Security Advantage Cloud Computing Gives to Your Data

What is the most common reason why many attorneys and law firms try to stay away from cloud computing?  There is a prevailing belief that information of clients are more secured when stored locally, as compared to being in the cloud.

This is probably true (or you would want to believe that it is true) if you do not have a better understanding of cloud technology.  Let’s take a look at some reasons why client information is more secured in the cloud.

1. Money is Dedicated to Security

It is understandable that many law firms or attorneys would dedicate a huge chunk of their financial resources to beef up their litigation or law practice.  After all, this is the core of their business.

The same holds true with cloud providers, the core of their business is securing the sensitive information of their clients; which means a huge chunk of their financial resources are dedicated to enforcing and upgrading security protocols.

If you are a small law firm, you are at an obvious disadvantage when it comes to financing your security measures.  With cloud technology, big or small, all clients get the same level of security.  Doesn’t this give more value to your money?

2. Multiple Servers

How much is the investment of your law firm in your information technology infrastructure?  More importantly, how many file servers do you have?  Usually, if you are a big law firm, you would have 1 or 2 servers (the other being on standby); while if you are a small law firm, chances are, you are lucky to even have 1 dedicated server.

What is the importance of this?  If a disaster hits your office, your computer server will more often than not be part of the damage.  This means all files going up in smoke.

With cloud computing, providers make use of multiple servers where your data is stored and backed up.  This gives you more security in terms of data disaster mitigation and recovery.

Furthermore, these servers are designed to service multiple clients simultaneously, which means that they pack more computing power than what you currently have in your office.  Some providers even allow for geographic redundancy that allows your information to be stored in two separate locations simultaneously.  Is this a wise investment or what?

3. Technologically Adept Staff

As a law firm, would you hire an attorney who is just average or would you want one who is a specialist?  The same goes with cloud providers, they rely on technology staff who have extensive training, experience, and skills to look after your every needs.

This means that you can focus on what you do best; which is practice law, while they do what they do best – take care of your technology needs.  They can even update your applications and security protocols remotely.  Law firms with small budgets will never have access to this kind of luxury.  So shouldn’t you be in the cloud?

4. Paperless Transactions

Traditional law firms have the notion that filing paper-based documents in steel cabinets gives them more security.  The reality though is that paper security is heavily compromised.  Someone can just walk out of the law firm with the paper files without being noticed.  The files can even be photocopied without authorization.

When your sensitive information goes into the cloud, everything becomes digitized.  This means that security protocols begin to apply.  Aside from encryption methods, there are also authorization levels and user privileges that are applied.  So before you can access critical information, you first need to get the proper security clearance.

There is also an active tracking mechanism that helps to identify who is accessing what files at any given time.  Even alterations in the document are recorded for audit purposes.  Doesn’t this give you a better feeling of security?

5. Constant Upgrading of Protocols

Cloud providers already know that law firms and attorneys are primarily concerned with security issues.  This is why they are proactively searching for better ways to beef up their security protocols to give clients peace of mind.

The encryption levels are already far beyond what is available commercially, which means that even when documents are hijacked, they remain useless because they cannot be accessed.  Cloud vendors can also provide security audits and list of security features to help you decide whether they are the right ones for your needs.

It is understandable that all of these can be daunting for many.  That is why sometimes management free technology is the best way to go for many law firms and attorneys.  In this aspect, there is no better alternative than NexStep.

Contact NexStep the best cloud computing provider in giving a high technology security for your law data against cyber attacks.