Data security is not for the cloud, as it needs a total control of resources to be really effective. Therefore, the safest video conferencing tools will remain on premise still for long
In 2016 – then, not so long ago – an unknown hacker was able to break into an important conference of the leaders of Quebec Liberal Party and hear the whole discussion about the strategy of the party. Luckily, he had no malicious intent. He promptly alerted the security staff, and there was the happy end.
He was not alone. According to the magazine Security, hackers attack computers with an internet access every 39 seconds. In most cases, attacks are made by bots – a diminutive for robots – or by human hackers that employs automated scripts that hit indiscriminately millions of PC`s at a time. This number gives an idea of how serious the issue of security is today. Risks are high especially for users that utilize video conferencing, as this technology massively relies on the web to work.
How to efficiently tackle with the problem of data security during video conferences? Experts have always said that a crucial step is to take control of the flow of data into and out your network. This is true also for next generation security firewalls and IPS. But this implies to remain on premise, as it is the only way to maintain a whole control: nothing is thus going to change next years. In other words, on-premise server based solutions, like R-HUB`s suite TurboMeeting, is and will be the safest video conferencing tools for long.
This is not as bad as it may seem at first sight. Today, on-premise servers are able to offer all the ease and comfort of cloud based solutions. TurboMeeting (http://www.rhubcom.com) servers, for example, are plug-and-play machines: once pulled your server out of the box, you have simply to put its plug into the power socket, and everything happens itself. Even updates are remotely managed. Therefore, users don’t need to worry about anything. The sizes of R-HUB`s servers are so small that they can be easily placed on the shelve of a bookcase. Noise is very loud, at the point that no dedicated cabinet is necessary to store them.
Naturally, the choice of the best technological solution varies according to the rate of risk tolerance that a company can accept. Organizations are different, and they have different risk tolerance rates. For example, it is obvious that the Pentagon wants to keep a total control on everything, while organizations with less data sensitivity like small businesses prefer going on cloud. However, modern on premise servers could be a practical solution even for this second category of users. Not only because they are small-sized, but also for the price. As paradoxical as it may sound, on-premise servers can cost less than software based solutions.
In conclusion, on-premise server based video conferencing solutions are irreplaceable in terms of security. They are the safest conferencing tools available, and the scenario is not going to change next years, despite the advent of clouds. But contrary to the past, today’s on premise servers are inexpensive and user-friendly, and the point that they are similar, not to say equal, to cloud based solutions in terms of ease, scalability and fastness of implementation.