Hyper-Converged Infrastructure, Application Infrastructure
Article | July 19, 2023
The year of the pandemic – that is how many of us will remember 2020 for generations to come. Challenging circumstances brought by the sudden and devastating spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) has made us witness the world making quick changes to remote working, businesses struggling to survive, the distress of social distancing rules, the emotional rollercoaster for people isolating, an overall crisis for health systems and the economy of countries, no matter where you were in the world.
When reflecting on what it has meant so far, however, we must realise that it’s not all doom and gloom. As Albert Einstein once said, “in the midst of every crisis lied a great opportunity”. The crisis has prompted companies to reinvent and accelerate digital plans, to adopt new technologies and sales models in order to adapt and survive – and for Managed Service Providers (MSPs) to step up to support businesses and employees in every way possible.
On the other hand, let’s also not forget what the changes have meant for the health of our ecosystems. With industries across varied sectors forced to work remotely and shut down operations, the changes have led to benefits for the environment – and we could argue that such break was something that our planet was desperately in need of.
Even now, as we start to see our way out of this situation, it’s hard to believe how it all happened. For most countries, it was a similar case: we were hearing news about a new virus spreading in China; and before we knew more about it, the virus arrived in our own territories. It seemed unlikely, and yet, a few days later, the virus was quickly spreading, and lockdown restrictions came into effect for almost every nation in the globe. Millions of workers around the world had to leave the office and make a quick switch to remote working, without much notice at all.
In the initial stages of lockdown, MSPs had to work around the clock to help customers that weren’t ready for flexible working, to enable people to work from home. As every other industry and business type, MSPs also encountered challenges. Not being able to help a client on-site can sometimes significantly affect the speed of project delivery. So, adjustments had to be made, wherever possible, to deliver services remotely, as quickly and seamlessly as possible.
“We are all in this together” is a phrase that became widespread in the UK. IT professionals, like many other sectors, had to support each other, and they have been working together as a community, to assist clients, businesses, and the wider public, since working from home was suddenly imposed for the vast majority. In the technology space, there is a lot of knowledge to share and to work with, which has led to many tech leaders and companies offering free advice, webinars and other tools to help with the struggles that have risen in the midst of the pandemic.
Shifting priorities based on customer needs
In the initial stages of the pandemic, MSPs played a critical role providing small and medium sized businesses with the tools and the IT infrastructure to keep their business running. Enabling office-based workers to continue their work from home was only the first step, however.
The sudden shift to remote working has required new tools and exposed new security vulnerabilities. All around the world, we saw an increasing number of cyber-attacks and threats taking place. Remote working means many people were using personal computers for work and business purposes, and so, products that are designed to keep personal computers protected became essential.
MSPs have also focused on increasing security measures for protecting password and identities for customers. Passwords on their own are not secure enough and can be easily compromised, so it has been a case of quickly deploying password management and Multi-factor Authentication (MFA), also known as two-factor authentication (2FA). MFA immediately increases security and ensures that clients’ accounts are significantly less likely to be compromised. In a few simple steps, IT providers can deploy MFA to help protect an organisation against breaches due to lost or stolen credentials.
Beyond helping employees to work from home securely, MSPs have assisted companies in implementing cloud-based applications, and managing access and restrictions to certain applications, especially for furloughed staff.
Embracing opportunities in the post-pandemic landscape
The spread of Covid-19 has made remote working the new norm, but how likely is this to become a permanent thing? Many employers and workers have started to believe that working from home will become more and more common for employees, even after the threat of the virus is gone. It’s difficult to know what the final picture will be, but it’s remains a fact that, as offices gradually re-open after lockdown, employers are increasingly looking at new ways of flexible working.
Many organisations that have been forced to work from home have been functioning remotely with little to no issue, so it stands to reason that the future of work will become more flexible. Video-calls, online training sessions, webinars, online meetings, it all sounds too familiar now, doesn’t it?
