Access and security – two major considerations when contemplating moving your systems and information from internally-maintained systems onto platforms and solutions hosted through the Internet. Company files, patents, trademarks, proposals, customer lists, vendor lists, price and cost arrangements – this type of data arguably comprises the most valuable components of any business or organization. How and where this critically sensitive information is accessed and stored is vital to ensuring their value. Prior to “cloud”computing, the migration to Internet-based systems and storage of information, every company internalized their systems and data. Access, security, safeguarding… were all directly addressed by the business mainly through in-house systems and solutions. Physical safeguards could be as simple as maintaining a secure area within one of your own buildings. In the end each business had a direct connection to their systems and information, housed mainly in-house. Fortunately or unfortunately, more and more IT has been, and continues to be, shifted to external on-line solutions, relying on the controls, policies and procedures of other third-party outside entities established by contract to ensure the security and safeguarding of your information.