CloudOps refers to cloud operations, a mixture of network, security, performance, device management, help desk, and other tasks that keep cloud-native applications and underlying infrastructure up and running.
We see the need to manage multiple cloud environments at scale, so the CloudOps solution is a hybrid cloud service that we provide to address this requirement. To be a little more specific, it can handle any cloud-native workload — be it a monolith or microservices-based application — whether on-premises or in the cloud.
Key Questions About CloudOps
From an architectural point of view, the focus of CloudOps is on the control plane, which we then can take to the network layer to determine the network traffic and how to route it so that resources like storage, compute networking, and so on can be isolated and managed effectively.
Let's address the need by reviewing common questions you will need to answer, such as:
What Was the Purpose of Starting CloudOps?
The purpose was to address the management, control, and provisioning requirements of a cloud environment that can scale independently of each other, including different public clouds, container services, and other cloud infrastructure.
CloudOps tries to provide a fully managed deployment, management, monitoring, and management system that can deal with any hybrid cloud workload at a very high level. It consolidates multiple vendors into a single managed service to manage a workload environment like one would drive a single server cluster.
How Do You Integrate DevSecOps into Your CloudOps Strategy?
We have previously discussed how this strategy is leveraging cloud-native technology to deliver a DevOps approach to take advantage of a more holistic security model. CloudOps is an essential part of the overall approach, as it creates a single architecture for managing a multi-cloud environment.
Why is it Essential to Offer Multi-Cloud Management, Security, and Analytics?
You need to be able to manage these types of workloads at different cloud providers, across other regions, and on-premises. Our multi-cloud management provides a single interface that provides visibility into all the environments and allows for configuring, planning, and controlling all the different components of a cloud environment.
Our clients include some leading technology companies that provide infrastructure and software-as-a-service (SaaS). Some also have hybrid-cloud environments, such as public and private cloud combinations. They have implemented CloudOps solutions for operations and security.
Security- and Compliance-as-a-Service
SCaaS stands for Security-as-a-Service. Although relatively new, several vendors offer SCaaS services, including cloud storage, database encryption, and compliance monitoring.
These services are typically delivered as managed cloud services rather than dedicated hardware services. One of the significant advantages of SCaaS is that all the tools used for data protection and compliance are cloud-based. SCaaS significantly reduces the costs of IT in organizations with complex IT environments.
Many cloud security solutions available today come with a caveat that if they are not integrated with other cloud services, they may not deliver on their promise. This requirement is a big problem for organizations trying to rapidly scale their environments, as many cloud service providers, such as the Big Three, do not provide pre-integrated security solutions that are ready to be used in production environments.
Today, several companies are addressing this problem by providing security solutions. These companies provide security services delivered as a fully managed service and deployed at the edge of the network so that their clients can apply security services in a cloud or on-premises environment without requiring additional integration. By creating this self-service model, companies can rapidly deploy security solutions in production environments with minimal resources.
Security solutions might sound attractive in theory, but the reality is that although the SCaaS model is quite simple from a design perspective, it is complicated to implement in practice. The massive complexity associated with securing an organization's network has resulted in several vendor-led security solutions failing to deliver on their promises.
The companies that address this problem are providing cloud-based solutions and leveraging automation to support a self-service deployment model, helping organizations automate the process of using security in their cloud environments. In addition, the self-service nature of these solutions makes them appealing to the new breed of DevOps teams trying to create and deploy their software in the cloud.
One of the biggest challenges facing security companies today is overcoming the lack of trust that security teams have in security vendors. Organizations that do not trust their vendors are unlikely to employ them. As a result, security vendors are losing the opportunity to deliver a solution to an organization that needs cloud security.
Cloud-based security vendors are also grappling with the problem of figuring out where the vulnerabilities lie in their security solutions. It is a common challenge for security vendors to understand their competitors' security solutions and know where their products fit in.
One of the critical challenges for organizations trying to adopt a DevOps process is to move beyond security best practices and integrate security into their development process. As the cloud is quickly becoming the primary deployment location for protection in many organizations, security services must run fast and seamlessly integrate into the DevOps processes. If this integration does not happen quickly and easily, it will be difficult for organizations to deliver the benefits they are looking for.
