What Is Server Management?

Server management is the process of monitoring and maintaining servers to operate at peak
performance. Server management also encompasses the management of hardware, software,
security, and backups. The primary goals of an effective server management strategy are to:

 Minimize—and hopefully eliminate—server slowdowns and downtime

 Build secure server environments
 Ensure servers continue to meet the needs of an organization as it evolves
What Is a Virtual Server?
Virtualization is a major trend in today’s server environments. While a traditional, physical server is
typically a single server running on a single machine, a virtual server can allow multiple servers to be
hosted on one piece of hardware.

Virtual servers—also known as virtual machines—can help increase efficiency by enabling more to be
done with less hardware. They can be more complex to manage than physical servers, but the same
server management principles apply to both. Anyone who manages servers needs to be familiar with a
wide range of IT topics like physical vs. virtual servers to understand what environment is best to meet
organizational needs.
Server Management Basics
Server management basics include management of hardware, software, security, and backups. The
following are important elements of effective server management any IT strategy or software solution
should help address:

 Hardware Management
Keeping hardware performing well is the foundation of effective server management. Without reliable
hardware, business productivity can be affected, so it’s important to continuously monitor at least five
primary components to help ensure server hardware performance. These hardware components
include:
1. Central Processing Unit (CPU): The CPU is the brains of a server, performing all the
calculations to make programs run. CPUs should be constantly monitored to avoid overuse. A
CPU running close to 100% utilization for an extended period is overtaxed, meaning there’s no
excess capacity for users to perform additional tasks, risking everything depending on the
server slowing to a crawl.
To deal with an overused CPU, you may need to upgrade the chip, add more CPUs, or halt
unnecessary programs taking up system resources. A more complex option is tuning the
performance of other system elements to put less stress on the CPU.
 2. Random Access Memory (RAM): RAM is a server’s working memory. This form of temporary
storage runs faster than permanent hard disks. Programs running from RAM will perform better
given this speed advantage.
The more RAM your server has, the better its potential performance. You should keep an eye
on RAM usage and consider adding more when it nears capacity.
3. Hard Drive: The hard drive (also referred to as a hard disk) is a server’s permanent storage.
Programs and data are saved here even when the machine is shut down. Performance can
degrade when a hard drive nears maximum capacity.
You need to keep track of hard drive storage space, adding new drives or deleting unnecessary
data when they fill up (or deciding to invest in a cloud storage solution for more storage
capacity). The guide I wrote on how to check your hard drive health also explains how to know
when a hard drive is bad.
4. CPU Temperature: Servers can generate a great deal of heat. Most physical servers come
with wired thermometers to help you gauge whether the CPU temperature is in the normal
range. If the CPU temperature gets too high, shut down the server immediately and assess the
problem.
Cooling fans are another critical component of a physical server. These fans draw in cool
outside air and expel hot air warmed by the CPU. If a fan fails, the server can overheat and
cause permanent damage. Make sure to monitor fan speeds to avoid temperature spikes.
5. Operating Environment: In addition to the inside temperate of a server, you should also pay
attention to the operating environment where the server is located. A server room must be
kept at the proper temperature and humidity—with air flows maintained—for peak server
performance and reliability.
When choosing server hardware, it’s important to carefully consider the server specifications you’ll
need. It’s best to build in some excess storage and processing capacity, so the server has room to
grow with the needs of the business. However, choosing components far beyond your current
requirements may result in unnecessary hardware costs in addition to energy usage.

 Software Management
Just like hardware, server software needs monitoring and regular maintenance. Make sure you
understand the software dependencies within your infrastructure, so you can better locate and tune
any performance issues.

Also, remember to use basic best practices with application management—existing software, firmware,
and operating systems should be regularly updated for both performance and security, as poor
performance can drag down other parts of the system and potentially create vulnerabilities that
cyberattackers can use to enter your network. It’s also good practice to uninstall old software you’re
no longer using.

