Cloud Computing: Business Benefits With Security, Governance and Assurance Perspectives
Globalization and recent economic pressures have resulted in increased requirements for the availability, scalability and efficiency of enterprise information technology (IT) solutions. A broad base of business leaders has become increasingly interested in the cost sand the underlying technology used to deliver such solutions because of their growing impact on the bottom line. Many parties claim that “cloud computing” can help enterprises meet the increased requirements of lower total cost of ownership (TCO), higher return on investment (ROI), increased efficiency, dynamic provisioning and utility-like pay-as-you-go services. However, many IT professionals are citing the increased risks associated with trusting information assets to the cloud as something that must be clearly understood and managed by relevant stakeholders. This paper clarifies what cloud computing is, identifies the services offered in the cloud, and also examines potential business benefits, risks and assurance considerations.