Cloud. Who would’ve thought that just a single word would be one of the biggest driving forces behind my path in the security industry? Forging a new direction in any career can be a calculated risk, but the decision to join Arcules on the journey toward educating the security market about the cloud doesn’t seem like a risk at all (and I’m a risk management guy).
I’ve always advocated that cloud-based initiatives are the key to success, especially as we’ve seen them mature exponentially over the last 10 years. In general, people use the cloud more often than we realize; everything from social media to banking to file sharing can be done seamlessly with the cloud running in the background of our daily lives. This is a concept that now needs to extend to business needs where organizations can realize the cloud’s ease of use.
This is where Arcules comes into play. I chose to join this team because I believe that Arcules solves the problem of what it means to drive video software as a service in the cloud. The company tends to a marketplace need through its sense of innovation, adaptability and desire to listen to its customers.
But the security industry is still experiencing barriers when it comes to cloud adoption. And though it may seem rudimentary, the real challenge lies in defining the term. Many people are creating their own notion of what the cloud is, leading to the lack of a unified understanding of proper nomenclature. The word therefore becomes difficult to absorb in an industry where we commonly talk about physical devices (and terms) that are so widely known, such as surveillance cameras.
Overcoming this challenge starts with transforming the mindset from physical security to solving risk-based problems. By understanding the risks to an organization, we can become practitioners of risk-based outcomes rather than technology-based outcomes. Cloud infrastructure is made up of more than just devices; it encompasses the people, processes and technology applications that are required to enable organizations to accomplish their business and security goals.
We must also properly communicate the numerous benefits of the cloud, with one of the most important being the fact that an organization doesn’t need to maintain the technology itself. Placing data in the cloud removes the inherent risk element that used to cost businesses a significant amount of money and personnel to manage on their own.
As we move forward and the cloud is increasingly adopted in the marketplace, it’s important for us to recognize the unique challenges end users face and determine how best we can address their requirements. Arcules separates itself in this regard, with an understanding that the cloud adoption process is incremental and must be tailored to a customer’s specific operation.
I’m strongly passionate about leading this charge and creating a positive impact in the industry. Risk is inherent in our society — and it’s a risk I feel much more deeply as a parent witnessing tragedies in a number of places around the globe. We must be part of a rising group of voices in the industry that says that we can actually change and improve things and not just talk about it. If we don’t start it, no one will.
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