Remote working was already popular, though for a long time it wasn’t much more than a much-appreciated working benefit offered by employers, as part of the ‘job perks’ package. The pandemic only accelerated the need for remote working capabilities, and now telecommuting seems to be taking over as the new norm.
The IT landscape has mutated, and quite possibly it has changed for good. Technology leaders will have to continue to listen to the evolving needs and demands of the users and the markets in which they operate. For MSPs, it means the crisis is bringing opportunities to provide value to clients seeking support for enhanced mobility and flexible working. Now that work-from-home setups are in place, there’s room for improving remote access solutions and security measures.
Cloud migrations, which are expected to increase after the pandemic, present an opportunity for remote employees to improve collaboration and business resiliency. There will be a push towards more robust cloud-based solutions, and these migrations are likely to become one of the top opportunities for the months to come to drive revenue for MSPs, as well as VoIP solutions, business continuity and hardware sales.
The pandemic seems to have accelerated the demand for cloud services and security solutions. MSPs will play an important role in finding the best solutions for every business type, to enable them to work more flexibly and effectively. IT providers will be increasingly tasked with the job of securing devices and protecting employees as they work remotely, especially for SMBs.
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Hyper-Converged Infrastructure
Article | October 3, 2023
Containers have emerged as a choice for deploying and scaling applications, owing to their lightweight, isolated, and portable nature. However, the absence of robust security measures may expose containers to diverse threats, thereby compromising the confidentiality and integrity of data and apps.
Contents
1 Introduction
2 IaaS Container Security Techniques
2.1 Container Image Security
2.2 Host Security
2.3 Network Security
2.4 Data Security
2.5 Identity and Access Management (IAM)
2.6 Runtime Container Security
2.7 Compliance and Auditing
3 Conclusion
1. Introduction
Infrastructure as a Service has become an increasingly popular way of deploying and managing applications, and containerization has emerged as a leading technology for packaging and deploying these applications. Containers are software packages that include all the necessary components to operate in any environment. While containers offer numerous benefits, such as portability, scalability, and speed, they also introduce new security challenges that must be addressed.
Implementing adequate IaaS container security requires a comprehensive approach encompassing multiple layers and techniques. This blog explores the critical components of IaaS container security. It provides an overview of the techniques and best practices for implementing security measures that ensure the confidentiality and integrity of containerized applications. By following these, organizations can leverage the benefits of IaaS and containerization while mitigating the security risks that come along.
2. IaaS Container Security Techniques
The increasing IAAS security risks and security issues associated with IAAS these days are leading to a massive data breach. Thus, IAAS security concerns are taken into consideration, and seven best techniques are drafted below.
2.1. Container Image Security:
Container images are the building blocks of containerized applications. Ensuring the security of these images is essential to prevent security threats. The following measures are used for container image security:
Using secure registries: The registry is the location where container images are stored and distributed. Usage of centrally managed registries on campus, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) can scan them for security issues and system managers may simply assess package gaps, etc.
Signing images: Container images can be signed using digital signatures to ensure their authenticity. Signed images can be verified before being deployed to ensure they have not been tampered with.
Scanning images: Although standard AppSec tools such as Software Composition Analysis (SCA) can check container images for vulnerabilities in software packages and dependencies, extra dependencies can be introduced during the development process or even at runtime.
2.2. Host Security:
Host security is a collection of capabilities that provide a framework for implementing a variety of security solutions on hosts to prevent attacks. The underlying host infrastructure where containers are deployed must be secured. The following measures are used for host security:
Using secure operating systems: The host operating system must be safe and up-to-date with the latest high severity security patches within 7 days of release, and others, within 30 days to prevent vulnerabilities and security issues.
Applying security patches: Security patches must be applied to the host operating system and other software packages to fix vulnerabilities and prevent security threats.
Hardening the host environment: The host environment must be hardened by disabling unnecessary services, limiting access to the host, and applying security policies to prevent unauthorized access.