 Security
An important component to server management is maintaining a secure network. These security
policies can differ depending on the needs and industry type of the business. Common server security
solutions include:

1. Installing and keeping up-to-date antivirus software

2. Putting firewalls in place to keep out unauthorized traffic
3. Using a password policy or access control software to only allow secure passwords and require
users to regularly change them
4. Encrypting sensitive data storage and external network connections
5. Implementing SIEM tools
6. Analyzing and using security logging best practices to better understand potential threat
trends
 Backups
Your final responsibility to have effective server management is taking regular backups. Losing
important data can be a disaster for any enterprise. Fortunately, several robust backup solutions are
available in the marketplace, including server backup software to support both physical and virtual
servers.
The server’s power supply should also have a backup, so data isn’t lost during a power outage. There
are also tools to let you quickly perform and automate backups and recoveries in addition to easily
monitoring backup status to avoid potential data loss.
Of course, while many tools are great at helping you manage backups for a single device or network,
not all can perform well on a larger scale. If you need to manage backups for many different clients
and workstations across multiple networks, you’ll need a different solution to help ensure that your
clients’ data is protected, while also saving you as much time as possible.

So if you’re a Managed Service Provider (MSP), we recommend checking out N-able Backup. This
solution makes it easy to manage backups for hundreds of clients if necessary, and protect them from
errors, hacks, and data loss.

Internal Server vs. External Server Monitoring

Businesses need to choose whether managing servers internally or contracting with an external server
management company is the right option—or maybe a mixture of both.

If your enterprise has enough personnel, managing your own servers can provide the advantage of
having total control of your server environments. Of course, it’s crucial for team members who
manage servers to have the right server monitoring tools at their disposal. Several server
management tools exist for system administrators, who rely on features like automated reports and
preemptive alerts to stay on top of server health. While some tools simply track performance, other
server management software options have more sophisticated abilities to help streamline workflow
and even allow for a more proactive approach to server management.

What Is A Network Firewall?

A firewall is a network security device designed to monitor, filter, and control incoming and outgoing
network traffic based on predetermined security rules. The primary purpose of a firewall is to establish a
barrier between a trusted internal network and untrusted external networks.

Firewalls come in both hardware and software forms, and they work by inspecting data packets and
determining whether to allow or block them based on a set of rules. Organizations can configure these
rules to permit or deny traffic based on various criteria, such as source and destination IP addresses, port
numbers, and protocol type.

Understanding firewalls and network security

Firewalls are the bedrock of network security, shielding the network from unauthorized access. They
prevent bad actors — hackers, bots, and other threats — from overloading or infiltrating a private network
to steal sensitive data.

Traditionally, firewalls regulate traffic by forming a secure perimeter around a network or computer. This
prevents anyone from accessing network resources if they aren’t authorized to do so. Without this
protection, virtually anybody could enter and do as they please.

Today's cybersecurity landscape demands a layered approach. While firewalls remain a cornerstone of
network defense, advanced threats require additional security measures. The rise of cloud computing and
hybrid work environments further highlights the need for comprehensive security solutions.

Fortunately, cutting-edge firewall technologies with AI-powered services are bringing network security up
to speed. Combining the strengths of traditional tools with the innovative capabilities of new solutions,
modern firewall vendors help organizations defend against even the most complex attack strategies.
 What Does A Firewall Do?
Firewalls protect against malicious traffic. They’re strategically positioned at the network edge or in a data
center, allowing them to closely monitor anything attempting to cross this boundary.

This visibility also allows a network firewall to granularly inspect and authenticate data packets in real
time. This involves checking the data packet against predefined criteria to determine whether it poses a
threat. If it fails to meet the criteria, the firewall blocks it from entering or leaving the network.

Firewalls regulate both inbound and outbound traffic, protecting the network from:

 External threats such as viruses, backdoors, phishing emails, and denial-of-service (DoS) attacks.
Firewalls filter incoming traffic flows, preventing unauthorized access to sensitive data and thwarting
potential malware infections.

 Insider threats like known bad actors or risky applications. A firewall can enforce rules and policies to
restrict certain types of outgoing traffic, which helps identify suspicious activity and mitigate data
exfiltration.

Firewall vs antivirus explained

What’s the difference between firewall and antivirus software? Firewalls focus on controlling network
traffic and preventing unauthorized access. By contrast, antivirus programs target and eliminate threats at
the device level. More specifically, their key differences include:

 Scope: Antivirus software is primarily an endpoint solution, meaning it’s installed on an individual device.
Firewalls mainly deploy at the network level, but some organizations install hosted firewalls directly on an
endpoint for extra protection.

