Keeping it in the business: how to make file sharing enterprise-proof
File-sharing services, if done right, can streamline collaboration, increase information security and ensure that the right tools are being used in the workplace
File-sharing services, if done right, can streamline collaboration, increase information security and ensure that the right tools are being used in the workplace
Today’s consumer file-sharing services are marketing themselves as enterprise solutions. With low fees, free trials, trendy buzzwords and partnerships with IT titans, such tools are aiming to convince businesses across the world that they are a safe environment for information management. However, consumer file-sharing services are simply not good enough for those enterprise seeking to manage where enterprise information resides, who can access it and who ‘owns’ it.
The future of cloud compliance
As interactions become more digital, collaboration platforms will need to protect information at the point at which it is used within the application. Organisations need to consider whether the tools that they are introducing have inbuilt security mechanisms, such as access and permissions, information audit capabilities and secure file storage that enables IT administrators to maintain clear visibility of the data that is being shared across file-sharing applications.
> See also: Is unauthorised use of file sharing solutions putting organisations on a slippery slope?
Enterprises also need to ensure that they will continue to truly ‘own’ their content. Regulations exist in most regions that govern how information can be accessed and often require organisations to ensure information is kept within specific geographical regions. For example, from next year the EU’s Data Protection Directive and UK’s Data Protection Act will mean that businesses are accountable for governing the transfer of personally identifiable information across Europe.
To demonstrate compliance with strict policies and avoid harsh penalties, business leaders need the ability to control which jurisdictions data is handled in. Before deploying any cloud platforms, organisations need to closely examine service level agreements and make sure that it includes a guarantee that data cannot be monitored, sold, withheld or lost to comply with regulations.
Sourced from Lubor Ptacek, VP Product Strategy
