Moving to the cloud is a major convenience and cost-cutting strategy for many businesses that work with IT services providers in Atlanta. Many law firms have been slow at adopting cloud technology partly because of concerns about storing confidential data. Here are points to remember for law firms thinking about migrating to the cloud:
Reasonable Care
Several state bar associations have issued opinions on the ethics of storing data in the cloud, pointing toward “reasonable care” as the standard. The only problem is that there are not universally agreed upon opinions as to exactly what reasonable care means. You should take into account the differences between a private and public cloud before deciding on a cloud solution. A private cloud is exactly what it implies, as only authorized personnel are allowed access, whereas a public cloud involves shared servers that are less private.
Legal professionals are familiar with HIPAA, a law that protects privacy rights in the digital age. Law firms that migrate to the cloud need to protect client information the same way that a hospital must protect patient information. There must be a strict policy on who gets to access private data. If your firm allows employees to bring their own mobile devices, you need to use mobile device management (MDM) software, which allows IT services providers in Atlanta to monitor your network from a central location. It also gives your IT team the power to wipe a lost or stolen device.
Partial Cloud Migration
If you are hesitant about migrating completely to the cloud, you may consider a partial cloud migration. You may only need to access certain files and do not need every file stored in the cloud. The main convenience of cloud computing in Atlanta is that you’ll be able to access certain files any time you want from any device.
By using a hybrid solution, you won’t have to worry about an expensive comprehensive migration plan. That means you can avoid the huge learning curve for workers that comes with cloud migration. You may only want to migrate specific applications to the cloud. As for storage, it’s best to keep confidential data in a private rather than the public cloud. It’s a safe practice to back up all your data in least three places, with at least one being off-site.
Conclusion
Establishing your own private cloud is the most secure cloud solution for a law firm. Your IT services team in Atlanta can still use a public cloud for storing less critical data. Contact us at MIS Solutions, Inc. to learn more about how we can effectively and efficiently take your business to the cloud.