2.3. Network Security:
Network security involves securing the network traffic between containers and the outside world. The following measures are used for network security:
Using Microsegmentation and firewalls: Microsegmentation tools with next-gen firewalls provide container network security. Microsegmentation software leverages network virtualization to build extremely granular security zones in data centers and cloud applications to isolate and safeguard each workload.
Encryption: Encryption can protect network traffic and prevent eavesdropping and interception of data.
Access control measures: Access control measures can restrict access to containerized applications based on user roles and responsibilities.
2.4. Data Security:
Data stored in containers must be secured to ensure its confidentiality and integrity. The following measures are used for data security:
Using encryption: Data stored in containers can be encrypted, using Transport Layer Security protocol version 1.1. (TLS 1.1) or higher, to protect it from unauthorized access and prevent data leaks. All outbound traffic from private cloud should be encrypted at the transport layer.
Access control measures: Access control measures can restrict access to sensitive data in containers based on user roles and responsibilities.
Not storing sensitive data in clear text: Sensitive data must not be stored in clear text within containers to prevent unauthorized access and data breaches. Backup app data, atleast weekly.
2.5. Identity and Access Management (IAM):
IAM involves managing access to the container infrastructure and resources based on the roles and responsibilities of the users. The following measures are used for IAM:
Implementing identity and access management solutions: IAM solutions can manage user identities, assign user roles and responsibilities, authenticate and provide access control policies.
Multi-factor authentication: Multi-factor authentication can add an extra layer of security to the login process.
Auditing capabilities: Auditing capabilities can monitor user activity and detect potential security threats.
2.6. Runtime Container Security:
To keep its containers safe, businesses should employ a defense-in-depth strategy, as part of runtime protection.
Malicious processes, files, and network activity that deviates from a baseline can be detected and blocked via runtime container security.
Container runtime protection can give an extra layer of defense against malicious code on top of the network security provided by containerized next-generation firewalls.
In addition, HTTP layer 7 based threats like the OWASP Top 10, denial of service (DoS), and bots can be prevented with embedded web application and API security.
2.7. Compliance and Auditing:
Compliance and auditing ensure that the container infrastructure complies with relevant regulatory and industry standards. The following measures are used for compliance and auditing:
Monitoring and auditing capabilities: Monitoring and auditing capabilities can detect and report cloud security incidents and violations.
Compliance frameworks: Compliance frameworks can be used to ensure that the container infrastructure complies with relevant regulatory and industry standards, such as HIPAA, PCI DSS, and GDPR.
Enabling data access logs on AWS S3 buckets containing high-risk Confidential Data is one such example.
3. Conclusion
IaaS container security is critical for organizations that rely on containerization technology for deploying and managing their applications. There is likely to be an increased focus on the increased use of AI and ML to detect and respond to security incidents in real-time, the adoption of more advanced encryption techniques to protect data, and the integration of security measures into the entire application development lifecycle.
In order to stay ahead of the challenges and ensure the continued security of containerized applications, the ongoing process of IaaS container security requires continuous attention and improvement. By prioritizing security and implementing effective measures, organizations can confidently leverage the benefits of containerization while maintaining the confidentiality and integrity of their applications and data.
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Hyper-Converged Infrastructure
Article | July 13, 2023
What Is IT Infrastructure Security?
If you are reading this blog, we would like to assume that you are either an aspiring cybersecurity professional or a business owner looking for ways to improve their network security. A business IT infrastructure includes networks, software, hardware, equipment, and other facilities that make up an IT network. These networks are applied to establish, monitor, test, manage, deliver, and support IT services.
So, IT infrastructure security describes the process of safeguarding the core networking infrastructure, and it is typically applied to enterprise IT environments. You can improve IT infrastructure security by installing protective solutions to block unauthorized access, theft, deletion, and data modification.
