White paper

The cost-benefits of cloud infrastructure services include scalability with reduced capital expenditure and more efficient use of IT resources. Fully managed cloud infrastructure services and applications allow enterprises to focus on their core competencies rather than IT or application management. IDC estimates cloud-based infrastructure software and application services represent 79% of a total 2009 cloud services market of $17.4B,or approximately $14B.1
Enterprise IT security technology, policies and procedures need to be augmented rather than revolutionized to accommodate new attack surfaces that may be introduced by cloud computing. The most effective approach is still a layered defense, based on a security framework. The framework will encompass familiar domains: securing the operating platform; identity management and administrative access control; and protecting data at
rest as well as in transmission. A strong cloud infrastructure defense must also leverage new tools at logical infrastructure layers and protect the integrity of communications via the Internet.