 Functionality: Firewalls monitor traffic, blocking malicious data before it enters the network (or endpoint).
Antivirus tools scan the local environment for signs of malware, ransomware, and other infectious attacks.

Enterprises normally deploy both firewalls and antivirus programs. As complementary solutions, they
each provide essential protective layers for safeguarding business assets.

Firewall Functions: NAT And VPN

Network Address Translation (NAT) and Virtual Private Network (VPN) are two distinct technologies, each
with its own set of functions related to network security and connectivity. While NAT is primarily
associated with address translation for routing purposes, VPNs are used to create secure, encrypted
connections over the internet.

NAT
NAT changes the destination or source addresses of data packets as they pass through a firewall. This
allows multiple devices to connect to the internet using the same IP address, which helps protect the
private network from direct exposure to external threats.
 In an office environment, each employee uses their own computer or mobile device to access the internet
for browsing, emailing, and accessing cloud services. Despite each device having its own private IP
address within the company's internal network, all outbound traffic appears to external networks as
originating from the same public IP address assigned to the company. As a result, it’s harder for potential
attackers to identify and target individual devices.

VPN
A VPN is a type of proxy server. Therefore, it serves as a barrier between a computer or
network and the internet, receiving all web requests before forwarding them to the network.

VPNs are common and extend the private network across a public one, such as the internet.
This allows users to securely transmit data as if their devices were directly connected to the
private network. The connection establishes an encrypted tunnel between remote devices and
the corporate network, enabling secure access.

This function is especially useful in a hybrid environment. Remote employees can leverage
VPNs to access corporate networks and critical applications regardless of where or how they’re
working.

Firewalls have evolved through four distinct phases:

1. First-generation firewalls began in 1989 with the packet filtering approach. These firewalls
examine individual data packets, making decisions to allow or block them based on predefined
rules. However, these were unable to identify if those packets contained malicious code (i.e.,
malware).

2. Second-generation firewalls began in the early 2000s. Otherwise known as stateful firewalls,
these track the state of active connections. By observing network traffic, they use context to
identify and act on suspicious behavior. Unfortunately, this generation also has its limitations.

3. Third-generation firewalls emerged in the latter half of the early 2000s. Often called proxy
firewalls or application-level gateways, these act as intermediaries between a client and server,
forwarding requests and filtering responses.
4. Fourth-generation firewall, also known as next-generation firewall (NGFW), started in 2010.
NGFWs combine traditional capabilities with new, advanced features such as intrusion
prevention (IPS), application-layer filtering, and advanced threat detection.

Although each generation improved upon the last, many earlier iterations are still in use today.
Let’s review the benefits of each firewall in more detail.

Stateless firewalls
A stateless firewall protects the network by analyzing traffic in the transport layer
protocol — the place where devices communicate with one another. Rather than store
information about the state of the network connection, it inspects traffic on a packet-by-
packet basis.

Then, it decides to block or allow the traffic based on the data located in the “packet
header.” This may include source and destination IP addresses, port numbers,
protocols, and other information. Altogether, this process is called packet filtering.

Despite being fast and inexpensive, stateless firewalls have their vulnerabilities.
Critically, they have zero visibility into packet sequencing. That means they can’t detect
illegitimate packets, which may contain attack vectors or not have a corresponding
request.

Likewise, they only have insight into the packet header — not its actual contents. This
makes it impossible for a stateless firewall to detect malware hidden within a packet’s
payload.
Statefull firewalls
Stateful firewalls track the most recent or immediate status of active connections. Monitoring the
state and context of network communications can help identify threats based on more insightful
information.

For example, state-aware firewalls block or allow traffic by analyzing where it’s coming from,
where it’s going, and the contents of its data packets. Moreover, they evaluate the behavior of
data packets and network connections, cataloging patterns and using this information to
improve future threat detection.

This approach offers more protection compared to packet filtering but takes a greater toll on
network performance because it conducts a more in-depth analysis. Worse yet, attackers can
trick stateful inspection firewalls into letting harmful connections sneak through. They exploit
network rules and send malicious packets using protocols the firewall believes to be safe.

Application-Level Gateways
Application-level gateways, or proxy firewalls, act as an intermediary
between internal and external systems. Notably, they operate at Layer 7 of
the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model — the application layer.
As the closest layer to the end-user, Layer 7 applications include web
browsers, email clients, and instant messaging tools.

