As a security provider, you need to be able to deal with a variety of challenges. Your team needs to be able to respond swiftly in the event of an emergency and have turn-on-a-dime operational flexibility. What’s more, all of this needs to be delivered consistently. This is where cloud services provide significant value to your security businesses. In this article, we’ll look at how cloud services benefit security providers.
A Step Closer to 100% Uptime
Uptime is a crucial metric for all businesses. In the security industry, this need is all the more acute. Downtime can put your clients in severe danger.
Cloud services make capacity more flexible because they can expand to meet increased operational needs without overloading data centers. There is also the bonus of not depending on servers in a single geographical location. Single-location servers are susceptible to natural disasters or other unexpected outages, which increases the risk of downtime.
Scalable Operations
Flexibility and agility are certainly important when targeting increased levels of uptime.
Your services are delivered according to several different aspects:
- Current demand levels
- Short-term capability
- Contemporary technology and best practices
But what happens when your business grows? You need architecture that can grow along with it.
Cloud services are designed to achieve this. There is no need for data centers or other hardware installed in-house, because you’re not restricted by physical space.
With the right cloud SaaS provider, you only pay for the capability and capacity you need. You can add to this capacity when required, which makes it easy to forecast your growth requirements in both the short and the long term. And you can quickly and easily ensure that you’re capable of handling growth.
Cloud service providers can recognize when more capacity is required. Key elements of the cloud structure are then cloned to meet this demand. The service provider can also offer auto-upgrades. This means your business can sign off on expanded capacity independently. There is no need to wait for the provider to extend capability.
Effective Remote Monitoring
Cloud services support security in several different ways, perhaps most principally through remote operation.
When teams are on the move or deployed on location, they need to be able to achieve the same level of monitoring. A cloud platform achieves this. It’s immediately accessible for employees with the right security clearance, regardless of their location or situation.
The cloud architecture ensures teams can act upon information right away. Incidents are flagged during monitoring, processed as a ticket, and picked up in real-time by service teams. This results in unprecedented fluidity and efficiency as you deal with issues for your clients.
Again, connecting with cloud services on a SaaS basis means such capabilities are scalable. The service provider also handles all updates, offering additional peace of mind and reducing the strain on your teams.
Consistent Practices Across Distributed Teams
Security and monitoring services need to be offered around the clock so your clients know they can rely on you for comprehensive security. One problem that can arise here is that multiple teams are required—working in shifts—to ensure this blanket protection for clients. These teams may not operate in the same manner, and inconsistencies—in an industry where consistency is critical—can be costly.
With cloud services, there is a constant connection between teams. Support can be offered instantly, and integrated, cloud-based tools allow effective collaboration between teams across geographical locations.
Teams can also draw upon resources stored in cloud structures to guide them when required, securing better consistency across all monitoring shifts.
Final Thoughts
Cloud services represent the backbone of a reliable, resilient, and forward-thinking security provider. While there is understandable hesitancy to embrace new technology in a field that’s focused entirely on security, cloud services provide a lot of benefits.
If your monitoring center has not yet made the transition to cloud-based tools, it may be time to consider a change.