloud accounts or remove ones that you are no longer using. There are no lengthy updates to install that can bring your company's productivity to a halt — they are all performed automatically with no effort on your part and no effect on your data. All you need to do is monitor your data and the host (or cloud monitoring service provider) will handle the rest.
5. Cost-Effective Deployments
Unlike many products on the market today, with cloud monitoring, you only pay for the systems that you wish to monitor. There is no one set price, so it is truly customizable for your company. If you wish to add another cloud account, you simply pay for that account when it is added. If you wish to remove an account from your service, this can be done easily and your costs will reflect this change. By only paying for what you use, you can save money that can be used to benefit the company in other ways.
Cloud monitoring is a great way to keep your company's data safe. Use this list to convince your C-level that now is the time to be proactive.
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