Connect with us

Tech

Why SLA gaps should not hinder cloud innovation | Computer Weekly

Published

on

Why SLA gaps should not hinder cloud innovation | Computer Weekly


As cloud adoption accelerates, organisations rely on Service Level Agreements (SLAs) to define expectations around availability, security, and performance, to access and process data or service use. Yet SLAs often lag behind innovation. For CTOs and CISOs, this misalignment is a strategic risk and they need to work out how to innovate securely when infrastructure guarantees do not reflect the complexity or criticality of modern digital services.

Rather than viewing SLA gaps as blockers, technology leaders should treat them as indicators of where governance, architecture and measurement must evolve. By taking steps to align SLAs with business objectives and complementing them with Experience Level Agreements (XLAs), Key Risk Indicators (KRIs), and Objectives and Key Results (OKRs), organisations can take control and innovate efficiently.

Innovation is advancing faster than SLA maturity

Modern cloud architectures increasingly rely on container orchestration and serverless computing. Technologies like robotic process automation, generative AI, and edge computing are reshaping service delivery. Yet SLA provisions from major cloud providers (e,g, AWS, Azure, Google Cloud) typically offer 99.9% to 99.99% availability, while actual performance varies depending on configuration and dependencies.

To bridge this gap, organisations can use XLAs to measure service quality and user experience. OKRs should align with XLAs to track business goals, while SLAs and KRIs support delivery and risk management. This model then links technical output to business impact and enables leaders to assess whether innovation is translating into measurable outcomes.

Evolving governance to close SLA gaps and curb shadow IT

Public cloud spending is projected to reach $723 billion this year (Gartner). However, SLA limitations can drive unauthorised use, especially in fast-moving domains like generative AI (MIT). Recent incidents involving ChatGPT, xAI (Grok) and GitHub repositories that were accessed through Microsoft Copilot show how sensitive internal data, submitted by staff seeking efficiency, was indexed by public search engines even after repositories were made private.

While cloud platform risk can be managed by restricting users to approved systems this does not eliminate the emergence of shadow IT and staff may still bypass official channels, exposing private data.  Management requires policy, training, and awareness, supported by clear governance and technical controls.

That underlines the need for continuous oversight and proactive governance and monitoring which moves from static compliance to dynamic enablement. This requires the alignment of technical controls with business goals, educating teams on acceptable use, and embedding KRIs into decision-making. Taken together these measures can help prevent shadow IT and maintain operational integrity.

Security and governance: Foundational enablers of cloud innovation

Cloud providers operate under shared responsibility models where infrastructure security is managed by the provider, while data, configuration, and access controls remain the customer’s responsibility.

This reinforces the need for layered security across the stack: hypervisor, application, access, monitoring, and operations. Security as Code, zero-trust architectures, and cloud-native tools such as AWS Security Hub and Google Cloud Security Command Center enable organisations to enhance security. These are also critical for compliance with regulations like the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) and the EU Artificial Intelligence Act.

Governance frameworks such as the NIST Risk Management Framework and COBIT can help link IT with strategy. When integrated with OKRs, XLAs, SLAs, and KRIs, these frameworks can enable a structured approach to managing innovation responsibly.

Architectural strategies to address SLA limitations

Hybrid and multi-cloud strategies increase flexibility, allowing businesses to adjust SLAs through design choices such as microsegmentation, restricted access, and dedicated tenancy. Self-hosting open-source tools like Apache Spark can reduce reliance on commercial providers but need internal skills and governance to manage them. In addition, generative AI platforms may require hybrid configurations to meet data sovereignty requirements. This means that architectural decisions should reflect business needs and risk tolerance, not an idealised pursuit of perfect security.

Strategic withdrawal when SLA gaps are too significant

In some cases, SLA limitations, especially around compliance or sovereignty may require a shift to private cloud or self-hosted solutions. Offerings like AWS Outposts transfer some operational responsibility to the organisation, enabling greater control but requiring enhanced governance and technical capability.

That requires leaders to understand when strategic withdrawal from unmanageable risks can preserve resilience and readiness. Monitoring SLA exposure can then ensure agility and preparedness to allow organisations to re-engage when conditions improve or risks are mitigated.

Conclusion

SLA gaps are therefore not barriers to innovation but indicators of where leadership must act. CTOs and CISOs need to focus not just on meeting technical guarantees but ensuring cloud adoption supports measurable business outcomes.

