If you think of cloud computing as just the latest in a string of buzzwords, then you need to read "The Definitive Guide to Identity Management"
I’ve known Archie Reed for many years, since he was vice president of strategy for TruLogica back in the early years of this century. He went with that company when it was acquired by Compaq, then stayed when that organization was bought by HP, filling various roles involving identity and security until ending up, today, as HP’s chief technologist for cloud security.
Back in 2004, I was touting Archie’s eBook The Definitive Guide to Identity Management, still available today from Realtime Publishers (and worth reading if you haven’t already).
Today Archie has another eBook out, Silver Clouds, Dark Linings: A Concise Guide to Cloud Computing, available for your Kindle and other eBook platforms.
If, like me, you think of cloud computing as just the latest in a string of buzzwords (service-oriented architecture, network computing, software-as-a-service, client server, etc.) for, essentially, the same thing then you need this book.
If you think that there’s no need for an identity layer in cloud computing then you need this book.
For me, chapter 8 “Cloud Governance, Risk, and Compliance” is worth the price of the book, with its sub-chapters:
* Risk Management
* Governance
* Compliance
* Cohesive GRC
* Cloud GRC Model
* Cloud Service Portfolio Governance
* Cloud Service Consumer/Producer Governance
* Cloud Asset Vitality
* Cloud Organization Governance
* GRC Is a Process, Not a Project!
Reed and his co-author (Stephen G. Bennett, senior enterprise architect at Oracle) conclude the chapter with three essentials truths:
1. The actions of individuals can undermine your cloud service adoption efforts. Therefore define an appropriate cloud GRC model to address your planning, control and monitoring needs.
2. Cloud services present many unique situations for you to address. Therefore, you must consider and weigh up the risks against any monetary gains.
3. Effective cloud governance provides organizations with visibility into and oversight of cloud services utilized used across the organization.
The rest of the book tells you how to get there.
Download the book to your preferred eBook reader then keep it handy whenever yet another business line manager casually mentions that they implemented yet another cloud computing service.