Proxy firewalls intercept and analyze all incoming and outgoing traffic,
applying granular security policies to control access and protect the
network. They offer packet filtering, application-level inspection, URL
filtering, and more.
 Next-Generation Firewall

NGFWs protect businesses against emerging cyber threats. They blend all the best parts of
past firewall technologies with the advanced capabilities required to mitigate modern
cyberattacks. For example, these include:

 Deep Packet Inspection (DPI), a method of examining the contents of data packets as they
pass through network checkpoints. DPI analyzes a larger range of information, allowing it to find
otherwise hidden threats.
 Intrusion Prevention (IPS), a system that monitors traffic in real time to proactively identify
threats and automate response.
 Data Loss Prevention (DLP), a cybersecurity solution that blocks intentional and accidental
data disclosures.

NGFWs combine the protection of previous generations with the advanced security capabilities
mentioned above. They can be deployed as software or hardware and can scale to any location:
remote office, branch, campus, data center, and cloud. NGFWs can simplify, unify, and
automate enterprise-grade protection with centralized management that extends across
distributed environments. These capabilities include:

 Internet of Things (IoT) security to discover BYOD, rogue, or shadow IT devices.

 Network sandboxing to monitor and analyze suspicious objects in an isolated environment
 Zero-trust network access (ZTNA) to manage network access to users and applications based
on identity and context
 Operational technology (OT) security to protect OT environments with threat intelligence,
IPS, and SCADA applications and threat inspection
 Domain Name System (DNS) security to monitor, detect and prevent capabilities against DNS
layer attacks
 Software-defined wide-area network (SD-WAN) architecture to deliver dynamic path
selection, based on business or application policy, centralized policy and management of
appliances, virtual private network (VPN), and zero-touch configuration.

What is User Management?

User management (UM) is defined as the effective management of users and their
accounts, giving them access to various IT resources like devices, applications,
systems, networks, SaaS services, storage systems, and more. User management or
user access management enables administrators to grant access and control user
accounts. A user management system forms an integral part of identity and access
management (IAM) and serves as a basic form of security.

How Does User Management Work?

User management allows administrators to create, modify, and delete user accounts
within an organization's IT infrastructure. When a new employee joins the company, for
example, the administrator can create a user account for them, defining the user's role,
permissions, and access rights.

When the user needs access to specific resources, such as applications or files, the
administrator assigns the appropriate permissions. These permissions dictate what the
user can and cannot do within the organization's network. For instance, a marketing
manager might access marketing tools and data, while a sales representative may only
access customer data relevant to their role.

Overall, user management streamlines granting and managing access to IT resources,

ensuring that users have the necessary permissions to perform their roles effectively
while maintaining security and compliance within the organization.

The Big Shift to the Cloud

Though user management has been around for a long time now, especially within the
IAM and ITAM space, it has assumed new importance with introducing cloud-based
subscriptions.

Recent trends show that there is a sure shift to cloud-based IAM, granting
administrators greater access and control over digital assets management.
Cloud services extend user accounts management to cloud infrastructure, web
applications, and non-Windows devices as well.

What Are The Benefits Of User Management?

Now that we know user management, it is now easier to understand how user
management applications solve the riddle of managing multiple user access to various
resources.

Through UM, IT administrators can manage resources and access based on need,
thereby keeping digital assets more secure. This also ensures a frictionless experience
for the end-user, significantly improving the user experience.

The advent of cloud-only served to improve user management by opening up access to

more web applications. Users now have many more digital resources available to them,
making cloud-based user management quickly the most preferable system.
Furthermore, the effective management of user identities lays the basis for
improved identity access management, an essential aspect of security.
Effective user management enables organizations to properly maintain their user-based
licence compliancy so that various softwares are being used to their full potential. UM
can also help companies save money on various software licenses by listing out the
number of installations/activations remaining on a piece of software and removing the
need for repeated purchases.

User management can help organizations plan their budgets by identifying areas of
potential software spends. Through UM, companies can discover which areas or users
require new licenses and when.

This also helps companies know when users are no longer in need of a certain piece of
software and thereby mark it for recycling or for leasing it to other users in need.

Key Elements in User Management

User management is a critical aspect of maintaining a secure and organized system for
any organization that deals with user data. There are several key elements that make
up user management, including user authentication, authorization, and access control.

