Data Migration and Security Analysis for Webb's Stores' Database

This report details the data migration strategy for Webb's Stores, a retailer migrating its database from MS SQL to an AWS IaaS instance. It analyzes AWS security controls, including passwords, encryption, and multi-factor authentication, along with their benefits and limitations. The report identifies risks associated with database and IaaS infrastructure migration, such as data loss, corruption, and security breaches, as well as communication vulnerabilities. It explores cloud-based backup and archival processes, emphasizing data security during backup, storage, and retrieval. Furthermore, the report discusses AWS's disaster recovery plan and cloud management strategies, focusing on securing the IaaS infrastructure, MS SQL Server instance, cloud network, and backup systems. The report concludes by highlighting the advantages of AWS for Webb's Stores, ensuring data security and efficient cloud management.

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Data Migration in Webb’s Stores
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Table of Contents
1. IaaS instance hosted by AWS.............................................................................................3
1.1. Security Controls implemented by Aws to protect IaaS instance...............................3
1.2. Benefits and limitations of the Security Controls........................................................3
2. Risks associated in the Database Migration.......................................................................4
2.1. Risks associated with the migration of the database...................................................4
2.2. Risks associated with the migration of IaaS infrastructure.........................................4
2.3 The communications between Webb’s and their IaaS database in the cloud..............4
3. Using Cloud for Backup and Archival of Records.............................................................5
3.1. Backing up data to the Cloud......................................................................................5
3.2. Storage of data in the Cloud........................................................................................5
3.3. Retrieval of data from the cloud..................................................................................6
3.4. DR plan of the CSP.....................................................................................................6
4. Cloud Management.............................................................................................................6
4.1. Their IaaS infrastructure..............................................................................................6
4.2. Their Ms SQL Server 2012 R2 cloud instance............................................................6
4.3. Their Cloud network infrastructure.............................................................................7
4.4. Their Cloud backup and restore infrastructure............................................................7
References..................................................................................................................................8
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1. IaaS instance hosted by AWS
Webb’s Stores is a popular retailer of food items and specialty stuffs in Australia. The
two major centres of data re in Sydney and Melbourne. The regional centres of data
are in Wagga, Brisbane, Bathurst, Port Macquarie and Auckland. They have decided
to migrate their database. Webb’s Stores is migrating their database from MS SQL to
Amazon Web Services or AWS instance of IaaS (Garg, Versteeg & Buyya, 2013).
AWS is one of the best infrastructures of cloud computing. The main advantage of
AWS is that it is extremely safe and secure. Moreover, it is absolutely cost effective.
1.1. Security Controls implemented by Aws to protect IaaS instance
Cloud Service Provider or CSP is a public or private entity, which provides cloud
infrastructure, security, applications, and storage or platform services for an entity or
organization (Fernando, Loke & Rahayu, 2013). Amazon Web Services or AWS is
one of the best cloud infrastructures available in the market. The main advantage of
AWS is that it is extremely safe and secure. Moreover, it is absolutely cost effective
(Xiao, Song & Chen, 2013). There are various security controls that are implemented
by the Amazon Web Services for protecting their IaaS instance. The security controls
of AWS are as follows:
Passwords
Encryption
Multi factor Authentication
Restrictive Firewall Policy
Intrusion Prevention System
1.2. Benefits and limitations of the Security Controls
Te above mentioned security controls have several advantages and disadvantages.
They are as follows:
Passwords: The main advantage of password is that it secures the entire infrastructure
and the infrastructure becomes secured and protected due to this (Avram, 2014). The
disadvantage of password is that there are certain software that can easily hack
passwords. Often, it is considered as not absolutely secured.
Encryption: The advantage of encryption is that it encrypts or encodes a message and
maintains the confidentiality (Dinh et al., 2013). The disadvantage of encryption is that it
often creates problems while decoding the message.
Multi Factor Authentication: The main advantage of this type of authentication is that it
protects or authenticates the infrastructure of AWS (Hashem et al., 2015. The
disadvantage of multi factor authentication is that it is little complicated than other
security measures.
