THE HIDDEN COSTS OF HYBRID CLOUD
DEPENDENCE

Why “Mixing Cloud + On-Prem” Isn’t the Strategy You Think It Is — And How Protected Cloud Smart Hosting Fixes It
Hybrid cloud has become the default architecture for most organizations.
On paper, it promises flexibility, scalability, and balance.
In reality, most hybrid environments are not strategic — they’re accidental.
They evolve from quick fixes, legacy decisions, cloud migrations that were never fully completed, and vendor pressures that force workloads into environments they weren’t designed for.
And because hybrid cloud grows silently over years, the true cost — instability, slow performance, unpredictable billing, and lack of visibility — becomes the “new normal.”
At Protected Harbor, nearly every new client comes to us with some form of hybrid cloud dependence.
And almost all of them share the same hidden challenges underneath.
This blog unpacks those costs, why they happen, and how Protected Cloud Smart Hosting solves the problem.

The Problem: Hybrid Cloud Isn’t Simple. It’s Double the Complexity.

Most organizations don’t choose hybrid cloud — they inherit it.
A server refresh here.
A SaaS requirement there.
A DR failover built in AWS.
A PACS server that “must stay on-prem.”
A vendor that only supports Azure.
Piece by piece, complexity takes over.

1. Double the Vendors = Half the Accountability
   Cloud vendor → MSP → hosting provider → software vendor.
   When something breaks, everyone points outward.
   No one owns the outcome.
2. Integrations Become a Web of Fragile Failure Points
   Directory sync
   VPN tunnels
   Latency paths
   Firewall rules
   Backups split across platforms
   Every connection becomes another place where instability can hide
3. Costs Spiral Without Warning
   • Egress fees
   • Licensing creep
   • Over-provisioned cloud compute
   • Underutilized on-prem hardware
   Hybrid cloud often looks cost effective — until the invoice arrives.
4. Performance Suffers Across Environments
   Applications optimized for local workloads lag when half their services live in the cloud.
   Load times spike.
   Workflows slow.
   User frustration grows.
   Hybrid doesn’t automatically reduce performance — but poor architecture guarantees it.

The Business Impact: Hybrid Cloud Quietly Drains Time, Budget & Stability

Hybrid cloud failures rarely appear dramatic.
They appear subtle:

• Slightly slower applications
• More recurring issues
• More tickets
• More vendor escalations
• More unexpected cloud charges
• More downtime during peak activity

And those subtle points add up to strategic risk:

1. Operational Costs Increase Over Time
   Duplicated tools.
   Redundant platforms.
   Multiple security products.
   Siloed monitoring.
   Hybrid cloud can easily double your operational overhead.
2. Security & Compliance Blind Spots Multiply
   Cloud controls
   On-prem controls
   SaaS controls
   Backups
   DR
   Each platform is secure individually — but not as a whole.
3. Innovation Slows Down
   Deployments get slower.
   New features take longer.
   Every improvement requires re-architecting three different environments.
4. Technical Debt Grows Until the System Becomes Fragile
   This is why hybrid cloud feels good at first — then fails years later.

Why Hybrid Cloud Fails: It Was Never Designed as One System

Hybrid cloud only works when it is intentionally designed as a single unified architecture.
Most organizations never had that opportunity.
Their hybrid environment is the result of:

• Vendor limitations
• Budget-cycle decisions
• “Temporary fixes” that became permanent
• An MSP that didn’t own the full stack
• Tools layered on top of tools layered on top of tools

What you’re left with is a system that works just well enough to keep running — but never well enough to support real long-term growth.

THE SOLUTION: Protected Cloud Smart Hosting

A Unified, High-Performance Alternative to Hybrid Cloud Dependence
Protected Cloud Smart Hosting was built to solve the exact problems hybrid cloud creates.
Where hybrid depends on stitching multiple environments together, Smart Hosting unifies infrastructure, security, performance, and cost into one platform designed for stability and speed.
It is the opposite of accidental architecture — it is intentional infrastructure.
Here’s how it eliminates hybrid cloud’s biggest pain points:

• Peak Performance — Tuned for Your Application
  Unlike AWS/Azure’s generic hardware pools, Smart Hosting is engineered around your actual workload.
  We optimize:
  ● CPU
  ● RAM
  ● IOPS
  ● Caching
  ● Storage tiers
  ● Network paths
  ● Redundancy and failover
  The result:
  20-40% faster performance than public cloud for mission-critical systems like:
  ● PACS/VNA
  ● RIS/EMR
  ● SaaS platforms
  ● High-transaction workloads
  ● Imaging operations
  ● Databases and ERP systems
  Hybrid cloud struggles with performance consistency.
  Smart Hosting solves it by building the environment specifically for you.
• Secure-by-Design Architecture (SOC 2 Type II)
  Every Smart Hosting environment includes:
  ● Zero-trust network segmentation
  ● Advanced threat detection
  ● 24/7 monitoring
  ● Immutable backups
  ● Daily vulnerability scans
  ● DR replication and 7-day rollback
  Hybrid cloud spreads your security across vendors.
  Smart Hosting centralizes and simplifies it.
• Predictable, Cost-Efficient Pricing
  Smart Hosting removes hybrid cloud’s biggest problem: unpredictable billing. Clients routinely save up to 40% compared to AWS/Azure — while improving uptime and performance.
  You get flat-rate pricing without:
  ● Egress fees
  ● Runaway consumption billing
  ● Licensing surprises
  ● Resource overage penalties
  Predictability is priceless when budgeting for scale.
• Fully Managed by the Protected Harbor DevOps Team
  Smart Hosting is not “infrastructure rental.”
  It includes:
  ● 24/7 live monitoring
  ● Application performance tuning
  ● Patch & update management
  ● Capacity planning
  ● vCIO advisory services
  ● Engineers who know your environment end-to-end
  Hybrid cloud makes you the integrator.
  Smart Hosting makes us the owner
• White Glove Migration — Start to Finish
  We handle everything:
  ● Planning
  ● Data migration
  ● Cutover
  ● System optimization
  ● Post-go-live monitoring
  Minimal effort for your internal team.
  Maximum stability on day one.