The ease with which cloud-based security solutions are being delivered is rapidly growing, which is a good thing, but it is also a sign that we are approaching a breaking point. The key challenge for security vendors is implementing their solutions to meet these challenges and deliver on their promises.
Once again, the complexity associated with today's cloud security environment leads to a straightforward problem that is being solved differently than it was two or three years ago. The onus is on security vendors to become as easy to deploy as cloud-based storage services or internet infrastructure.
To achieve this easy deployment, security vendors must move beyond vendor-specific products and provide security services-as-a-service optimized for today's hybrid environment. This shift will allow organizations to integrate security into their development processes and cloud deployments. It is tricky to do, but the payoff will be significant.
Cloud-Based Compliance
Some companies provide cloud compliance to ensure a company's observance of the standards set by ISO and other standards bodies. Organizations can only apply cloud compliance for critical assets, such as customer data, applications, and some infrastructure, and then continue to protect other less critical assets on-premises.
The cloud compliance capabilities are less clear, but there is a wide variety of tools on the market. The main question for organizations is whether they can afford the costs associated with compliance with various standards. The level of compliance is measured as good, adequate, or moderate.
Critical Benefits for Customers
Each CloudOps customer is making a different bet. Some have already adopted Kubernetes in their environments. Others have adopted Kubernetes in containers. In a few cases, they also have microservices-based applications. They want to integrate the IT/DevOps environment and the DevOps processes of the company and provide the right technologies for security, assurance, and performance.
The CloudOps platform provides visibility into all these areas at an unprecedented scale. It can provide a single console that can provide visibility across the enterprise to predict and manage changes in your workload in any part of the IT/DevOps processes. In addition, a CloudOps mindset can help you develop a management strategy and define a risk matrix for cloud security.
CloudOps offers an integrated platform to manage core functionalities for various workloads in different environments. CloudOps customers need to manage their workloads as a single entity in their cloud infrastructure and across various cloud providers by utilizing Kubernetes as the orchestration tool and providing visibility across clouds. CloudOps and DevSecOps working together helps ensure that your customers can deploy, run, manage, monitor, and service their workloads regardless of where they are running or deployed.
Security Is Smarter, but Not Yet Self-aware
Security solutions are continuously being developed to reduce the complexity of securing the cloud, enabling DevOps teams to focus on building great applications. The problem is that the number of security tools and services available to developers is increasing at a similar rate.
This proliferation means DevOps teams are swamped, and the risk of data breaches is rising. The complexity and lack of transparency that comes with many of the available solutions are causing added complexity and cognitive load for the developers and DevOps teams that use the keys. In addition, the number of new security products that enter the market is outpacing the pace of innovation in cloud services.
By deploying cloud security management technology, enterprises are forced to make significant investments in their security infrastructure, such as virtualization technology, to help handle the complexity of managing security in the cloud. In the past, organizations faced this challenge as they started adopting the cloud. Still, now that the process is firmly embedded within many organizations' development processes, organizations face the prospect of being overwhelmed by security tools as they scale their cloud environments.
Recently, several security companies have focused on the self-learning capabilities of their solutions and on providing cloud security solutions that are easier to manage and maintain. These companies can deliver solutions that automate the process of security controls and provide an easier way to integrate security into the development and DevOps processes. The evolution of observing and then repairing services is known as AIOps. Companies in this space include Splunk, Dynatrace, Red Hat, ServiceNow, and the Big Three cloud vendors. These are among the companies addressing the needs of the fast-growing DevOps market.
Gain experience via a remote internship opportunity and obtain an internship certificate by choosing our unique Advanced Executive Program in Cybersecurity. Grab your seat now and enhance your resume in just 6 months. Contact our team today!
Conclusion
Simplilearn offers a range of comprehensive skills training programs in cyber security, such as the Post Graduate Program in Cyber Security. This six-month online bootcamp featuring live virtual classrooms, hands-on labs, and projects. The curriculum includes modules and masterclasses from MIT. This program gives you in-depth expertise in cyber security.