User authentication involves the process of verifying the identity of a user who is
attempting to access a system. This can be done through several methods such as
passwords, biometrics, or two-factor authentication.
Once a user's identity has been confirmed, authorization determines what actions the
user is allowed to perform within the system.
 Access control is the process of defining and managing user access to specific
resources and data within the system. This includes managing permissions for different
levels of users, such as administrators, employees, or customers.

Other key elements of user management include user provisioning and deprovisioning,
which involves creating and removing user accounts as needed, and user activity
monitoring, which helps to detect and prevent unauthorized access or suspicious
behavior.

What is a VPN?
VPN stands for Virtual Private Network. It is a type of network you can connect to
which will help you protect your online security and privacy.

A VPN acts as a tunnel through which all your data goes from your location to your
destination. It's all properly encrypted and secure so that any outside party can’t
see what data you are transferring.

There are many advantages to using VPNs, such as:

 Privacy

 Anonymity

 Security

 Encryption

 Masking or changing your original IP address, so others can’t track you

We'll discuss these advantages and more further down in this article, but first you
need to understand how a VPN works so you can use it properly.

How Does a VPN Work?

A VPN works by routing / forwarding all your data from your laptop or phone through
your VPN to the internet, rather than directly through your ISP.

When you use a VPN, it encrypts all your data on the client side. Then after the data
is encrypted, it's passed through a VPN tunnel which others can’t access, and then
it reaches the internet.

But before going through the VPN tunnel, the request is first sent to your ISP, but as
it's encrypted, ISP can’t figure out what you are trying to access. So it forwards your
request to your VPN server. Then the VPN sends the request to your desired IP
address or website.

Advantages of Using a VPN

Now let's discuss some of the advantages in more detail.

Unblock websites & bypass filters

There might be scenarios where you won’t be able to access certain websites which
are blocked by your office or school or college department, but you still want or
need to access them.

These websites may include social networking sites, movie downloading websites,
or any kind of media streaming websites.

In these cases, a VPN will help you bypass all the blocking filters and let you access
the websites that you wish to access without anyone’s help and others will have no
idea what you're accessing.

Bypass regional restrictions

People in certain countries cannot access any websites outside their country like
YouTube or Google because their government doesn't want them to use any other
websites.

If you're in one of these places and still want to access these blocked websites, then
a VPN can help by bypassing all the regional restrictions. You'll be able to access all
the restricted or blocked content without letting the government know about your
activity.

Access geo-blocked websites

There are several websites, special offers, and services which are available for
specific countries or regions. But what if you also want to take advantage of that
opportunity, but it’s not accessible in your region?
A VPN can help you by changing your IP address which will change your location on
the internet. Then you will seem to be a user from that country and you can also
have all the benefits that people in that particular region are enjoying.

Change your IP address

Your ISP is tracking your every move on the internet – which websites you are
visiting, the amount of time you are spending there, and when you log in and log
out from a website.

But sometimes you may need to hide your browsing history/activity from your local
network/ISP. In that case, using a VPN can help you keep all your records encrypted,
and your ISP will have no idea what you are doing with your internet. All your
internet browsing activity will be masked by the VPN.

Online anonymity and privacy

Everything on the internet is tracking you. Website and web servers that you use or
visit know your IP and location. That can be used to their advantage and every time
you visit the same website, they will know that it’s you, and they will track your
usage and your behavior. This isn't necessarily a good thing since you are giving
them a lot of information without knowing what.

A VPN can help keep your identity anonymous so you don't need to worry about
identity leakage or any kind of tracking activity.

Enhanced security
As discussed above, using VPN can keep your identity safe and also keeps your data
encrypted while you browse the internet. As a result, it enhances security and the
chances that someone might hack you will be lower.

So, using VPN will keep you safe when you are using any public Wi-Fi or browsing
websites which are not secure.

Disadvantages of VPN
There are some downsides to using a VPN as well:

Slows your connections

VPNs tend to slow your internet connection. As the VPN servers might be located far
away from you (might be in some other geographic location or country), your data
will need to travel farther across the internet and will slow your connection speed.

VPNs log your activities

VPNs keep logs of your activities. You heard right. Regardless of what policies they
have, even if they say that they don’t keep any logs, they do. Governments have
taken action against VPNs, and the VPN companies tend to deliver all the activity
logs of a user in cases of international crime, terrorist activity, or hacking.

