The way cloud security is delivered will depend on the individual cloud provider or the cloud security solutions in place.

According to companies like Fortinet, for those using a combination of cloud and on-premises tools, taking control of a security plan is critical. You’ll want to have at least one standard and one advanced plan for each security technology, then apply one plan to all of your cloud devices. If your security management system isn’t cloud-based, you can’t be sure what’s going to work for you. If your organization uses both on-premises and cloud-based security solutions, then you need to be aware of differences in cloud and on-premises tools, such as Microsoft SysInternals’ own Sysinternals Security Advisory 7057, and John Tual’s security Best Practices. For more information on this topic, check out John’s guide and notes on controlling cloud security.

Beyond security at the perimeter, your organization will need to consider a security policy for your application processes. While different processes are related, you don’t want to treat all processes, cloud and on-premises, as if they’re the same. Some security problems might manifest themselves in the code that is executed in a cloud-based process, while other problems might occur outside the code. For example, in Windows Azure services, data can be stored in a variety of places. Cloud-based services might not allow data stored in Azure to be stored outside the Microsoft cloud if it violates an existing privacy policy. This means if you want data stored in your on-premises environment to be stored in Azure, then it needs to be placed in a policy that allows for this. However, if you are using Azure in a hybrid deployment, where the on-premises and cloud environments run the same Windows operating system, you will have to find a way to separate security policies to make sure each entity has the protection it needs.

Finally, if your security strategy includes data protection, it is critical that the security processes in place prevent data leakage. If you plan to use a third-party data protection technology, then make sure that your solution can provide data protection. Data protection doesn’t have to be painful. If you plan to keep your own internal data protected, then consider using a solution that can maintain an audit trail that helps you determine who can access the data and to whom it should be stored. You may want to consider cloud-based protection, so that you can learn about security issues as they occur and make sure the protection is in place. Learn also to achieve data governance and protect your business-critical application data. You should also invest in high quality colocation to secure your servers. These processes help to determine what you are likely to need to replace, upgrade or remove, which helps your business decide what is in your best interest.

Online shopping has been around for about twenty-five years. When first developed, I believe it was a simple marketing tool that allowed people to save money on staples they need but never buy. In time, ecommerce expanded the concept and resulted in a massive surge in ecommerce stores. Today, ecommerce shops dominate markets all around the world, consumers just love visiting websites like https://www.raise.com/coupons/sams-club in order to find the best deals online. Many people believe these companies will grow exponentially and overtake conventional retailers. To date, this hasn’t been the case. Why?

Ecommerce sites often go through strategic partnerships with traditional retailers in order to leverage their ecommerce expertise, but are not necessarily trying to actually replicate traditional sales channels. Some ecommerce sites do this very well, like Amazon. Most don’t. Walmart’s success may be a perfect example. Its ecommerce site has become one of the largest retailers in the world in the last ten years.

Why will ecommerce not cannibalize other types of sales

I often hear “Ecommerce will cannibalize other kinds of sales.” This is the perception of all the products you buy to complete your order. But look at Walmart. Their largest ecommerce outlet is Walmart.com. Compare Walmart’s site to Amazon.com, or even your local drug store. Amazon has everything in the store, from electronics to clothes. Walmart has a whole line of beauty products, but it’s different from Amazon. If you want clothes, why do you buy them at Walmart? Why buy them from Amazon? Even if you wanted to buy electronics, why did you choose Walmart? There is a brand of television you’d probably love, and you’re shopping for it at Walmart. You don’t have to go anywhere else.

I’m not saying you can’t find your products elsewhere. There are plenty of places where you can buy sunglasses and shirts. But what you’ll probably find is people that just like to shop at Walmart. They’ve discovered a similar experience at their local Walmart, which just happens to be in their neighborhood.

Ecommerce sites aren’t focusing on selling and buying the same products

The most common mistake I hear about ecommerce sites is that they are all selling the same product. There is a lot of false information out there regarding ecommerce. This is one of the biggest problems. Many ecommerce sites do not focus on selling and buying the same products. Even more confusing is the lack of focus on related, yet unrelated, product categories. Many people buy a new computer to replace their aging laptop. Some people buy shoes in order to buy shoes in a different size.

People can have the same product or market in mind at different times. If you don’t know what you want to buy and you’re shopping for something you think it is similar, look for the closest equivalent.