Ensuring Security And Efficiency With Cloud

This is the first installment of a series focused on AWS security. Click here to access part 2.

As businesses increasingly migrate operations to the cloud, ensuring security and efficiency becomes paramount. Cloud governance provides a structured framework that allows organizations to manage cloud services and resources effectively while minimizing risks and maximizing benefits. In this first installment of our cloud governance blog series, we will explore the fundamentals of cloud governance, the importance of implementing a robust framework, and best practices to ensure security and operational efficiency, drawing on insights from my experience as the Principal Cloud Strategist at WEI.

What Is Cloud Governance?

Cloud governance refers to the policies, procedures, and controls that organizations use to manage and secure their cloud environments. It encompasses the oversight and direction of cloud services, ensuring that they are used in a way that aligns with business objectives and regulatory requirements. Unlike traditional IT governance, cloud governance must account for the unique challenges and opportunities presented by cloud computing, such as scalability, on-demand resources, and shared responsibility with cloud service providers (CSPs).

The Importance of Cloud Governance

Effective cloud governance is essential for several reasons:

• Risk Management: By establishing clear policies and controls, organizations can mitigate security risks and ensure compliance with regulatory standards.
• Cost Optimization: Cloud governance helps prevent unnecessary expenditures by implementing cost management practices and avoiding resource sprawl.
• Operational Efficiency: A well-defined governance framework enhances the efficiency of cloud operations through automation and standardized processes.
• Strategic Alignment: Ensures that cloud services are used in a manner that supports business goals and enhances overall performance.

When I first started working with the cloud, I saw how quickly and easily developers could spin up resources. But I also saw how things could get out of control without the right governance in place, especially through the practice of Shadow IT. Many cloud architects will witness  fellow colleagues using all kinds of unauthorized cloud services and apps, creating security risks and compliance issues.

This is why I’m so passionate about helping organizations find the right balance between empowering builders and maintaining control. Shadow IT refers to using IT systems, devices, software, applications, and services without explicit approval from the IT department. While it can enable employees to be more productive and innovative, it also introduces serious security risks if left unchecked. Common risks of Shadow IT include:

• Data Breaches: Sensitive corporate data could be exposed if stored in unsanctioned cloud apps
• Compliance Violations: The use of unapproved services can violate regulatory requirements such as HIPAA, PCI, etc.
• Lack of Visibility & Control: IT personnel lose visibility and control over where company data resides
• Inefficient Spending: Redundant services and lack of volume discounts can drive up costs

This is where a strong cloud governance framework comes in. By establishing approved services, enforcing policies, and monitoring usage, organizations can embrace the agility of the cloud while mitigating risks.

Cloud Governance Frameworks

Several cloud governance frameworks are available, each with its own approach to managing cloud environments. The AWS Five Pillars of a Well-Architected Framework is one of the most widely recognized. This framework provides a comprehensive set of best practices designed to help organizations build secure, high-performing, resilient, and efficient cloud infrastructure.

Best Practices for Cloud Governance

Let’s dive into some key best practices for each of the five pillars:

Security Management

• Active Security Configuration: Ensure that all security features provided by the CSP are actively configured and regularly updated. This includes access controls, encryption, and monitoring.
• Shared Responsibility: Understand and clearly define the security responsibilities shared between your organization and the CSP. Regularly assess and adjust security measures to meet evolving threats and requirements.

Cost Optimization

• Cost Management Controls: Implement basic cost management tools from day one. Use budgeting and monitoring tools to keep track of cloud expenditures.
• Avoid Resource Sprawl: Identify and eliminate unnecessary resources, such as unused virtual machines, outdated snapshots, and excessive backups. Implement policies for resource usage and cost allocation.

Operational Excellence

• Infrastructure as Code (IaC): Use IaC to automate the provisioning and management of cloud infrastructure. This ensures consistency, compliance, and the ability to replicate environments quickly.
• Continuous Monitoring: Establish monitoring systems to track performance, usage, and security metrics. Use these insights to address issues and optimize operations proactively.

Performance Efficiency

• Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS): Utilize PaaS offerings to reduce the burden of managing the underlying infrastructure. This allows your team to focus on developing and optimizing applications.
• Scalability & Flexibility: Design applications to leverage the scalability and flexibility of cloud resources. Implement auto-scaling and load balancing to handle varying workloads efficiently.

Reliability

• Failure Detection & Mitigation: Design systems that automatically detect and respond to failures. Use managed services for data redundancy and failover capabilities.
• Service Level Agreements (SLAs): Align SLAs with your reliability requirements and ensure that your cloud architecture meets the necessary uptime and performance standards.

Sustainability

• Maximize Utilization: Emphasize the importance of maximizing hardware utilization to improve energy efficiency. Optimize workloads and designs to ensure high utilization of hardware. For example, running one host at 60% utilization is more efficient than running two hosts at 30% each due to baseline power consumption. Additionally, it recommends minimizing idle resources, processing, and storage to further reduce overall energy consumption.

In the next part of our series, we’ll dive deeper into the challenges of cloud governance and explore strategies for overcoming them, including how to address shadow IT. Stay tuned!

Next Steps: In today’s cloud-driven world, ensuring meaningful security for an AWS environment is paramount for IT security leaders and the end users they protect. WEI Senior Cloud Architect & Strategist Keith Lafaso presents on this important topic as he unveils the essential best practices to safeguard your cloud infrastructure. Listen below: