Addressing security compatibility for multi-tenant cloud services

This paper addresses the issue of compatibility checking between the security requirements of service clients and the security assurances provided by multi-tenant cloud services. To allow early detection of security mismatches, our proposed framework provides a security ontology to support flexible specification of security policies and to allow semantic matching and run-time reasoning about the compatibility between security requirements and assurances of the interacting systems in multi-tenant service-oriented systems. The paper also defines various compositional models of a client based on the requirements of specific use context and users' profile of the client for a service. 2013 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.Scopu

An Analysis of the Technological, Organizational, and Environmental Factors Influencing Cloud Adoption

Cloud computing provides an answer to the increasing costs of managing information technology (IT), and has become a model that aligns IT services with an organization\u27s business strategies. However, concerns and uncertainties associated with cloud computing are deterring IT decision makers from making sound decisions regarding the adoption of the technology. The purpose of this online survey study was to examine the relationship between relative advantage, compatibility, organizational size, top management support, organizational readiness, mimetic pressure, normative pressures, coercive pressure, and the IT decision makers\u27 intent to adopt cloud computing. The theoretical framework incorporated the diffusion of innovations theory, a technology-organization-environment framework, and institutional theory. The survey participants were 136 IT decision makers from different U.S. industries. The Pearson\u27s coefficient analysis indicated a significant correlation between the dependent variable (intent to adopt) and all independent variables except organizational size. The regression model was a statistically significant predictor of the dependent variable and accounted for approximately 74% of the variance in the dependent variable, primarily predicted by top management support, normative pressure, relative advantage, and organization readiness. The implications for positive social change include the potential of implementing innovations that would augment technology efficiency, decrease workplace personnel issues, and create a more desirable and flexible workplace. Flexibility at work enables employees to be able to participate in other nonwork roles such as family, child, and elder care, or education