Why New Server Buying Is Fuelled by Automation and Security?

Key takeaways

• It promotes easier collaboration among workers by efficiently handling massive data.
• Advanced threats and government regulations have mostly contributed to the demand.
• The benefits of security automation far outweigh the disadvantage.

Servers are an integral part of any workplace. It promotes easier collaboration among workers by efficiently handling massive data. Servers also ensure a smooth workflow between various stakeholders in a company. Thus, it is very important to keep certain things in mind before buying a server. Primarily, the important factors are interoperability, compatibility across hardware and drivers, storage capacity and ease of maintenance through hot-swappable components, etc. However, with so many technological advancements and government regulations regarding data security across the world, automation and security are the two most important factors.

Why Automation? #

In simple words, designating a computer to do what a human would do is called automation. This reduces workload. For ex-Server provisioning is a process through which a server is set up to be used in a network based on required resources. For a long time, these processes have been handled manually. Employees were designated to look after servers – installing necessary drivers, maintaining hardware, and configuring settings. Storage, in those servers, was predominantly a hardware affair. The more storage you need, the more components you need to order, and so on. This was time taking and not very economical. This is where automation and virtual infrastructure comes in. A lot of the cumbersome physical process has become software-based. Commonly called cloud computing, this integration of software into the running of a system is technically Infrastructure as Code(IaC). It works by managing and provisioning infrastructure through code instead of through manual processes. The system then works as programmed without needing repeated intervention. Things like the need for a sudden increase of storage can be managed by automatically allocating more space in the cloud rather than waiting for a physical drive to arrive. However, everything has its advantages and disadvantages. Let us look at them:

Advantages #

· Employees can focus on more important work and make impactful decisions for the company.

· Company can focus more on service delivery or R&D rather than tending to physical needs of IT Infrastructure.

· Reducing human error means more reliability.

· Easier administration.

Disadvantages #

· Building a robust cloud computing infrastructure needs a lot of expenditure, time, and energy.

· The scope of automation is limited to what it is programmed to do. Unlike AI, it can’t solve sudden problems. (Although AI and ML integration is possible, it is a different topic altogether)

What about Security? #

Security in the context of server buying refers to all the applications and background processes involved in protecting your digital data. This is called cybersecurity, and for a long time, it has been based on third-party software solutions. The demand for integrated security solutions has developed over time. Advanced threats and government regulations have mostly contributed to the demand. Many countries have even made laws for companies to hire data security officers to ensure compliance with local IT laws. This happened amidst a global increase in incidents of data leaks and caber-attacks. Moreover, cybercriminals have become more sophisticated and are harder to trace day by day. According to Accenture’s “State of Cybersecurity Resilience 2021” report, caber attacks have increased by 31% in the year 2020-21 itself! Thus, businesses are looking toward a more integrated solution for security rather than a software-end approach. This is called shifting security to the left, i.e., to make security proactive, reactive, and a part of the infrastructure. Network security infrastructure should be based on a Zero Trust approach- assuming that every interaction starts from an entrusted source. Traditional methods can’t keep pace with the rapid technological advancement. As other systems and processes are adapting and advancing, so should cybersecurity.

Security automation? #

Simply put, designating a computer to perform security processes is called security automation. Red Hat describes it as “Security automation is the use of technology that performs tasks with a reduced human assistance to integrate security processes, applications, and infrastructure.”

Manual vigilance of cybersecurity becomes more and more complex as networks increase. A human error here can have devastating consequences. Moreover, human response is much slower than a computer. However, a programmed code that can automate remediation of issues, errors in resource configuration, and inconsistent policy application can do it much more efficiently, leading to fewer vulnerabilities in a system. This also helps in avoiding unplanned expenditure and smooth governance.

Security processes that can be automated are threat prevention, threat detection, response, and remediation. Early detection leading to the prevention of threats can reportedly save a company 1.22 million USD. When done manually, remediation processes are time-consuming and subject to trial and error. Automation helps greatly.

Conclusion #

Server automation provides a cleaner architecture through robust software management. Cloud computing is easier to set up and is more reliable, devoid of human errors. Moreover, the software allows various interfaces and tools to provide instant feedback mechanisms and implement better policies. Companies can also ensure the best quality of service delivery as automation makes testing and rollback easier. Thus, a business can only launch a product after it has been thoroughly tested. From what we read above, changing times need more adaptive solutions. Security and automation are two of the most important things to remember while buying a server. The benefits of security automation far outweigh the disadvantage.

Related reading

• All About Layered Security in Healthcare
• Cloud Cryptography: The Solution to your Cloud Security
• Cloud Security Solutions: 5 Common Causes of Cyber-Risk

More in Cybersecurity

Questions and answers

Why Automation? #

In simple words, designating a computer to do what a human would do is called automation. For ex-Server provisioning is a process through which a server is set up to be used in a network based on required resources.

What about Security? #

Security in the context of server buying refers to all the applications and background processes involved in protecting your digital data. This is called cybersecurity, and for a long time, it has been based on third-party software solutions.