Enrollsy is a software solution available in the cloud. You don't need to download any software to your device(s) to use our product, although we have apps available through the Apple App store and Google Play. So, what exactly is cloud software, and why does it matter?

Cloud software is made possible by cloud computing, which according to Amazon, is "the on-demand delivery of IT resources over the internet." So, instead of buying, owning, and maintaining physical data centers and servers, Enrollsy accesses technology services directly from Amazon Web Services (AWS).

Cloud computing is arguably the most significant advancement in IT since the internet became a thing. But with all good things, there are also risks that we should all be aware of and understand. The purpose of this article is to try and outline the risks and rewards of Enrollsy as a cloud software solution.

While the cloud offers some fantastic benefits, which we will discuss below, there are risks to using software in the cloud. However, for each risk, there are ways to optimize and effectively manage outcomes. At the bottom of this article, you'll find additional resources detailing how each of the risks below is optimized and managed by Enrollsy.

We've all heard of data breaches at major corporations like Target, Yahoo, Experian, and the Federal Government. I've received three letters from various organizations that hold my personal information in the last year. These letters all stated that my data was (or may have been) compromised.

These are not small mom-and-pop operations; they are major corporations that spend millions of dollars annually on every known security measure and best practice. One of the trade-offs society has chosen to accept with the convenience of the internet and cloud computing is the possibility that data can be stolen, lost, or otherwise fall into the hands of unintended parties.

Several years ago, I remembered seeing a picture of a government employee sitting at their desk. With a little pinching and zooming on the image, I could see a sticky note on their monitor with login credentials (username and password) to what I can only assume was one of the employee's accounts.

According to various sources, most people (upwards of 60%) use the same passwords for personal and work accounts. Another staggering statistic is that 67% of all Americans use the same password for multiple accounts. Why is this a bad thing? Well, when over 50% of data breaches and cyberattacks are due to compromised login credentials, you'd think we would be a little more careful. The reality is cloud security is the responsibility of each user as much as the provider's responsibility.

Security isn't just about a bad actor getting access to a database of information. It's also about people who are intended to have access to data, in specific ways and times, not being able to access that data. One of the most common ways attackers cut off access to data is by a Denial of Service (DoS) or Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS).

While this is most commonly a tactic used by nation-states and organized cyber-criminals targeting large corporations or government entities, it can also happen in less sophisticated ways. This disruption of service makes it impossible for users to access the data they need access to for a period of time.

All hardware and software have security vulnerabilities. Security teams are working around the clock to identify, remediate, and publish updates and information to ensure users of their products have the most secure experience possible. Microsoft, Apple, Google, Samsung, Sony, and more constantly release patches to bugs and flaws that create security gaps in their products.

Software that runs in the cloud requires access to the internet. If your network goes down or the service is temporarily unavailable, you won't be able to use/access the data you need. LTE connectivity has mitigated much of this risk, and some app developers have gone through the trouble of creating apps that work offline and then sync when brought back online. Depending on the app's complexity, this may or may not be feasible.

You should be aware of the risks when you use any service that processes or stores data. Still, that reality doesn't justify carelessness in choosing who you allow to process or handle your (or your customer's data). Nor does it mean you shouldn't use cloud software. On the other hand, there are great benefits, which we discuss next.

Ok, now that we have the bad news out of the way, it's time for the good news. You may conclude that the good news doesn't outweigh the bad news, but you would be in the minority, as cloud software is the most widely adopted type of software worldwide.

Using installed software means you are tied to one specific device. Updates or changes to data made on that device reside there and there alone. Moving to the cloud frees you from these limitations and allows you access to your data from any internet-enabled device, anytime, through your web browser.

The cloud allows us, as the software provider, to go from idea to product-in-your-hands much faster than any of the alternatives (and at a lower cost). We can freely experiment, try new ideas without much overhead, and deliver successful projects to our users in real time.

The cloud allows us, as the software provider, to automatically scale up our computing and other resources as you grow and experience cycles of high demand for your Programs and Classes (along with thousands of other Enrollsy clients simultaneously). This means you can grow as fast as possible, and we can support that!

Data backup, disaster recovery, and other critical security features are all made possible through the cloud, either directly through AWS or its trusted partners. This means that in terms of keeping your data secure, you don't need to rely only on our expertise of us here at Enrollsy; instead, you (and we) are relying on the expertise of the most trusted, knowledgeable, and experienced resources in the world.

AWS has infrastructure worldwide, so no matter where Enrollsy's clients are, application delivery will be optimized with minimal latency and downtime in the geographical area of the user and their customers. This means you can grow, franchise, or stay where you are, and Enrollsy will work great for you and your customers.

It's important to remember that there is no 24/7x365 100% secure solution with the internet. Even 20 years ago, with installed software that didn't run on the internet, there were risks of similar scope and significance. Additionally, today's bad actors are using tools like ransomware and malware that make installed software less secure than cloud software.

We love the cloud, and when you use Enrollsy, you join billions of people who agree that the rewards far outweigh the risks. Take some time to browse the articles below to get a more in-depth understanding of how we work to protect your data.

Enrollsy takes security seriously and relies on industry leaders and best practices to optimize the risks of Cloud Computing. You can learn more about specific practices in the articles listed below: