The Importance of Configuration and Identity Management in Cloud

As businesses rush to embrace new cloud technologies, it can be very easy to overlook a critical truth: without strong configuration and identity management, cloud can become a security minefield.

Every new app adds complexity, and IT teams are stretched thin. In the chaos, even small steps can lead to major breaches.

This is why configuration and identity management in cloud must be a top priority, and organisations must have the in-house or external expertise available to handle this.

The hybrid cloud enigma

Every company is different, but one thing is certain as far as cloud is concerned: hybrid approaches are the future. According to Gartner, 90% of global businesses will adopt hybrid cloud by the end of 2027.

Hybrid cloud offers agility, but only if it’s built on a foundation of smart configuration and strong identity controls. Making it work smoothly and securely alongside private or on-premise arrangements is no mean feat. With so many new cloud applications and tools coming through, the chances of misconfiguration are high if IT departments don’t take the right steps.

This can lead to efficiency and optimisation issues, while a lack of comprehensive identity and access management protocols can breed significant security vulnerabilities.

Cyber hygiene leads the way

Cybersecurity isn’t just about tools, it’s about discipline. Consistent hygiene practices are what separate resilient business from vulnerable ones.

These measures should include all the basic checks and balances, such as identity access management tools to ensure only approved people are allowed to access specific applications and data; encryption capabilities to protect data in transit; and endpoint detection and response software to plug any gaps that could be exploited by bad actors. Aligning with approved cybersecurity frameworks, such as NIST, will also help ensure good practices.

This might sound simple on the surface, but there are elements of cybersecurity that do get forgotten on occasion, particularly as cloud adoption grows. Companies must make sure that every base is covered, which means they shouldn’t be afraid to embrace external managed services to provide additional know-how and manpower. It’s about evolving your defences for a new era of cloud.

Conquering cloud configuration complexity

Aside from the important cyber considerations, there are many other things to do to ensure an organisation’s cloud arrangement fulfils its potential. The challenges around configuration are laid bare when you think about just how many moving parts there are when integrating new cloud infrastructure, applications and workloads.

Managing cloud configuration means considering elements such as the individual settings of each cloud-based application, as well as policies governing setup and ongoing operations. New technologies such as containers and serverless computing must also be accounted for, while a whole array of different virtual machines, networks and storage resources must be navigated. Combine this with the need to integrate with on-premise infrastructure in a hybrid cloud arrangement, and it’s clear there’s a huge amount of ground to cover.

Being aware of these challenges is the first major step to take. The next is to ensure IT teams have the tools, resources and time to carry out their responsibilities and put everything into making cloud projects a success.

Finally, it’s essential to recognise that no organisation is an island. Consulting partners and managed service providers can make a huge difference to meeting the challenges of cloud configuration and security, by filling any gaps in internal IT skills or availability. If businesses are prepared to look outwards as well as inwards in their pursuit of cloud success, they stand the best possible chance of achieving a positive outcome.

After all, cloud success isn’t just about adoption, it’s about orchestration. The right configuration strategy turns complexity into competitive advantage.