Why Organizations Choose Protected Cloud Smart Hosting Instead of Hybrid Cloud

Because they want:
● Faster performance
● Lower costs
● More uptime
● One accountable team
● Infrastructure designed for longevity
● A platform that supports growth, not complexity
Hybrid cloud promises flexibility.
Smart Hosting delivers stability.

Final Thoughts: Hybrid Cloud Should Be a Strategy — Not a Side Effect

Most hybrid environments struggle not because the cloud is wrong — but because the architecture was never intentional.
Protected Cloud Smart Hosting offers a clear path forward:
A unified, high-performance, cost-predictable environment that eliminates hybrid complexity while elevating speed, security, and reliability.
If hybrid cloud feels fragile, expensive, or unpredictable — you’re not alone.
And you don’t need to rebuild alone.

Ready to Simplify Your Infrastructure?

Schedule a complimentary Infrastructure Resilience Assessment to understand:

• Where hybrid cloud is costing you unnecessarily
• Misplaced workloads
• Security blind spots
• Performance bottlenecks
• Opportunities for consolidation and cost reduction

Top 5 Cloud Security Threats & How to Defend Against Them

A Guide for Businesses Serious About Uptime and Protection

As businesses continue migrating to the cloud for its flexibility and scalability, cybercriminals are keeping pace—exploiting weak spots, human error, and outdated security protocols. At Protected Harbor, we’ve seen firsthand how a single overlooked vulnerability can cripple operations. This guide breaks down the top 5 cloud security threats & how to defend against them in 2025, listing the mitigation strategies your organization should implement today using the latest cloud security monitoring tools.

In a digital environment shaped by cloud security threats 2025, proactive defense and continuous oversight are essential to business continuity.

1. Phishing Attacks: The Gateway to Data Breach

Threat: Deceptively crafted emails lure users into revealing login credentials, exposing your cloud environment to outsiders.

Mitigation Strategies:

• Deploy company-wide multi-factor authentication (MFA).
• Use advanced email filters and DNS filtering to block phishing domains.
• Train users regularly with real-world phishing simulations.

Protected Harbor: Our team implements and manages MFA across all user accounts and integrates phishing-resistant email security systems to block threats before they reach your inbox. We also use cloud security monitoring tools to detect unusual login patterns that could signal phishing attempts.

2. Ransomware: Lockouts That Cost More Than Money

Threat: Malicious actors encrypt your critical files and demand payment—sometimes without returning access even if the ransom is paid.

Mitigation Strategies:

• Conduct regular, automated cloud backups to immutable storage.
• Monitor for early warning signs of compromise (e.g., rapid file changes).
• Educate employees on secure file handling and threat recognition.

Protected Harbor: Protected Harbor’s cloud includes cloud ransomware protection, ransomware behavior analytics, and 24/7 monitoring to isolate threats before they spread. Our approach to cloud ransomware protection also includes real-time response and forensic support to investigate attacks and prevent future breaches.

3. Unauthorized Access & Data Theft

Threat: Poor password hygiene, credential leaks, or shadow IT practices give attackers the keys to your kingdom.

Mitigation Strategies:

• Enforce least privilege access and regular permission audits.
• Patch and update cloud software routinely.
• Use identity-based access control with session timeouts.

Protected Harbor: We manage your entire access environment, enforcing role-based security policies and real-time access tracking. With cloud systems more exposed than ever in 2025’s cloud security threats landscape, controlling access is no longer optional—it’s fundamental.

4. Compromised Encryption Keys

Threat: When keys to encrypted data are weak or mishandled, your data may as well be public.

Mitigation Strategies:

• Rotate encryption keys regularly and store them in secure Key Management Services (KMS).
• Use hardware security modules (HSMs) for sensitive keys.
• Implement automatic key expiration policies.

Protected Harbor: We deploy zero-trust architecture with secure key lifecycle management—ensuring encryption isn’t just checkbox compliance but true protection. Our team understands that encryption key management is a critical layer in defending against the top cloud computing threats 2025.