Restrictive Firewall Policy: The main advantage of firewall policy is that it detects or
prevents all type of virus or malware and thus protects the infrastructure (Fernando, Loke
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& Rahayu, 2013). The disadvantage is that it has several numbers of vulnerabilities
within it.
Intrusion Prevention System: The major advantage of intrusion prevention system is that
it detects and prevents intrusion in a system by intruders (Xiao, Song & Chen, 2013). The
disadvantage of this system is that they cannot process any encrypted packets in the
infrastructure.
Webb’s Stores will be getting benefitted by the security controls implemented by Amazon
Web Services as their infrastructure will be protected by this.
2. Risks associated in the Database Migration
There are several types of risks associated in the migration of database for Webb’s
Stores (Avram, 2014). These types of risks are extremely dangerous for both the
database and the organization.
2.1. Risks associated with the migration of the database
The common threats that are associated with migrating of their database are as
follows:
Loss of Data: Data might get lost while the database is migrated from MS SQL to
AWS instance and it might not be recovered at all.
Database Corruption: Another significant risk associated with database migration
(Sanaei et al., 2014). This is extremely common when the database consists of bulk
amount of data.
2.2. Risks associated with the migration of IaaS infrastructure.
The common risks that are associated with migrating of their IaaS infrastructure are as
follows:
Attacks like DoS: Denial of service attacks are the most common risks associated
with the migration of the IaaS infrastructure (Whaiduzzaman et al., 2014). The intruder
denies the service and the service is slowed down.
Insider Threats: The cloud provider has all the access to the infrastructure. This can
turn out to be risky.
2.3 The communications between Webb’s and their IaaS database in the cloud
The common risks that are associated with communications within Webb’s Stores
and their IaaS infrastructure are as follows:
Breaching of Data: Data can be easily and quickly breached while there is any
type of communication within Webb’s Stores and the IaaS database of the cloud (Xiao, Song
& Chen, 2013). Hacker are responsible for data breaching.
Incompatibility in Database: This is another common risk while there is
communications between Webb’s Stores and their IaaS infrastructure.
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3. Using Cloud for Backup and Archival of Records
Backup and archival of records are extremely important for any database. Cloud plays
the most significant role in case of backup and archival of records. Amazon Web
Services follows extra security while backup and archival of their records (Avram,
2014). There are three steps of movement of records. They are the backup, storage
and retrieval of records. However, there are few security issues regarding these steps.
3.1. Backing up data to the Cloud
Periodical data back ups are done in AWS. During this step, certain threats can occur.
They are as follows:
Security Issues: Data might get lost while the back up of data is done in the AWS
instance and it might not be recovered at all (Whaiduzzaman et al., 2014). This is
extremely vulnerable for any organization.
Control over Data: Data back ups are always done by cloud provider. There is always
a chance that the confidential data can be intercepted during this (Sanaei et al., 2014).
Amazon Web Services take extra care so that the control does not shift to any
unauthorized entity.
Webb’s Stores would be getting extreme benefit from this particular service and their
data backup would be easier.
3.2. Storage of data in the Cloud
Data is stored for once and when it is done, it should be kept in mind that there are no
vulnerabilities present within the storage. Cloud is the best storage for any types of
data (Hashem et al., 2015). Amazon Web Services or AWS can help Webb’s Stores
so that the data is stored in secured and perfect storage. During this step, certain
threats can occur. They are as follows:
Security Issues: Data might get lost while it is stored in the storage of the AWS
instance and it might not be recovered at all (Wei et al., 2014). This is extremely
vulnerable for any organization.
Lacking in Standardization: The vendor of the cloud often becomes unsuccessful in
following the standardization or standard rules of an organization (Rahimi et al.,
2013). This is one of the most common risks that occur in data storage.
Webb’s Stores would be getting extreme benefit from Amazon Web Services and the
storing of their data would be easier.
3.3. Retrieval of data from the cloud
This is the third and final step of data migration to any infrastructure. The common
risks of this step are as follows:
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Data Leakage: There is always a high chance that the data would be leaked during the
retrieval of data. AWS takes extra care so that the data is not leaked in the cloud.
