Compliance is a necessity when it comes to cybersecurity and privacy for any company. Without it, consumer and business data is at risk of scams, breaches and theft. As cloud technology becomes the norm across the world, the two seconds then merge into one - cloud compliance. Though progressive in handling data, these systems need some updates.

Depending on the country and the state, compliance laws and regulations will vary. However, they all put an emphasis on protecting information, regardless of the industry. Standard methods of manually checking the network for breaches are not enough anymore. When it comes to cloud compliance, automation is the answer.

Automation is the process in which a system carries out a task with limited or no input from a human. Using artificial intelligence (AI) or machine learning (ML), the system constantly evolves. The cloud can handle data across remote locations at rapid speeds, so it needs ways to comply just as fast. 

The more data a business holds, the more complex the security must be. Then, if you work with cloud technology, you know the demands that come with such vast systems. Combining the cloud with automation takes two of the most innovative parts of today's tech hand-in-hand, showing the way forward for cloud automation.

The Issues with Manual Compliance

Compliance is a domino effect. One misstep leads to a data breach of some sort, which results in data loss, which leads to potential legal consequences and so on. When it comes to meeting compliance, the first manual step to avoid this chain reaction is typically an audit.

IT teams will check through the infrastructure of a cloud-based system for flaws and gaps. Of course, with manual checking comes the risk of human error. Since IT teams already have enough on their plate, you may find the potential for human error increases. Then, the cloud is not as secure and compliant as it needs to be.

Location is another factor that affects compliance. Companies adapt to new tech every day. Some of that involves moving to remote data storage instead of on-site management. As a cloud expert, you'll find that this movement opens up the potential for new threats and some latency as well.

Finally, transparency is a necessity. As regulations grow stricter, consumers want to know what goes on with their data. Take Facebook, for instance. The social media conglomerate has run into countless scandals about its handling of user data, which opened up a bigger conversation about big tech companies. Compliance informs consumers of their rights and protections.

Automation Changes the Game

Automation is fast, simple and straight to the point. With low effort but high impact and efficiency, automated cloud compliance is what you need to take software to the next level. Using AI and ML as a basis, cloud systems can continue to learn on their own. In fact, AI is going to see faster learning rates in the next 10 years, complementing cloud networks nicely.

On its own, the automated cloud system will be able to collect data and evidence for audits, track each bit of data and back it all up - doing each step automatically. Encryption, too, is an invaluable part of the process. Whether the data is sitting in one place or moving back and forth consistently, automation will encrypt it consistently.

While employees can't always monitor the network, the system itself can. Automated infrastructure checks keep an eye out for gaps that need patching or threats to address immediately. It all happens in real-time.

With these round-the-clock precautions in place, all businesses will meet their required compliance demands. Professionals in cloud virtualization can then reduce human error as well. You'll find that automation creates an ecosystem that supports itself. More protection means fewer chain reactions and legal issues. Automation is the way to achieve full compliance.

Future Adaptation

The future of automated cloud compliance is sure to be vast. Since companies are already using the cloud for storage and connectivity, like Microsoft Azure, the next natural step is to automate it all. As more professionals participate in the ease of cloud automation, then it can finally become the norm. Starting with auditing and moving into monitoring, it's time for the cloud to reach its next evolution.

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