They can do this by aligning OKRs with XLAs, and underpinning them with SLAs and KRIs, to build governance that is resilient and responsive. In highly regulated yet innovation-reliant economies, technology leaders must balance ambition with accountability. That can mean stepping back when risks are too great, and whether through hybrid cloud, compensating controls, or strategic vendor selection, remaining focused on enabling innovation securely and sustainably.

Ashley Barker, digital strategy and operations expert and Irfan Ahmed, cybersecurity expert, PA Consulting



Source link

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Tech

This App Makes Even the Sketchiest PDF or Word Doc Safe to Open

Published

on

This App Makes Even the Sketchiest PDF or Word Doc Safe to Open


Word documents, and even PDF files, aren’t necessarily safe. These normally innocuous files can be injected with malicious “poison” code or simple scripts of code that can be a serious security risk.

You probably already know it’s dangerous to open files from sources you can’t necessarily trust. If you’re an activist or journalist—or anyone who occasionally depends on anonymous tips to do their jobs—you might run into a situation where potentially useful information is inside a Microsoft Word document or PDF file that you can’t exactly vouch for. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could open those files and read them without exposing your device to potential security risks?

Dangerzone is a free and open source tool built for this purpose. Originally built by journalist and security engineer Micah Lee, this application opens files in a sandbox environment with no internet access, then converts the file to an image-based PDF with no scripting enabled. The resulting PDF has any malicious code stripped out and should be safe to open—at least, as safe as anything can be.

“You can think of it like printing a document and then rescanning it to remove anything sketchy, except all done in software,” explains the about page, which includes a lot of fascinating details about how the application works.

To get started, download and install Dangerzone. There are downloads for Windows, macOS, and various Linux systems. The first time you run it there will be a brief setup, after which you can simply drag files to the window.

Photograph: Justin Pot

The application can open and convert PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Open Office, EPUB, and image files. You can drag and drop multiple documents at once, if you’d like.

After adding documents you will be asked a few questions: where you’d like the resulting files to end up, whether they should open after the conversion is done, and whether you’d like to use optical character recognition (OCR) in order to make the document searchable. You can also move the original, potentially unsafe documents into a subfolder named “unsafe,” helping ensure you don’t confuse them with the newly made safe ones.

Image may contain Text

Photograph: Justin Pot



Source link

Continue Reading

Tech

Litter-Robot Promo Codes: $150 Off Bundles, $50 Off the Starter Bundle, and More

Published

on

Litter-Robot Promo Codes: 0 Off Bundles,  Off the Starter Bundle, and More


I always tell people that the best thing I’ve ever tested for my job here on the WIRED Reviews team is my automatic litter box from Litter-Robot. I recommend every cat owner invest in an automatic litter box. If they can swing it, the Litter-Robot is the best one to invest in. You’ll be able to say goodbye to the days of scooping and smells while this nifty machine does the grunt work for you.

Litter-Robot is the OG automatic litter box, and the name itself has become synonymous with the concept. And that’s not by accident, as the brand makes incredibly well-made, ergonomic products to help the lives of pet parents everywhere. Along with their famous automatic litter boxes, they also make a super sleek automatic pet feeder that I’ve also tested (and loved). These gadgets are an investment, and can be pricey, but we here at WIRED love the brand so much that we’ve rounded up some of the best Litter-Robot promo codes, coupons, and deals to make these life-changing pet machines more affordable. Because your pet (and you) deserve it.

Get $150 Off Litter-Robot Bundles This Month: No Promo Code Needed

One of the best ways to save big without needing a Litter-Robot promo code is to buy in a bundle. Litter-Robot has several bundles that give you all the essentials you’ll need to get started using your automatic litter box, like a litter trapping mat, replacement waste bags, odor eliminators, litter, and more. A bundle is a great way to save money on the purchases you’ll already have to make, without needing a Litter-Robot coupon. You can get $150 off several different bundles, including Litter-Robot 4 models, as well as the newly released Litter-Robot 5 and Litter-Robot EVO models.

Get the Best Deals on the Litter-Robot 4

I’ve tested well over a dozen models of automatic litter boxes from different brands, including several models from Litter-Robot. The one I keep coming back to is my personal favorite, the Litter-Robot 4. Even though the 5 is the newest model (I’ve tested it and I’m in the process of writing the review now), I just can’t quit you, Litter-Robot 4! I still think it’s one of the best automatic litter boxes you can buy: it has a user-friendly, intuitive connected app that isn’t overcrowded or confusing, the drawer is easy to pull out to remove waste, it has buttons on the top to manually change, and it doesn’t take up a large footprint on the floor. Plus, with a variety of discounted bundles to choose from, you won’t even need a Litter-Robot promo code.

