Holding a poised stance during the global economic crisis will most likely be one of, if not the most, difficult hurdle industry stakeholders may ever encounter. As a result, cloud solutions, along with an array of other technologies, have presented grappling businesses with an opportunity to continue operating and develop some form of control over the operations – a rarity these days. Given the quick pace of change in combination with a lack of cloud expertise, experiencing cybersecurity threats and migration delays occur as a strong likelihood. The number of ports and terminals turning to cloud strategies has risen, but in an act to quickly alleviate the impacts of the virus, a rushed job can create more harm than good.

A lack of proper training and cloud security talent highlights the skills gap between cloud service IT professionals and general IT skills inherent in companies. The general approach is to manage all hardware and resources independently, and hence, opt for Infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) to run their relevant Software-as-a-service (SaaS). Consequently, businesses have a dual responsibility to manage and maintain both services, overcomplicating their countermeasure. Instead, companies simply should be operating purely as a SaaS to develop and leave system infrastructure maintenance to the cloud provider’s cloud specialists. Therefore, with workloads streamlined, operational expenses inevitably decrease, respectively.

Undoubtedly, the global crisis has accelerated technological acceptance, even in the most conservative industries. However, some are still not ready to fully embrace and entrust in what native-cloud systems have to offer. A common misconception reveals companies making projects more complicated than needed and without the correct pool of expertise, creates a system vulnerable to many threats. Traditional IT security skills are vital, but not sufficient to battle data breaches in real-time.

Furthermore, the cloud talent gap inflicts a costly outcome as it is more likely to delay cloud migrations by two years or even more. Consequently, expenses increase, which completely contradicts what cloud-native applications have to offer. Another alarming figure reflected in Gartner’s analysis, predicts through 2023, 99% of cloud security failures will be the customer’s fault. It is a massive wake-up call; a warning that timeliness goes hand in hand with responsibility.

Although it is a substantial move forward in both the digital and business landscape, many things can go wrong with deploying strategies at high speeds. Security threats, data breaches, and expenses exceeding planned budgets would be a direct result of poor planning compromising diligence. Therefore, avoiding project failures require executives to determine the business requirements and filter out what is not needed. Simply put, the lesson to cultivate is to plan, research, evaluate, and re-evaluate.

Technology is advancing faster than the world can handle, with only the few people who truly grasp the underlying concepts of the cloud being able to understand them. Are you one of them?

The surge of connectivity in IoT is the main contributor to the grand shift towards the takeover of cloud technology. This cutting-edge technology inspires organizations to adopt a cloud TOS which ought to resolve many operational inefficiencies, drive operational efficiency, and enhance their overall performance.

Although several TOS providers tend to pitch this buzzword at every opportunity, nearly all system infrastructures evade entirely from the core cloud characteristics and components. Instead of achieving maximum ROI, which is a forefront deliverable of the cloud, they confront a surplus in expenses and experience a downturn in performance. As a result, these TOS which claim to be cloud-based foster an undermining perception of how powerful a true cloud TOS can manifest on a terminal.

Not only does the undesirable outcomes that emit from a forged cloud TOS misconstrue cloud computing, but the acute fear detesting the security of a cloud TOS illustrates the device as belligerent and detrimental. Data insecurity inherits the main deterrent against adopting a true cloud TOS. Although many sources suggest a resistance against the cloud, there are not many valid reasons justifying this proposition.

Before making a misinformed decision, it is critical to fully understand every aspect of what a true cloud TOS can offer a terminal. Outlined below, are the debunked speculations challenging data insecurity.

1. 2048-Bit Encryption

Anything connected must be supported by well-defined and well-implemented security. Therefore, a cloud TOS must provide 2048-bit encryption; the highest encryption rate available. This level of encryption is exponentially more secure than 1024-bit, setting the new standard across the Container Handling Industry. Do not settle for less.

2. ISO Standards

Standardization for data must be enforced to ensure a decree of legislation is governing the continuously growing cloud computing landscape. As cloud computing expands into new fields, new standards regarding security and privacy are introduced, becoming stricter and increasingly rigid. The latest ISO/IEC 19086-4:2019 has been instituted, heeding strict conformity from all cloud service providers. This standardization also serves as guidance whereby infringement of the regulations instigates viable litigations.

3. Multi-Layered Security

A TOS operating in the cloud is essentially a SaaS running on a PaaS belonging to a cloud service provider. As opposed to the conventional on-premise enterprise TOS solution, there is a higher concentration on data security since cloud servers maintained in data centers are rigorously safeguarded and managed by professionals with strong IT expertise. These professionals are highly experienced in responding to any malfunctioning or system failures with imminence. Entrance to these warehouses also requires numerous levels of authorized clearances. The rollout of stringent compliance requirements, firewalls, policies, processes, and control activities collectively fortifies an ethical use of cloud technology to instill a safe environment respecting global privacy and data protection.

