Data Foundry Blog - Insights

No matter your definition of edge computing, the purpose is to bring processing power closer to the devices that communicate with it. For the purpose of this blog post, “the edge” is any storage or processing equipment that is not in a data center, i.e. computer equipment or machinery in your office, warehouse, or factory that stores or processes data from computers or network-enabled devices nearby.

Over the past few years, the Internet of Things (IoT) has transformed the way nearly every industry transmits, collects and uses data — and the oil and gas industry is no exception.

Energy companies who’ve invested in this new technology are enjoying cost savings, better-streamlined processes, more accurate forecasts for demands and other crucial advantages. And that’s likely why global IoT in the oil and gas market is expected to reach nearly $40 billion by 2023, according to a report from BIS Research.

It’s almost the end of another year, and predictions for 2019 tech trends are rolling in. Many of last year’s predictions rang true for 2018, including the rise of cybercrime-as-a-service, data sovereignty, and hybrid cloud connectivity. It looks like some exciting technologies will finally take off next year and become more commonplace, like augmented analytics, AI integration and edge computing. After analyzing predictions form Gartner, Forbes, Tech Republic and others, here are what we think will the top 9 predictions to watch out for in 2019.

Digital disruption makes businesses more competitive for many reasons, some of which include a reduction in the need for physical assets and materials and increased efficiency and agility. For example, Nest eliminated the need to have both an HVAC and security monitoring system, smart phones took the place of calculators, alarm clocks and cameras. These innovations disrupt entire industries because they are the obvious convenient choice for consumers. They also provide agility through scalable platforms that make it easy for companies to add and offer new services.

As some of you may already know, elections aren’t the only thing Russian hackers are meddling in. They’ve infiltrated our energy and manufacturing sectors as well. This year, the FBI and Department of Homeland Security announced Russian government actors have hacked into energy, nuclear, water and critical manufacturing sectors. In July, they announced Russian hackers had infiltrated utility control rooms where they could have thrown switches if they chose to do so. Russia aside, it has become painfully obvious our industrial IoT (IIoT) and infrastructure are vulnerable.

You may think your home’s smart devices only send data about temperatures or your exercise activities, so why does it really matter who sees it? Data in aggregate can reveal more than you think about yourself and your family, but even if privacy doesn’t matter to you, lack of data protection isn’t the only risk. Hackers can easily manipulate unsecured IoT-connected devices, get into your network and infiltrate other devices, such as your home computer. Every unsecured device you own is a potential inroad to your home network. Hackers can also take control of your devices and use them to conduct large-scale attacks on businesses and other organizations, such as was the case with the Mirai botnet. We all have a responsibility to improve our nation’s cybersecurity, and we can start with home network security.

Web application firewalls or WAFs can protect your website and web applications from a variety of attacks and intrusions that your network firewall can’t. Depending on the WAF your security team chooses, it can protect against XSS attacks, SQL injection, session hijacking and buffer overflows. If your website or application processes payments, it’s especially important to have a WAF, and it is a necessary standard to comply with PCI-DSS. Even if you don’t process payments, a WAF can protect against fraud and prevent malicious actors from tampering with your website and your applications.

For some companies, change management involves throwing things at a wall until something sticks. Needless to say, this is not the ideal system for implementing new technologies. As companies undergo digital transformations to remain competitive and to survive, mastering change management is essential. Because companies only reap the rewards of change after it has been implemented at the individual level, a successful change management process involves getting people on board in all levels of the company.

It appears we are reaching the zenith of the 2018 hurricane season. The most stressful part of an impending natural disaster is uncertainty, followed by lack of preparation. By preparing for an emergency like a flood or hurricane both in your professional and personal life, you can reduce the impact of a stressful situation on yourself and your family. September is National Preparedness Month – Disasters happen. Prepare now. Learn how. In line with this theme, we are providing a checklist of often forgotten tips to help you through hurricane season.

Compliance is confusing and mind-numbingly boring for most people. Before you can even finish explaining what SSAE stands for (Statement on Standards for Attestation Engagements) eyes are glazing over. Unfortunately, data center compliance standards aren’t merely sleeping aids, and not following them is enough to break a company from fines and reputation damage.