So – it goes without saying – make sure you don’t use VPNs for any illegal activities.
Use it instead to protect yourself and your identity from malicious hackers.

Specific blockades of VPN services

There are many websites and streaming services like Netflix which will not allow
any unusual VPN users to access their content. So, there might be many cases
where your VPN will help, but there are many websites and servers which won't
allow you to access them using a VPN.

What is High-Performance Computing (HPC)?

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High-Performance Computing (HPC) is a technology that leverages clusters

of powerful processors working in parallel to process massive,
multidimensional data sets and solve complex problems at extremely high
speeds1. HPC systems typically run at speeds more than one million times
faster than the fastest commodity desktop, laptop, or server systems 1.
How HPC Works
HPC systems use parallel computing, which runs multiple tasks
simultaneously on numerous computer servers or processors. This is in
contrast to standard computing systems that use serial computing, where
tasks are executed one after the other on the same processor 1. HPC clusters,
also known as computer clusters, consist of multiple high-speed computer
servers networked with a centralized scheduler that manages the parallel
computing workload1. These clusters can include tens of thousands to
millions of processors or processor cores1.
Components of HPC
HPC clusters are composed of high-performance components such as multi-
core CPUs or GPUs, high-speed networking, memory, storage, and file
systems1. These components are designed to keep pace with the nodes and
optimize the computing power and performance of the cluster 1. HPC
workloads rely on a message passing interface (MPI), a standard library
and protocol for parallel computer programming that allows communication
between nodes in a cluster or across a network 1.
HPC in the Cloud
HPC has traditionally been associated with on-premises infrastructure,
involving supercomputers or computer clusters. However, the advent of
cloud computing has made HPC more accessible and affordable 1. HPC in the
cloud, also known as HPC as a Service (HPCaaS), offers a scalable and cost-
efficient way for organizations to leverage HPC capabilities 1. Leading public
 cloud service providers like AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, and IBM
Cloud offer HPC services1.
Applications of HPC
HPC is used in various fields to solve complex problems and perform
advanced computations. Some notable applications include:
 Scientific Research: HPC is widely used in physics, chemistry, and
astronomy to model complex physical events and analyze large data sets 2.
 Healthcare: HPC is used for drug discovery, genome sequencing, and
medical image analysis2.
 Weather Forecasting: HPC systems run sophisticated algorithms to
predict weather patterns2.
 Engineering and Design: HPC is used to model and evaluate complex
systems in vehicles, buildings, and airplanes 2.
 Energy and Environmental Studies: HPC is employed to simulate
climate change and renewable energy sources 2.
Benefits and Challenges
HPC offers numerous benefits, including the ability to quickly configure and
deploy intensive workloads, reduce time to results through scaling, and gain
cost-efficiency by paying only for the compute power used 1. However, HPC
also presents challenges such as high costs, scalability issues, data
management complexities, and the need for specialized programming
techniques2.
In summary, HPC harnesses the power of supercomputers or computer
clusters to solve complex problems requiring massive computation. It is a
critical technology for scientific discoveries, industrial advancements, and
improving the quality of life.

What is cloud security?

Cloud security is the set of strategies and practices for protecting data and applications that
are hosted in the cloud. Like cyber security, cloud security is a very broad area, and it is
never possible to prevent every variety of attack. However, a well-designed cloud security
strategy vastly reduces the risk of cyber attacks.

Even with these risks, cloud computing is often more secure than on-premise computing.
Most cloud providers have more resources for keeping data secure than individual
businesses do, which lets cloud providers keep infrastructure up to date and patch
vulnerabilities as soon as possible. A single business, on the other hand, may not have
enough resources to perform these tasks consistently.
Note: Cloud security is not the same thing as Security-as-a-Service (SECaaS or SaaS), which
refers to security products hosted in the cloud.

What are the main cloud security risks?

Most cloud security risks fit into one of these general categories:

 Data is exposed or leaked

 An unauthorized user from outside the organization has access to internal data

 An internal, authorized user has too much access to internal data

 A malicious attack, such as a DDoS attack or a malware infection, cripples or

destroys cloud infrastructure

The goal of a cloud security strategy is to reduce the threat posed by these risks as much as
possible by protecting data, managing user authentication and access, and staying
operational in the face of an attack.