5. Data Leakage Across Devices and Platforms

Threat: With data synced across apps, mobile devices, and remote servers, gaps in configuration or oversight can result in silent data loss or exposure.

Mitigation Strategies:

• Enforce device-level encryption and mobile device management (MDM).
• Regularly audit shared folders, drives, and collaboration platforms.
• Centralize visibility across your cloud and on-prem environments.

Protected Harbor: With our hybrid-cloud expertise, Protected Harbor ensures consistent encryption policies across all devices and platforms—even personal BYOD endpoints. To reduce the risks of cloud security threats 2025, organizations must enforce cross-platform visibility and unified policy enforcement.

Conclusion

Cloud security threats in 2025 are more dynamic and evasive than ever, affecting everything from end-user behavior to back-end infrastructure. With growing reliance on SaaS, remote work, and BYOD, the number of potential vulnerabilities continues to expand.

Whether it’s cloud ransomware protection, enforcing encryption, or mitigating phishing risks, defending your environment requires precision and visibility. By integrating cloud security monitoring tools and confronting the top cloud computing threats 2025 head-on, your business stays resilient and compliant.

Protected Harbor doesn’t just secure infrastructure—we design and manage it for optimal performance, uptime, and recovery.

Take the First Step

Not sure if your cloud environment is secure? Let’s start with a free security assessment. We’ll identify gaps and help you build a resilient, high-performance infrastructure tailored to your needs.

Aren’t We Safe by Moving to the Cloud

In today’s digital landscape, businesses are rapidly moving their operations to the cloud, lured by promises of convenience, scalability, and cost-efficiency. While the cloud offers many advantages, it’s essential to understand that not all cloud solutions are created equal, and moving to the cloud does not automatically guarantee safety.

As a leading Managed Service Provider (MSP) and Cloud services provider, Protected Harbor has helped countless businesses navigate the complexities of cloud adoption. Let’s break down the myths and realities of cloud security, why moving to the cloud isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution, and how to ensure your business stays secure.

The Promise of Cloud Safety

The cloud’s appeal often lies in its inherent benefits:

• Scalability: Easily adjust resources to meet business needs.
• Flexibility: Access data and applications anytime, anywhere.
• Cost Savings: Reduce the need for physical infrastructure and maintenance.
• Advanced Security Features: Many cloud providers offer robust tools like encryption, firewalls, and continuous monitoring.

Given these features, many assume that migrating to the cloud guarantees absolute security. However, this assumption can lead to critical oversights that expose businesses to risks.

The Risks of Moving to the Cloud

Despite its advantages, cloud migration introduces unique vulnerabilities that businesses must address:

1. Shared Responsibility Model

Cloud security operates under a shared responsibility model. The provider handles the security of the cloud infrastructure, but businesses are responsible for securing their data, applications, and user access. A lack of clarity in this division can lead to gaps in protection.

2. Data Breaches

Cyberattacks targeting cloud environments are on the rise. Misconfigured servers, weak access controls, and phishing attacks can result in data breaches, compromising sensitive information.

3. Compliance Challenges

Different industries have specific regulatory requirements, such as HIPAA for healthcare or GDPR for data privacy. Ensuring compliance in a cloud environment can be challenging without proper oversight.

4. Downtime Risks

Even the most reputable cloud providers experience outages, which can disrupt operations and lead to significant losses if disaster recovery plans aren’t in place.

5. Vendor Lock-In

Relying heavily on a single cloud provider can create dependency, making it difficult to switch vendors or adopt a multi-cloud strategy in the future.

How to Ensure Safety in the Cloud

Adopting cloud technology doesn’t have to be a gamble. With the right strategies, businesses can leverage the cloud’s advantages while minimizing risks:

1. Partner with a Trusted MSP

A reliable MSP like Protected Harbor can assess your unique needs, design a customized cloud strategy, and provide ongoing support. MSPs offer expertise in securing cloud environments, managing compliance, and mitigating risks.

2. Conduct Regular Risk Assessments

Periodic evaluations of your cloud environment can help identify vulnerabilities and address them proactively.

3. Invest in Advanced Security Measures

Multi-factor authentication (MFA), encryption, and intrusion detection systems (IDS) are critical components of a secure cloud setup.

4. Implement a Backup and Disaster Recovery Plan

Ensure that your data is regularly backed up and a disaster recovery plan is in place to minimize downtime.

5. Train Your Team

Human error remains a leading cause of security breaches. Regular training should be conducted to educate employees about best practices for cloud security.

Conclusion: Cloud Security is a Journey

Moving to the cloud is an essential step for modern businesses, but it’s not a destination—it’s a journey. Security in the cloud requires continuous vigilance, proper planning, and expert guidance. By understanding your responsibilities and investing in the right tools and services, you can enjoy the benefits of the cloud without compromising safety.

Partner with Protected Harbor

At Protected Harbor, we specialize in providing tailored cloud solutions and end-to-end IT support to help businesses thrive in a digital-first world. Whether you’re planning your first cloud migration or looking to optimize your existing environment, our team ensures that your data and operations remain secure.

Take the next step toward a safer, smarter cloud experience. Contact us today for a free consultation!