Traditionally, a terminal restricts their resources and delegates limited-to-one IT maintenance personnel to maintain the hardware and system infrastructures. As a result, this limited expertise can engender additional implications such as being incapable of detecting the issue early which prolongs the timespan to resolve the issue. Therefore, if anything, security is heightened in the instance of adopting the cloud which starkly distinguishes against the common on-premise TOS.

4. Cloud in Everyday Use

The masses of Internet-enabled devices expedite cloud use and has become an unknowingly natural practice for all Internet users. Cloud technology is prevalent in everyday operations and activities inducing greater dependence as it continues to expand across all industries. Many users entrust their private data to cloud-based software giants such as Facebook, Instagram, and Google Drive, baring the question – what is the difference?

5. Non-sensitive Data

Data processed in a TOS is predominantly non-sensitive as it primarily comprises of EDI messages providing discharge as well as load orders, and container throughput sent from shipping lines. Therefore, the terminal operator does not own any data that enters or departs from the terminal other than their KPIs, which is of very little value to external stakeholders.

When terminals face results that deviate heavily from their expectations and objectives, it is crucial to understand that it is yielded from poor decision making in implementing a forged cloud TOS. A true cloud-based TOS will offer higher revenues, lower expenses, and instill paramount security measures. Conduct research, understand the true meaning of cloud infrastructure and select the correct cloud TOS to leverage only benefits. It is time you start seeing a difference.

Amid the growing wave of technological innovation, cloud architecture has become widely renowned for its power to leverage resources off-premise on any device, virtually anywhere in the world. However, a manifold of benefits rendered from using a cloud-based software is left overlooked due to misconceptions about adopting a cloud architecture. Some common myths regarding cloud software are:

Costly Investment

MYTH: There is an underlying myth that adopting a Cloud infrastructure will be a costly investment due to transforming the business structure and implementation process.

• Quite frankly, deploying a true cloud architecture system into a terminal will do the opposite. The most common economic rationale for investing in cloud architecture resources is the elimination of up-front IT investments. The removal or reduction in up-front financial investments enables terminals to start small and increase their IT resource allocation accordingly, whenever they require.</p>
• As a result, it is integral for every terminal to consider the Return on Investment (ROI) which can be highly enhanced if the cloud TOS provider follows a ‘pay-as-you-go’ model like the. This feature provides enterprises with the ability to release any unnecessary cloud computing resources that are no longer needed.
• If the software is truly and completely on the cloud, then on-premise IT infrastructure and applications are no longer required, enabling terminals to save massive amounts in capital costs.

Reduced Control and Manageability

MYTH: Having less control over own data is a popular myth which stems from the presumption that IT infrastructure is no longer managed locally but instead, is now managed, monitored, and maintained on the web by the service provider.

• However, greater control and manageability can arguably counteract this misconception as cloud software in conjunction with IoT, facilitates mobility since stakeholders are warranted access to data and information from any location with any device.
• Although terminal operators and personnel will only be able to control the front-end infrastructure, the information, data, and applications operating the platform, allows terminals to focus their resources on other areas to engender growth or implement advancements.
• As opposed to investing large amounts in upgrading existing solutions on-premise which can also be extremely time consuming and costly, cloud-based services, if entirely on the cloud, can meet this demand instantly and seamlessly.

Security Vulnerability

MYTH: Cloud architecture weakening the security structure of a TOS protecting the data and information belonging to a terminal persists as a myth.

• Cloud software providers, as well as cloud service providers, must follow strict regulation and comply with the industry requirements such as the ISO Standards.
• These policies are heavily enforced to both cloud software providers and cloud service providers which ensures that a safe and protected environment is created for maintaining Big Data in a terminal.
• Many terminals which have yet to adopt a TOS completely on the cloud are more likely to face the risk of data and information losses because of their current software and hardware malfunctioning. Due to cloud-based services storing all information and data in one location safely, it mitigates this risk of data and information loss.

Terminals that realize the real benefits of cloud technology can leverage greater opportunities which allow for a higher ROI, increased control and manageability of data, and can operate as a safer system. However, some enterprise customers are more inclined to deter from these opportunities derived from cloud software because they are only looking at all the reasons not to. Don’t fret and make more by doing less with a complete TOS that is entirely on the Cloud.