Litter-Robot 5 Pro Insights Bundle Discount: $150 Off

As previously mentioned, I just tested the Litter-Robot 5 Pro, part of Litter-Robot’s recently released line of brand new models. I was seriously impressed with this model, which looks super similar to the Litter-Robot 4, but has a built-in camera to see what’s going on inside and outside of the box. The newest model isn’t cheap, but right now, the Litter-Robot 5 Pro Insights Bundle is only $999 ($152 off). This bundle includes the newest Litter-Robot 5 Pro with built-in camera, plus a litter tracking mat and waste drawer liners to get you started. And as an added bonus, Litter-Robot has a 90-day in-home trial, one-year warranty, and free shipping to the lower 48.

Take $50 Off the Litter-Robot EVO Starter Bundle

The Litter-Robot EVO is another newly released model from Litter-Robot, but this one is a more pared-down, basic version that’s streamlined and compact. I personally love the simpler models (hence my paragraph-long love letter to the Litter-Robot 4 above). If you’re someone who doesn’t need to watch a camera feed of your cat peeing and pooing, the EVO is a more affordable, basic option that gets the job done efficiently. Right now, the Litter-Robot EVO Starter Bundle is $782 ($50 off), and has everything you need to get settled with your new auto box, including waste drawer liners, a litter trap mat, a bag of litter, and odor traps to keep things smelling fresh.

Save 35% on Cat Essentials With a Litter-Robot Discount Code

If you live in a big city like me, there’s nothing worse than carrying heavy litter down icy streets or in hot, packed subway cars. Autoshipping my (often heavy) cat essentials has been a game-changer. If you choose autoship, you’ll save 35% on cat essentials like litter, waste drawer liners, odor traps, filters, and more with this Litter-Robot discount code.

{​Get 35% Off Litter-Robot Accessories

I love my Litter-Robot 4, but I highly encourage everyone to spring for the Litter-Robot-branded accessories to accompany the device. This automatic litter box works excellently as is, but things like a ramp for senior cats, filter replacements, and odor traps will keep the device running like new for longer. Keep your investment in tip-top shape for way less with discounted accessories and bundles, for up to 35% off.



Source link

Continue Reading

Tech

Our Favorite Amazon Streaming Stick Is Almost Half Off

Published

on

Our Favorite Amazon Streaming Stick Is Almost Half Off


If your TV isn’t as smart as you hoped, or you just hate its built-in interface for some reason, there are a variety of other options for dedicated streaming. For households that watch a lot of shows and movies on Prime Video or use Alexa for their smart home management, we recommend checking out the Fire TV Stick 4K Max. The latest generation is currently marked down to just $35 for the Amazon Big Spring Sale, a $25 discount from its usual price.

Amazon

Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Generation)

While the Fire TV Stick is a good choice for Prime Video, it plays well with basically all of the major streaming services you’d expect, including Netflix, Disney+, and HBO Max. The previous generation had just 8 GB of storage, but the new model’s upgraded 16 GB means you won’t have to choose which apps to keep and which to delete. If you have a compatible controller and an Xbox Game Pass subscription, you can even stream games directly to the Fire TV Stick right from the cloud. With some help from Wi-Fi 6E, apps will download faster and stream at higher quality with less buffering, as long as your router supports it.

One of the standout features is the Fire TV Stick’s integration with Alexa smart home systems. While watching your shows, you can easily pull up a picture-in-picture of any security feeds, and there are options to control other smart devices, like lights, right from your television. The remote even doubles as an Alexa with its built-in microphone, letting you find shows or ask questions without getting off the couch. With a built-in gallery mode, the TV can slowly rotate through photos and paintings like a screensaver, and you can ask the remote to quickly find out what you’re looking at.

The world of streaming devices is surprisingly deep, so if you’re curious what else is out there, make sure to swing by our guide to the best 4K streaming sticks and hubs. For the Alexa and Amazon-powered home, there’s no substitute for the Fire TV Stick 4K Max, so make sure to grab yours for just $35 before the sale ends.



Source link

Continue Reading

Trending