How to Successfully Migrate to the Cloud

The global cloud computing market is poised for remarkable growth, projected to reach USD 545.8 billion in 2022 and an astounding USD 1.2 trillion by 2027, with a remarkable compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.9 percent. This exponential expansion is driven by the pursuit of enhanced client experiences, a drive for cost savings and improved return on investment, and the widespread adoption of remote work cultures.

Successfully migrating to the cloud is far from a simple plug-and-play solution. It presents its unique set of challenges, requiring meticulous planning, cost estimation, security considerations, and strategic skill-building. In navigating this complex landscape, a comprehensive cloud migration strategy becomes essential. This guide outlines 4 key steps and considerations to overcome challenges and ensure a successful transition to the cloud.

1. Decide on Your Cloud-Based Business Model

The initial step in your cloud migration journey involves defining your cloud-based business model. Understanding the nuances between Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS) is crucial. Each model offers unique advantages, and your choice will significantly influence the foundation of your cloud infrastructure. Consider pay-as-you-go and hybrid models for effective monetization.

2. Define Your Migration Strategy

Choosing the right migration strategy is crucial. Whether it’s rehosting, refactoring, revising, rebuilding, replacing, or retiring, each strategy comes with its benefits and considerations. Techstack’s cloud-first solution for solar energy production exemplifies the importance of aligning your strategy with specific business goals. The decision to optimize applications for the cloud (refactor) or to entirely rebuild them can significantly impact long-term success.

3. Estimate Costs

Cost estimation is another critical aspect of cloud migration planning. Analyze current on-premises expense, evaluate performance metrics, and compare on-premises and cloud costs. A detailed financial plan will help you navigate recurring cloud expenses and ensure a sustainable budget. Consider the pay-as-you-go model in cloud services to further optimize costs.

4. Choose Cloud Type and Deployment

The next phase involves considering the target environment that best aligns with your future business requirements. You have three primary options: private cloud, public cloud, and hybrid cloud.

• Private Cloud: A scaled-down cloud environment constructed and managed within an existing data center architecture. This option demands significant financial and technological investment but offers complete control over data and workloads.
• Public Cloud: A commercial utility computing service provided by third-party vendors. Public clouds offer a broad array of services, vast scalability, and a global reach, typically on a pay-per-use model.
• Hybrid Cloud: Combines the advantages of both private and public clouds, offering control, flexibility, and scalability. This approach, however, requires significant investment in both money and dedication.

Choosing the deployment type is a critical decision, with options including hybrid, multi-cloud, and single-cloud deployments.

5. Design the Architecture

Architecting your cloud environment is a critical step. Whether it involves simple rehosting or a complex, distributed workload, your architecture should align with your business objectives. Consider dependencies and conduct thorough testing to ensure a robust and reliable solution.

6. Define and Run Migration Steps

Craft a detailed migration plan that outlines every step of the process. The importance of meticulous planning and proof-of-concept projects cannot be overstated. Test and validate the migration process in advance to identify and address potential issues proactively.

Main Benefits of Cloud Migration

Cloud migration offers numerous benefits, including flexibility and scalability, cost optimization, enhanced performance, improved security, and compliance with regulatory norms.

Conclusion

Cloud migration is a transformative journey that requires careful planning and execution. By following this comprehensive guide and learning from industry leaders, organizations can navigate the complexities of cloud migration successfully.

Succeed in Cloud Migration with Protected Harbor

Protected Harbor, a leading MSP and IT services company, offers extensive experience in cloud and DevOps services. Leverage our expertise to ensure a smooth transition for your business. Our engineers’ proficiency in creating complex cloud-first solutions and migrating to microservices positions us as a reliable partner for your cloud migration journey. Book a free Cloud migration consultation today!

How To Get Started with a Cloud Migration Plan – 6 Key Steps

In recent years, many organizations have recognized the benefits of cloud computing and have begun migrating their applications and data to the cloud. However, cloud migration services can be complex and challenging, requiring careful planning and execution.

Many businesses recognize the benefits of migrating their on-premises data centers to the public cloud as technology advances rapidly. The public cloud offers numerous advantages, including scalability, accessibility, and cost savings. However, it is essential to have a well-thought-out cloud migration plan to avoid potential pitfalls, such as data loss and security breaches.

In an era where digital transformation is paramount, businesses are turning to the cloud for scalable and efficient solutions. This blog delves into the dynamic realm of cloud computing services, highlighting the pivotal roles played by cloud migration services and cloud-managed services. As organizations increasingly embrace the cloud to enhance agility and innovation, understanding the nuances of these services becomes crucial. Discover how cloud computing services seamlessly integrate into the fabric of modern IT infrastructures, and how expertly executed cloud migration and management services pave the way for a future-ready and resilient business environment. Join us on this journey as we explore the transformative capabilities that the cloud brings to the forefront of contemporary business strategies.

This blog will also explore how to start with a cloud migration plan and discuss key elements such as software as a service, cloud resources, managed services, and cloud migration strategy. We will provide you with insights and tips to ensure a seamless and successful cloud migration.

Following are six key steps to start a cloud migration plan to ensure a successful and smooth migration to the cloud.