Once leaked, the data would definitely lose its integrity.(|Tao et al., 2014)
Snooping of Data: There is always a high chance that the intruders snoop in and
checks the confidential data when it is retrieved (Sanaei et al., 2014). AWS provides
intense care whenever data is retrieved from cloud.
AWS is the best infrastructure for any organization. It provides excess security while
backups, storing and retrieval of data from the cloud. Webb’s Stores would be getting
all the advantages from this particular infrastructure.
3.4. DR plan of the CSP
Cloud DR Plan means the backup and restore strategy in a cloud. The CSP is the cloud
service provider. Here the cloud service provider is the Amazon Web Services (Arora,
Parashar & Transforming, 2013). They have their innovative backup and restore plan for
data. This plan helps in maintaining the security of data. Webb’s Stores must opt for the
DR Plan of AWS. It is simple in nature. Moreover, it reduces the complications in data
migration. The entire database is easily migrated by this strategy (Botta et al., 2012).
Webb’s Stores would be the advantage of copying the entire set of confidential data thin
the database. These are the major advantages of cloud backup and restore strategy of
AWS.
4. Cloud Management
Access to the infrastructure or instance should be protected. Amazon Web Services
protect their access to infrastructure by following few measures or approaches. They
are as follows:
4.1. Their IaaS infrastructure
Any type of physical access to the infrastructure of cloud welcomes a hacker in the
system. This particular access is prevented by Amazon Web Services easily
(Rittinghouse & Ransome, 2016). AWS ever allows any type of unauthorized access
to infrastructure.
4.2. Their Ms SQL Server 2012 R2 cloud instance
The existing database of Webb’s Stores is the MS SQL Server R2. The access of this
cloud instance can be protected by checking the access of the operating system
(Rahimi et al., 2014). AWS helps in detecting the wrong access easily.
4.3. Their Cloud network infrastructure
The cloud network infrastructure can be protected by regularly monitoring the server.
This will check and reduce the excess and unsanctioned users from accessing the
infrastructure.
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4.4. Their Cloud backup and restore infrastructure
The cloud backup and restoration infrastructure is needed to be checked that whether
there is any risk or not (Garg, Versteeg & Buyya, 2013). If the access will be
mitigated, automatically there would be more security. Two methods are given below.
Passwords: The main advantage of password is that it secures the entire infrastructure and
the infrastructure becomes secured and protected due to this (Dinh et al., 2013). The
access to the cloud back and restoration infrastructure can be mitigated by implementing
passwords in the system.
Encryption: The advantage of encryption is that it encrypts or encodes a message and
maintains the confidentiality (Almorsy, Grundy & Müller, 2016). The access to the cloud
back and restoration infrastructure can be mitigated by implementing encryption
algorithm in the system.
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References
Almorsy, M., Grundy, J., & Müller, I. (2016). An analysis of the cloud computing security
problem. arXiv preprint arXiv:1609.01107.
Arora, R., Parashar, A., & Transforming, C. C. I. (2013). Secure user data in cloud computing
using encryption algorithms. International journal of engineering research and
applications, 3(4), 1922-1926.
Avram, M. G. (2014). Advantages and challenges of adopting cloud computing from an
enterprise perspective. Procedia Technology, 12, 529-534.
Botta, A., De Donato, W., Persico, V., & Pescapé, A. (2016). Integration of cloud computing
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Dinh, H. T., Lee, C., Niyato, D., & Wang, P. (2013). A survey of mobile cloud computing:
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Hashem, I. A. T., Yaqoob, I., Anuar, N. B., Mokhtar, S., Gani, A., & Khan, S. U. (2015). The
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Rittinghouse, J. W., & Ransome, J. F. (2016). Cloud computing: implementation,
management, and security. CRC press.
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Whaiduzzaman, M., Sookhak, M., Gani, A., & Buyya, R. (2014). A survey on vehicular
cloud computing. Journal of Network and Computer Applications, 40, 325-344.
Xiao, Z., Song, W., & Chen, Q. (2013). Dynamic resource allocation using virtual machines
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