The Cloud Series - Part 1: Everybody talks about cloud, virtual space, scalability and managed hosting. But what is behind this technology and what advantages does it offer for companies? What does GDPR compliant and ISO27001 certified mean? Don’t worry, there is no need to google now. In the following we summarize everything worth knowing.

The most important terms around the cloud:

Virtualization Virtualization makes it possible to separate an operating system from the underlying hardware, which means that multiple operating systems such as Windows and Linux can run simultaneously on a single physical machine (server).

Hypervisor A hypervisor is software installed on a computer that can be used to run virtualization. The operating system installed on the virtual machine is called the Guest OS and sometimes an instance. The computer running the hypervisor is called the host machine. A hypervisor management console, also known as a virtual machine manager (VMM), is a user interface that enables easy management of virtual machines.

Elasticity The elasticity of a cloud infrastructure means that it allows the hypervisor to create virtual machines (VMs) or containers with the available resources. These can be switched on or off as needed. This is necessary for companies with various peak times. For example, fewer capacities are generally required during vacation periods, or a streaming service is broadcasting an international soccer match and has excessively high access rates.

Scalability Scalability describes the ability of a system to process a growing amount of data or the ability to adapt to ensure this. This is particularly necessary in larger corporate structures, such as in corporate groups. The same applies to companies that want to migrate individual departments or locations to the cloud step by step.

Cloud Monitoring For applications with uneven usage or with recurring peaks within the workload (practical example: a streaming service during a top soccer match), elasticity and scalability is crucial. Here, monitoring of real-time demand for resources such as bandwidth, memory (storage) and computing power must be guaranteed.

Container Containers in the cloud area act similar to containers in logistics. They pack an application and all the files required to run it into a compact package that is now easier to transport and store.

Cloud Infrastructure The cloud infrastructure consists of several building blocks, such as computing power or data storage. In order to make software usable on a cloud basis, a number of precautions are necessary. One also speaks of "Dependencies", e.g. libraries, compilers, extensions etc.

Managed Hosting Managed Hosting refers to a provider model in which a service provider rents servers and associated hardware to a customer and manages them including operating systems and system software. In our case this refers to a cloud instance. The customer usually has administrator access and interacts with the cloud instance via a web interface. The service provider is responsible for setting up and configuring hardware and software, for technical support, patch management, system maintenance, monitoring and updates. Other services available as part of the hosting package or as extras include backups, load balancing and disaster recovery, as well as security functions such as vulnerability assessment and intrusion detection, and defense or mitigation of Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks.

ISO27001 Certification According to Dekra Germany, ISO27001: "With the introduction of an ISMS (information security management system) and our ISO 27001 certification, you are reacting appropriately to legal requirements and customer demands with regard to your information security. Above all, the documentation from the information security management system, which takes into account all relevant risks for the respective business operation, is decisive". Mehr Infos

GDPR compliant The basic data protection regulation has been an important part of all cloud activities since 2018. Since 25 May 2018, this regulation for the protection of personal data has been in force throughout Europe. The points that cloud providers must meet in this context and what this means for cloud users are explained by a blogpost from Uniscon.
Cloud

Why does the cloud and managed hosting fit my business?

In general, working in the cloud with managed hosting is easier and faster. Your company does not have to worry about infrastructure, updates or the perfect architecture. With Managed Hosting, the service provider takes care of that. IT teams in companies now have the opportunity to take care of other projects and drive them forward. This also adds the factor of time saving.

The cloud provides access to on-demand IT resources designed to drive innovation and improve resource availability. Unlike a local infrastructure, the cloud requires no upfront investment and is easily scalable in both directions (horizontally and vertically). In addition, you only pay for the capacity that is actually used.

Cloud scaling

How safe is the cloud?

We offer our managed hosting in the AWS Cloud. Your data is safe with us and will be processed in Germany according to GDPR and ISO27001 certification. Of course you keep the access to your complete data. A combination of workload isolation, 256-bit encryption, Identity and Access Management, API call logging and other data security features are available. AWS has 27 independently validated security accreditations and is designed to meet regulatory requirements for a wide range of industries. The Forrester Wave (™): Public Cloud Platform Service Providers Security report cites AWS as a leader because of its great strengths in data center security, security certifications, storage and data security. As a result, mission-critical data is protected without compromising control, speed or performance.

What are the advantages of Managed Hosting in the AWS Cloud with Scandio?

Managed Hosting: The Atlassian Stack in the AWS Cloud

  • IMPROVED PERFORMANCE We provide the computing and storage resources needed to handle even the most demanding workloads - without the inconvenience of hardware upgrades.
  • AUTOMATIC SCALING Your capacity is automatically scaled up or down to maintain availability and optimal resource utilization.
  • NO TOOL CHANGE NECESSARY Use existing tools like Atlassian Confluence or Jira easily in the cloud and benefit from the new flexibility.
  • YOU CONCENTRATE ON THE ESSENTIAL We take care of the recurring administrative tasks such as monitoring, maintenance and optimization of all tools and their infrastructure.
  • WORLDWIDE AVAILABILITY Access a reliable, high-performance global IT infrastructure with just a few clicks.
  • DATA SECURITY Protect your data with 256-bit encryption, virtual isolation, identity and access controls, and more. Your data is safe with us and is processed in Germany in compliance with GDPR and ISO27001 certification.
  • USE-RELATED PRICES Operating expenses instead of capital expenditure: Pay only for the resources you actually need.
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