What is a Cloud Migration Plan?

A cloud migration plan is a project plan that outlines the process of moving an organization’s applications, data, and infrastructure to the cloud. It involves identifying which applications and data to migrate, selecting a cloud migration services provider and platform, and developing a detailed migration plan for the migration process. The plan should also consider the potential risks and challenges associated with the migration and identify strategies for mitigating them.

Cloud migration is the process of transferring business elements such as data and applications from on-premises infrastructure to the cloud. The four primary types of cloud migration include Lift and Shift, Replatforming, Refactoring, and Rearchitecting. Lift and Shift entail moving applications and data to the cloud with minimal modifications to the existing architecture. Replatforming involves making adjustments to optimize the application for the cloud environment. Refactoring entails significant changes to the application architecture to modernize it with cloud-native technologies. Rearchitecting involves a complete rebuild of the application architecture using cloud-native technologies and services, emphasizing automation, scalability, and resilience.

By offering varying degrees of complexity and transformation, these four types of cloud migration provide businesses with various options to select the most appropriate approach for their specific needs.

Challenges of Cloud Migration

Cloud migration has become increasingly popular among businesses looking to modernize their IT infrastructure and take advantage of the numerous benefits of the cloud. However, migrating to the cloud is not without its challenges. One of the primary challenges is the complexity of the migration process itself. Migrating to the cloud requires careful planning, extensive testing, and a deep understanding of the existing infrastructure to ensure a smooth transition.

Another challenge is the potential for data loss or security breaches during migration. Moving large amounts of data to the cloud can be risky, and without proper precautions, businesses may expose themselves to data breaches or loss.

Cost is another challenge of cloud migration. While the cloud offers cost savings in the long run, the initial investment required for migration can be significant. Businesses must carefully consider the costs associated with cloud services, such as storage, bandwidth, and computing resources.

Finally, organizations may face challenges related to integrating cloud-based services with existing on-premises infrastructure. This may require changes to existing workflows and processes and additional training and support for employees.

Despite these challenges, with careful planning and execution, businesses can successfully migrate to the cloud and enjoy the many benefits of cloud computing, including increased agility, scalability, and cost savings.

6 Key Steps for Cloud Migration

Step 1: Assess Your Applications and Data: The first step is to assess your organization’s applications and data. Identify which applications and data are suitable for migration to the cloud and which are not. Applications and data that are too complex or require specialized hardware, might make them unsuitable for migration. Others may have strict regulatory or compliance requirements that make migrating them to the cloud difficult.

Step 2: Choose a Cloud Provider and Platform: Many cloud providers include Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform. Each provider has its strengths and weaknesses, so it’s essential to evaluate them carefully and choose the one that best meets your organization’s needs. Part of your evaluation must include the cost for today and as you scale. Some providers can escalate their charges significantly as your requirements grow.

Step 3: Develop a Migration Strategy: This involves determining the order in which applications and data will be migrated, identifying any dependencies between applications, and creating a timeline for the migration process. It’s also essential to identify any potential risks and challenges associated with the migration and develop strategies for mitigating them.

Step 4: Build and Test Your Migration Environment: Before migrating your applications and data, you must build and test your migration environment. First set up your cloud infrastructure, configure your network, and test your applications and data in the cloud environment. It’s essential to ensure your migration environment is stable and secure before migration begins.

Step 5: Migrate Your Applications and Data: With your migration environment in place, you can begin. Migration needs to be carefully planned and executed, with each application and data set migrated according to the migration strategy developed in step three. It’s important to monitor the migration process closely and address any issues that arise promptly.

Step 6: Test and Optimize: Once your applications and data have been migrated to the cloud, the next step is to test and optimize your environment. This ensures they function correctly and are optimized for your environment.

Be smart, be safe

Regarding cloud computing services, having a comprehensive migration plan is crucial for businesses looking to reap the benefits of the cloud. One of the primary decisions that must be made is whether to move entirely to the cloud or use a hybrid approach combining on-premises hardware and software with cloud-based resources. Additionally, using a Software as a Service (SaaS) model can save costs and simplify migration. Another essential factor is ensuring that virtual machines are properly configured and optimized for the cloud environment. A reliable internet connection is crucial to ensure smooth access to cloud-based resources. Finally, load balancers can be used to distribute workloads across multiple servers, ensuring optimal performance and reliability. By considering all of these key elements, businesses can create a successful and efficient cloud migration plan that maximizes the benefits of cloud computing.

Migrating to the cloud environment can provide many benefits, including improved scalability, flexibility, and cost savings. However, it’s essential to approach cloud migration plan carefully and develop a detailed project plan for cloud migration. Following the steps outlined above can ensure a safe, successful, and smooth migration to the cloud. If you have any questions, please contact us. We are here to help.

The Challenges of Public Virtual Hosting

Public virtual hosting is a web hosting service where multiple websites share a single server and its resources, including its IP address. Each website is assigned a unique domain name, which is used to differentiate it from other sites sharing the same server.

With public virtual hosting, the hosting company manages the server, including its maintenance and security, allowing website owners to focus on their content and business needs. This type of hosting is often a cost-effective solution for small to medium-sized businesses or individuals who do not require the resources of a dedicated server.

