Cloud Users: “I Just Need Some Space”

By Michael Brown 1

Right after the “it’s not you, it’s me” line, the second most popular breakup reason is this: “I just need some space.” As we recently learned, not only does this pertain to relationships between people, it applies to the relationship most end-users have with the cloud.

Granted, most users don’t want to breakup with the cloud – they love the convenience of being able to access their data at any time, on any device, and how easy it is to share certain files with others. It’s just that sometimes, the cloud can be a bit overbearing; not respecting the line between business and personal use. Boundaries are essential for a healthy relationship.

Of course, this is only problem for those who use the same solution to store and share both their personal files and their work-related files. This issues was alluded to in a recent Wired article on The Rise of the Personal Cloud. Take a look:

Revelations that many governments of the world are able to collect personal data on-demand has called into question our desire and need to keep everything online. While we want to access and share our content, we want privacy and security as well. Whether it is photos on a social network or work documents in an online storage account, we want to know that we have absolute control of our data because it is ours, regardless of what services we use and regardless of how they choose to manage their Terms of Service.

Public cloud services store all content together — yours, mine and everybody else’s. Whether it is a government agency or a group of hackers, this creates a compelling target as a one-stop-shop for information. To minimize this risk, consumers need to understand the intricacies of security, such as client-side encryption and other methods that increase your data’s security and privacy. Unfortunately, few people care enough about this to take their security into their own hands and even if you do care it is a hard subject to stay current on. Simply not giving your data to a vendor is a simple option.

If you’re waiting for consumers to demand client-side encryption and other sophisticated security features, it’s going to be a long wait. It’s simply not part of the collective thought process yet, which is why you won’t find these features in consumer-grade solutions. Maybe someday.

Businesses are a much different story. They have already demanded (and received) these and other features from cloud-based file sharing solutions designed specifically for business use. A solution that is secure, compliant with the laws and one that keeps critical files entirely separate from personal ones. More importantly, a solution that enables them to retain ownership of their data and gives them the ability to set strict criteria for who can access which files (and for how long).

As MSPs, what do your users want from their cloud solution? Be sure to share your thoughts in the comment section.