What are some of the key technologies

for cloud security?
A cloud security strategy should include all of the following technologies:

Encryption: Encryption is a way of scrambling data so that only authorized parties can
understand the information. If an attacker hacks into a company's cloud and finds
unencrypted data, they are able to do any number of malicious actions with the data: leak it,
sell it, use it to carry out further attacks, etc. However, if the company's data is encrypted,
the attacker will only find scrambled data that cannot be used unless they somehow
discover the decryption key (which should be almost impossible). In this way, encryption
helps prevent data leakage and exposure, even when other security measures fail.

Data can be encrypted both at rest (when it is stored) or in transit (while it is sent from one
place to another). Cloud data should be encrypted both at rest and in transit so that
attackers cannot intercept and read it. Encrypting data in transit should address both data
traveling between a cloud and a user, and data traveling from one cloud to another, as in
a multi-cloud or hybrid cloud environment. Additionally, data should be encrypted when it is
stored in a database or via a cloud storage service.

If the clouds in a multi-cloud or hybrid cloud environment are connected at the network
layer, a VPN can encrypt traffic between them. If they are connected at the application
layer, SSL/TLS encryption should be used. SSL/TLS should also encrypt traffic between a user
and a cloud (see What Is HTTPS?).
Identity and access management (IAM): Identity and access management
(IAM) products track who a user is and what they are allowed to do, and they authorize users
and deny access to unauthorized users as necessary. IAM is extremely important in cloud
computing because a user's identity and access privileges determine whether they can
access data, not the user's device or location.

IAM helps reduce the threats of unauthorized users gaining access to internal assets and
authorized users exceeding their privileges. The right IAM solution will help mitigate several
kinds of attacks, including account takeover attacks and insider threats (when a user or
employee abuses their access in order to expose data).

IAM may include several different services, or it may be a single service that combines all of
the following capabilities:

 Identity providers (IdP) authenticate user identity

 Single sign-on (SSO) services help authenticate user identities for multiple
applications, so that users only have to sign in once to access all their cloud
services

 Multi-factor authentication (MFA) services strengthen the user authentication process

 Access control services allow and restrict user access

Firewall: A cloud firewall provides a layer of protection around cloud assets by blocking
malicious web traffic. Unlike traditional firewalls, which are hosted on-premise and defend
the network perimeter, cloud firewalls are hosted in the cloud and form a virtual security
barrier around cloud infrastructure.

Cloud firewalls block DDoS attacks, malicious bot activity, and vulnerability exploits. This
reduces the chances of a cyber attack crippling an organization's cloud infrastructure.

What other practices are important for

keeping cloud data secure?
Implementing the above technologies (plus any additional cloud security products) is not
enough, on its own, to protect cloud data. In addition to standard cyber security best
practices, organizations that use the cloud should follow these cloud security practices:

Proper configuration of security settings for cloud servers: When a company does
not set up their security settings properly, it can result in a data breach. Misconfigured cloud
servers can expose data directly to the wider Internet. Configuring cloud security settings
properly requires team members who are experts in working with each cloud, and may also
require close collaboration with the cloud vendor.

Consistent security policies across all clouds and data centers: Security measures
have to apply across a company's entire infrastructure, including public clouds, private
clouds, and on-premises infrastructure. If one aspect of a company's cloud infrastructure —
say, their public cloud service for big data processing — is not protected by encryption and
strong user authentication, attackers are more likely to find and target the weak link.

Backup plans: As with any other type of security, there must be a plan for when things go
wrong. To prevent data from getting lost or tampered with, data should be backed up in
another cloud or on-premise. There should also be a failover plan in place so that business
processes are not interrupted if one cloud service fails. One of the advantages of multi-cloud
and hybrid cloud deployments is that different clouds can be used as backup — for
instance, data storage in the cloud can back up an on-premise database.

User and employee education: A large percentage of data breaches occur because a
user was victimized by a phishing attack, unknowingly installed malware, used an outdated
and vulnerable device, or practiced poor password hygiene (reusing the same password,
writing their password down in a visible location, etc.). By educating their internal
employees about security, businesses that operate in the cloud can reduce the risk of these
occurrences. (The Cloudflare Learning Center is a good resource for security education.)