Certainly, while public virtual hosting can be a cost-effective and convenient option for many businesses, some challenges and drawbacks should be considered. In this blog, we’ll learn about them.

Moving to the cloud often becomes more expensive than originally expected. Why?

Public virtual hosting can be an affordable way for businesses to host their website or application, but there are some reasons why it can become expensive. Here are some of the most common reasons:

Resource Usage: Public virtual hosting plans typically have limits on the amount of resources you can use, such as CPU, RAM, and storage. If your website or application uses a lot of resources, you may need to upgrade to a more expensive plan that offers more resources.

Traffic: Public virtual hosting providers often charge based on the amount of traffic your website or application receives. If you experience a sudden increase in traffic, your hosting costs could go up unexpectedly.

Add-On Services: Hosting providers may offer additional services such as SSL certificates, backups, or domain registration, which can add to the overall cost of hosting.

Technical Support: Some hosting providers charge extra for technical support or only offer it as an add-on service. If you need technical support, you may need to pay extra for it.

 Upgrades: If you need to upgrade your hosting plan to get more resources or better performance, you may need to pay more than you expected.

Security: Some hosting providers charge extra for security features like firewalls or malware scanning. If you need these features, you may need to pay extra for them.

Renewals: Hosting providers may offer introductory pricing for new customers, but the price may go up significantly when you renew your plan.There are also some surprise costs that most companies don’t expect when using public virtual hosting. Here are a few examples:

Overages: If you exceed the resource limits of your hosting plan, you may be charged for overages. This can be especially expensive if you don’t monitor your resource usage closely.

Migration: If you need to migrate your website or application to a new hosting provider, there may be costs associated with the migration, such as hiring a developer to help with the migration or paying for a migration tool.

Downtime: If your website or application experiences downtime due to server issues or maintenance, it can be costly in terms of lost revenue or customer trust.

Bandwidth overages: If your website or application uses a lot of bandwidth, you may be charged for overages. This can be especially expensive if you serve a lot of media files or have high traffic volumes.

Hidden Fees: Some hosting providers may have hidden fees that take time to be obvious when you sign up for a plan. For example, you may be charged for backups or access to the control panel.

To avoid these surprising costs, it’s important to carefully review the hosting provider’s pricing and terms of service before signing up for a plan. You should also monitor your resource usage closely and be aware of any potential overages or additional fees.

Public virtual hosting can be a cost-effective option for businesses, but there are some reasons why it can become expensive. Resource usage, traffic, add-on services, technical support, upgrades, and security are all factors that can contribute to the overall cost of hosting. Additionally, there are some surprise costs that most companies don’t expect, such as overages, migration costs, downtime, bandwidth overages, and hidden fees. By being aware of these costs and monitoring your resource usage closely, you can minimize your hosting expenses and avoid unexpected surprises.

Is the Cloud Answer to Everything?

The cloud is a popular topic, with big and small organizations looking at cloud solutions to increase efficiency, reduce costs, and accelerate new projects. A recent survey found that 66% of businesses currently use the cloud in some capacity. But is it the answer to everything? Is the cloud the best option for your business? The quick answer is No! – but there’s more to it than that. Read on to find out if the cloud is right for you and your business or if another solution might suit you better.

We are excited to bring you another much-requested video on our series Uptime with Richard Luna. We are discussing Cloud and Is the Cloud answer all your problems. Watch the video to understand it in detail.

Why the Cloud is Such a Big Deal

If you think back to when you were a child, the internet probably wouldn’t have even been on your radar. It’s only been around for a few decades, so it’s not surprising that it’s still such a new concept, even though it’s become a massive part of our daily lives.

When you hear the word cloud, what do you think? Most people think of a massive server that holds all the data for an organization, storing it in a remote location. This is an oversimplification, but it gets the point across. As a business owner, you need to know what the cloud means and what it could mean for your organization.

For a good reason, the cloud has become a massive trend in recent years. It offers various benefits that traditional on-premises solutions cannot match. Hybrid cloud solutions, Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Software as a Service (SaaS), and Platform as a Service (PaaS) are just some examples of cloud offerings available to businesses. One of the significant advantages of cloud computing is the flexibility it provides. Businesses can choose between public and private clouds or even create multi-cloud environments that utilize multiple clouds to meet their specific needs.

Cloud solutions like IBM Cloud, and Protected Harbor Cloud can simplify management and reduce overhead costs, as businesses no longer have to worry about maintaining and upgrading their hardware or operating systems. Moreover, businesses can quickly scale up or down their resources as required with the cloud, making it a more cost-effective solution. These and other benefits of cloud computing have made it an attractive option for businesses of all sizes and industries.

Is the Cloud Right for You?

Whether or not the cloud is right for you depends on your business, needs, and how it aligns with your goals and vision for the future. If you’re unsure if the cloud is the right solution, consider the following questions: Is your organization ready for a significant change or transformation? Do you have a reliable and secure internet connection? Does your organization have a substantial amount of data? If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, the cloud might be your ideal solution.