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Hyper-Converged Infrastructure, Application Storage
Article | May 4, 2023
Simplify server maintenance with managed services! Hybrid and multi-cloud systems work together in harmony, gaining advantage of both storage systems. Explore IaaS providers for your business needs.
Contents
1. Introduction
2. Multi-Cloud vs. Hybrid Cloud
2.1. Multi-Cloud Storage Systems
2.2. Hybrid Cloud Storage Systems
2.3. Choosing between Multi-Cloud and Hybrid Cloud
3. Managed and Unmanaged Services
4. 5 top companies providing IaaS platforms
4.1. ScaleMatrix
4.2. Faction
4.3. Expedient
4.4. PhoenixNAP
4.5. Rackspace Technology
5. Conclusion
1. Introduction
Several leading companies are providing IaaS platforms, offering managed and unmanaged services, and multi-cloud and hybrid cloud solutions to meet the growing demands of businesses in today's digital landscape. In addition, these companies offer various services to help organizations manage their IT infrastructure, including computing power, virtual machines, storage, and networking, while also providing additional value-added services such as security, disaster recovery, and automation.
2. Multi-Cloudvs. Hybrid Cloud
Multi-cloud and hybrid cloud are cloud deployment infrastructure models
2.1. Multi-Cloud Storage Systems:
Multicloud refers to an organization utilizing cloud computing services from at least two cloud providers to run their applications. Instead of relying on a single-cloud stack, multi-cloud environments usually consist of two or more public clouds, two or more private clouds, or a mix of both.
2.2. Hybrid Cloud Storage Systems:
A hybrid cloud refers to a heterogeneous computing environment where applications are executed using a blend of computing, storage, and services across distinct environments, such as public clouds, private clouds, on-premises data centers, or edge locations.
2.3. Choosing Between Multi-Cloud and Hybrid Cloud
2.3.1. Opting for a Hybrid Cloud:
For businesses that require control over certain data or workloads, a hybrid cloud strategy may be necessary. This involves hosting some applications in the public cloud while running critical workloads locally to balance the benefits of cloud technology with the need for local data control. - To avoid vendor lock-in, carefully select the best cloud services for each application or task. - Choose cost-effective services to engage in more effective business planning. - Ensure flexibility and adaptability for the cloud team. - Enable a company to use best-in-class services for each app/task
2.3.2. Selecting a Multi-Cloud:
Businesses often rely on multiple cloud providers for different services, such as public clouds for virtual machines and SaaS for business applications. They may also access AI, ML, or language cloud services from other providers. - To test and validate a cloud computing platform before migrating its resources and workloads. - To enable a centralized identity infrastructure across disparate systems. - To ensure a blend of self-service resources (private cloud) and a platform to run test workloads (public cloud), for DevOps based firms However, hybrids and multi-clouds can operate together. For example, a company can establish a private cloud for internal operations and then merge it with a public cloud to form a hybrid cloud. Additional clouds, whether IaaS, PaaS, or SaaS, can be added or integrated to provide specific resources or services to the business. Alternatively, a company can create a hybrid cloud with one public cloud provider and still use resources and services from other public clouds outside the hybrid cloud environment.
3. Managed and Unmanaged Services
IaaS comes in two main forms: managed and unmanaged. Managed services can simplify server maintenance by providing support and expertise. With managed dedicated servers, clients can focus on other aspects of their business while the host takes care of day-to-day maintenance, including software upgrades. This option is also safer, as self-managing a server without the necessary expertise can create security vulnerabilities. Unmanaged services are cheaper but don't include extras or support. Standard or custom control panels are used for task management. However, managing servers can only be done with experience. In addition, unmanaged hosting services are limited to providing a default solution configuration, and the applications must be installed on the cloud server by the user.
