A Look Ahead: Security in the Cloud

| Dennis Garcia

Last month I participated in a Microsoft Live Virtual Event at Microsoft’s Production Studios in Redmond, Washington called “A Look Ahead: Security in the Cloud” where I was asked various questions that are top of mind for customers as they consider acquiring cloud solutions. Here’s a link to that event where you can view my session and the sessions of other participants: http://aka.ms/sec_ondemand.

One of the primary questions that I addressed during my session is how a customer can identify a “trusted” cloud provider – which is of critical importance as customers entrust cloud providers to properly secure their data.

The key point is that customers need to engage in thoughtful due diligence when selecting a cloud provider. However a customer first needs to identify its team of professionals within its organization that will conduct such due diligence. That team may include an in-house lawyer, a representative from the chief privacy officer team, a representative from the chief security officer team, and a member of the risk management/compliance team. Once those folks are engaged, a customer can begin its cloud provider evaluation process and should focus its evaluation on these four considerations:

  1. How transparent is the cloud provider?
  2. How does the cloud provider protect data?
  3. How does the cloud provider embrace compliance?
    -and-
  4. Does the cloud provider enable a customer to control its data?

Best of luck in your journey to the cloud!

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Dennis Garcia

Dennis C. Garcia is an Assistant General Counsel for Microsoft based in Chicago. He leads the legal support function to Microsoft’s U.S. Central Region Enterprise & Partner Group – a team of sales, devices and services professionals based in an 18 state region. In that role Dennis shapes and negotiates cloud computing, on premise, devices and consulting services agreements with Microsoft’s largest customers. He also advises on general corporate legal matters. Prior to joining Microsoft, Dennis served as in-house counsel for Accenture and IBM.