Cloud computing services are viable options for businesses looking to modernize their IT infrastructure. However, choosing the right cloud solution depends on various factors, such as the business’s size, industry, and requirements. For instance, small business owners might benefit more from SaaS offerings that allow them to access the software through the cloud rather than investing in costly hardware and maintenance.

On the other hand, larger companies with complex IT infrastructure might find IaaS or PaaS more suitable, as they offer greater control and customization over the environment. Additionally, businesses with a hybrid cloud architecture, combining on-premises and cloud infrastructure, may require a hybrid cloud infrastructure to ensure seamless integration between the two.

Furthermore, choosing a cloud provider is also critical, and businesses must select a reliable provider such as Alibaba Cloud that offers high availability and scalability. Virtual machines and other computing services provided by the cloud can also be advantageous, allowing businesses to quickly spin up new resources or scale up existing ones to meet their demands. Ultimately, the decision of whether the cloud is right for you depends on your unique business needs and goals.

What Else Should You Be Considering?

While the cloud may be a good fit for your business, there are a few other things you may want to consider before making a decision. What are your security needs? If you’re storing data remotely, you must be confident that it’s secure. Being compliant with government regulations like HIPAA and GDPR is another critical factor. Finally, you’ll also want to consider your budget and ROI. If you don’t have the budget to use a cloud-based solution, you might want to look at other options.

Summary

The cloud is a popular solution for many businesses but isn’t the best solution for everyone. No single technology or vendor can be the answer to everything. Cloud providers are trying to solve different problems at different scales. As with any technology, the cloud has its strengths and weaknesses, and it’s essential to understand them before making decisions.

There are many Cloud service providers in the US. Among all, Protected Harbor was one of the top Cloud service providers in the US. Our cloud services include AWS Migration, Office 365 Migration, Google Cloud Migration, Hybrid Cloud, Private Cloud, and Dedicated Cloud Infrastructure.

If you’re still unsure about the Cloud or its features, contact one of our experts immediately. They’ll recommend the best-suited strategy for your business. We are also giving away a free IT Audit to help the company identify its weak points. Keep watching the video for more.

Cloud Application Migration Fear

Many organizations fear of migrating applications to cloud because it can be an extremely challenging and complex task. This process will require proper planning, effort, and time to succeed.

The security measures and practices that organizations have built for their on-premise infrastructure do not coincide with what they require in the cloud, where everything is deeply integrated.

Before streamlining your workflow with cloud computing, you must know the most challenging security risks and how to avoid them. Let’s explore how organizations should approach the security aspects of cloud migration, from API integration to access control and continuous monitoring.

This article will highlight some of the organizations’ most common cloud migration fear while moving from on-premise infrastructure to a cloud environment.

What is Cloud Migration?

Cloud migration is the process of moving data, programs, and other business components into a cloud computing environment.

A business can carry out a variety of cloud migrations.

One typical model for cloud migration involves moving data and applications from an on-premises data center to the cloud. Still, it is also possible to move data and applications across different cloud platforms or providers. Cloud-to-cloud migration is the term for this second situation.

Another kind of migration is reverse cloud migration, commonly called cloud repatriation. From one cloud platform to another, data or applications are transferred in this case.

Cloud migration, however, might not be suitable for everyone.

Scalable, reliable, and highly available cloud environments are feasible. These, however, are not the only considerations that will influence your choice.

Why is Security in the Cloud the Biggest Fear for Organizations?

Security is the biggest challenge organizations face because public clouds offer shared resources among different users and use virtualization. The ease of data sharing in the cloud creates serious security concerns regarding data leakage and loss.

The major risk in any infrastructure is neglecting security vulnerabilities due to a lack of expertise, resources, and visibility. Most providers contain various processing and cloud storage services. Therefore, it’s easy for hackers to expose data via poorly configured access controls, data protection measures, and encryption.

Most Common Exposure Points for Cloud-based Applications

Overcoming cloud migration anxiety and challenges before they arise can help any organization to migrate smoothly and save them from potential cyber threats. But first, we need to understand the weak links and exposure points that can put security at risk.

Let’s discuss the weakest links that cause cloud application migration fears:

1. Data Theft Causes Unauthorized Access

Providing administrative access to cloud vendors poses serious threats to the organization. Criminals are gaining access to programs like Office 365 through installations that give them administrative rights. In fact, very recently a phishing campaign leveraging a legitimate organization’s Office 365 infrastructure for email management has surfaced on the cyber scam scene.

Hackers are always evolving their phishing tactics; everything they do is considered smarter and more sophisticated.

If criminals get access to users’ cloud credentials, they can access the CSP’s (Cloud Solution Provider’s) services to gain additional resources. They could even leverage those cloud resources to target the company’s administrative users and other organizations using the same service provider.

Basically, an intruder who obtains CSP admin cloud credentials can use them to access the organization’s systems and data.

2. Third-party Products Comes With Security Risks

Organizations outsource information security management to third-party vendors. It reduces the internal cybersecurity burden but generates its own set of security risks. In other words, the cybersecurity burden shifts from an organization’s internal operations onto its third-party vendors. However, leveraging third-party services or products may come with compliance, business continuity, mobile device risks, etc.