4. 5 Top Companies Providing IaaS Platforms
4.1. ScaleMatrix
ScaleMatrix offers IaaS solutions that empower businesses to manage their IT infrastructure while minimizing expensive capital expenditures (CAPEX) and reducing operational costs (OPEX). With ScaleMatrix's IaaS solutions, companies can have complete control over their infrastructure, utilizing the Ping, Power, Pipe, and server hardware. This allows businesses to tailor their infrastructure to fit their specific needs, with the option to make changes as required. Additionally, businesses can deploy hardware without significant capital investment, avoiding a CAPEX spike. Instead, they can pay for their infrastructure on an OPEX basis, allowing them to manage their expenses more efficiently.
4.2. Faction
Faction is a top-tier IaaS provider that offers a wide range of customizable solutions to meet the unique needs of its clients. Their IaaS offerings provide flexibility and agility to grow businesses while controlling costs. Clients can choose from various infrastructure options, including dedicated servers, private clouds, and hybrid cloud solutions. Faction's managed services portfolio differentiates it from other IaaS providers. The company's managed services are designed to provide clients with a more integrated ecosystem of managed services that can handle complex business needs across client on-premises and cloud environments. This includes services like monitoring and management, security and compliance, cloud backup, and disaster recovery, providing clients with a complete end-to-end solution for their IT infrastructure needs.
4.3. Expedient
Expedient provides infrastructure as a service solutions, including their flagship Expedient Enterprise Cloud, enabling clients to purchase resource pools and dedicated nodes. This cloud offering allows businesses to quickly scale resources without needing to refractor applications or learn a new platform. The platform offers a single management interface with self-service network provisioning, monitoring, and analytics. Expedient also provides a dedicated private cloud solution for applications like Citrix, reducing the infrastructure maintenance burden while maintaining scalability and flexibility. Expedient's Private Cloud Anywhere service allows businesses to have a cloud node within their own data center, providing a cloud-like experience within the proximity of mission-critical functions like manufacturing lines or retail stores.
4.4. PhoenixNAP
PhoenixNAP is a leading provider of bare metal cloud infrastructure solutions that empower businesses to innovate and achieve agility by deploying a flexible, cloud-native-ready infrastructure. Another significant advantage of PhoenixNAP's Bare Metal Cloud is the flexible billing models, which allow for fast scalability and cost optimization. The solutions offer the performance of dedicated hardware with cloud-like flexibility, allowing for automated provisioning of physical servers in minutes. Reserved instances are available for up to three years, providing cost-effective options. As a cloud-native-ready IaaS platform, PhoenixNAP's Bare Metal Cloud delivers high-performance, non-virtualized servers for even the most demanding workloads.
4.5. Rackspace Technology
Rackspace Technology is a leading provider of IT-as-a-Service (IaaS) solutions that enable businesses to leverage the latest technologies and gain a competitive advantage. Their IaaS solutions are designed to meet the unique needs of the FinTech industry, which demands highly secure, scalable, and reliable infrastructure to support mission-critical applications. Its IaaS offerings are designed to provide flexible and scalable infrastructure that can be customized to meet the specific needs of businesses. They offer a range of infrastructure services, including public and private clouds, dedicated servers, and managed hosting, as well as hybrid cloud solutions that combine the benefits of both public and private cloud environments.
5. Conclusion
The future of the top leading companies providing IaaS platforms looks promising as the demand for cloud computing services continues to grow. With the ever-increasing need for businesses to store, manage, and analyze large amounts of data, the demand for IaaS platforms is expected to increase in the coming years. This includes enhancing their security measures, network capabilities, and data center footprints. Furthermore, as the industry moves towards hybrid cloud and multi-cloud environments, these companies will need to adapt and provide solutions that can seamlessly integrate with various cloud platforms. This will require collaboration with other cloud service providers and investment in interoperability technologies. As businesses increasingly rely on data-driven decision-making, cloud providers will need to offer services that enable customers to process and analyze large amounts of data quickly and efficiently using AI and ML. The future of the top leading companies will require continuous innovation, collaboration, and investment in new technologies to meet the changing needs of their customers. As cloud computing continues to transform the business landscape, these companies will enable businesses to scale and grow in the digital age.
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