Is Security a Concern in Cloud Storage?

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would take this opportunity to thank my research supervisor, family and friends for their support and guidance without which this research would not have been possible.

DECLARATION

I, [type your full first names and surname here], declare that the contents of this dissertation/thesis represent my own unaided work, and that the dissertation/thesis has not previously been submitted for academic examination towards any qualification. Furthermore, it represents my own opinions and not necessarily those of the University.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTii

DECLARATIONiii

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION1

Background of the Study1

Research Problem Area4

Objectives of the Research Study4

Problem Statement4

Aims of the Research Study5

Purpose of the Research Study5

Rationale of the Research Study6

Significance of the Research Study7

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW8

Theoretical Framework8

Cloud Storage8

Data Centres9

Root Causes of Lost of Data Control10

Fibre Channel network11

Security of Storage11

Server Access12

Management Network Access12

Theft Prevention13

Prevention of Unauthorized Disclosure13

Prevention of Data Tampering14

Prevention of Accidental Corruption/Destruction14

Accountability14

Authenticity14

Verifiable Transactions15

Service Continuity15

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY16

Research Method16

Rationale for a Quantitative Study17

Research Design18

Proposed Approach to Primary Research18

Research Population19

Questionnaire19

Keywords Associated with Research20

REFERENCES21

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Data storage is integral part of data centres architecture, over the years several storage solutions have been develop to satisfy applications requirements and demands. There is a diversity of storage alternatives offered, yet the most common ones are: Direct Attached Storage (DAS), Network-Attached Storage (NAS) and Storage Area Networks (SAN). Selection of appropriate data storage solution is complex process because the various needs and plans of each business applications. In large scale data centre SAN and NAS are dominating the market. Two significant computer advances - cloud technology and powerful mobile devices are revolutionizing how users work and the degree of control they experience over their data. Cloud computing is catalyzing a migration from in-house infrastructure and applications to remote public infrastructure and Web services; as a result, personal desktop applications are yielding to Web services - such as Google Docs and Photoshop Express and IT-managed enterprise applications and data centres to cloud-based solutions such as Amazon AWS. Further, robust and usable small-form portable devices are encouraging users to adopt increasingly mobile computing habits. For example, travellers can carry gigabytes of data on their laptops and USB sticks, access calendars and e-mails on phones, and read documents with e-readers.

While cloud and mobile computing enable pervasive data access and large-scale sharing, they also threaten users' sense of control over their data's security, privacy, and management. Users cede all data control to the Web service for example, when sending an email over Hotmail, posting a photo to Facebook, or uploading a document on 'Google Docs. The service can decide to retain the data for months after the user requests its deletion, to share it with others for monetary or legal reasons, or to replicate it on servers outside the user's jurisdiction. However, detrimental such practices are common place today. Similarly, losing a mobile device means users cannot securely erase their data, prevent access to it by thieves, or identify potentially compromised data.

Cloud computing, is an innovative network-based distributed computing paradigm that promises us that we would ...