Last year, the Russian Intelligence Service compromised SolarWinds, a famous monitoring tool based on open-source software. They had created a backdoor within the coding and submitted it into the base product. Hackers used a regular software update to inject malicious coding into Orion’s software for cyberattacks.

Vulnerable applications are entry points for cybercriminals, creating fear of migrating applications to cloud. They are always in search of weak spots to infiltrate the system. Applications are used in every industry for better workflow and management. However, there is a need to protect these applications by limiting their access and implementing available patches for better security. Frequent updating of applications and systems helps to protect your IT infrastructure from potential attacks.

3. Hackers Can Compromise Vulnerable VPN Devices

VPNs (Virtual Private Network’s) provide an encrypted connection that hides your online data from attackers and allows businesses to protect their private cloud resources. Many cloud applications need a VPN to transfer data from on-premises infrastructures to the cloud. VPNs are configured to operate one way, but they are often bidirectional. This often opens your organization up to an attack occurring in the cloud service provider.

One such attack has been observed where cybercriminals exploit VPN servers’ vulnerabilities to encrypt the network with a new ransomware variant. By exploiting unpatched VPN applications, hackers can remotely access critical information, such as usernames or passwords, and allows them to log in to the network manually.

Reconfiguring a VPN to access a newly relocated app in the cloud can be disruptive and complicated for its users. Most people don’t use VPNs for cloud application migration because they don’t trust them.

It’s better to install on-site hardware, build VPNs’ deployment on that hardware, migrate them into the on-site deployment, and then move the VMs (Virtual Machines) into a data center. This can be achieved by enabling transparent, unfiltered connectivity between environments. Enterprise cloud VPN can achieve this configuration between a cloud and on-premises networks.

4. Accidental Exposure of User Credentials

Cybercriminals generally leverage cloud applications as a pretext in their phishing attacks. With the rapid use of cloud-based emails and document-sharing services, employees have become habitual of receiving emails with links asking them to confirm their credentials before accessing a particular site or document.

This type of confirmation makes it easy for intruders to get employees’ credentials for their cloud services. Therefore, accidental cloud credentials exposure is a major concern for organizations because it can compromise the security and privacy of cloud-based data and resources.

5. Lack of Secure API

Using API (Application User Interface) in the cloud allows organizations to implement better controls for their applications and systems. However, using insecure APIs can come with grave security risks. The vulnerabilities that exist within these APIs can provide an entry point for intruders to steal critical data, manipulate services, and do reputational harm.

Insecure APIs can cause security misconfigurations, broken authentications, exposed data, broken function-level authorization, and asset mismanagement. The most common example of an insecure API is the Facebook-Cambridge Analytical Scandal which allowed for Cambridge Analytica to access Facebook user data.

How to Reduce Cloud Migration Security Risks?

Organizations can take various steps to mitigate cloud migration anxiety. Here are some recommendations on how to migrate your applications to the cloud.

1. Develop a Plan

Outline the expertise, resources, and tooling you need to get started. Use automated tools supporting optimization and data discovery analysis to define the right migration method for your company.

2. Start Small

To reduce the fear and accelerate cloud adoption, start with an automatic workload lift and shift over in small portions. It helps to introduce cloud benefits and security risks. Moreover, this approach reduces uncertainty and lets organizations benefit from infrastructure savings.

3. Leverage Business Units to Drive Cloud Adoption

Utilize your business units to promote cloud adoption by investing in Software-as-a-Service (SaaS). This does not require any rewriting of your applications. A CRM (Customer Relationship Management) already exists and is running in the cloud which lets you decommission on-premises CRM and is easier than full on-board migration.

4. Make a Set of Security Standards

Develop baseline security standards by collaborating with your governance team. The list must include cloud workload vulnerability posture, control plane configuration, and cloud infrastructure privilege assignment.

5. Invest in Cloud Security Management

Organizations should monitor their cloud security posture from the control plane to asset configuration. When your cloud deployments increase in complexity and numbers, a service tracking all configuration settings becomes valuable to detect any misconfigurations causing security vulnerabilities.

Ready to Migrate Your Applications to the Cloud?

Most organizations lack the experience and confidence for cloud migration fear risks associated with it. The reason is that they don’t have the right time and resources in place to facilitate the move.

Leveraging partners and service providers can help to overcome those fears and make the cloud application migration smoother for your organization. With the support of Protected Harbor

Cloud Migration Services, our clients can transform their existing apps and achieve “future-ready” business outcomes. These services range from planning to execution. Our comprehensive strategy is supported by the understanding that successful modernization uptake requires a diverse blend of suitable solutions with a range of risk and reward profiles.

Our enterprise application migration services offer thorough, extensive, reliable procedures for transferring sizable application portfolios to cloud platforms, and they are easily scalable from one to many apps. We can assist you with application inventory, assessment, code analysis, migration planning, and execution using our tried-and-true tools.

We provide deep industry expertise and a robust set of advanced tools. Experts at Protected Harbor migrate your applications to the cloud and help you increase and optimize the productivity and flexibility of your workforce. Visit here to get more information about Protected Harbor’s cloud services.