Using the cloud for records storage: issues of trust

CITATION

Mcleod, J., & Gormly, B. (2017). Using the cloud for records storage: issues of trust. Archival Science, 17(4), 349–370.

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ABSTRACT
Organisations cannot avoid working in the cloud and therefore records
are being stored in the cloud either by design or by default. This raises important
issues of trust in using third-party cloud service providers for storing records and
digital archival collections. What factors contribute to trust in the decision-making
process? What are the implications that archives and records (ARM) professionals
need to understand and assess? This article discusses findings from an international
research project that explored issues of trust in the context of the economics of
cloud storage services. The most significant issues of trust to emerge were trust in
the sustainability and continued economic viability of cloud storage services. Whilst
anticipated costs savings (software, hardware, human) was the most frequently cited
reason for adopting a cloud storage service, the research revealed that very few
organisations or ARM professionals had actually estimated the costs, suggesting
decision-making processes are inadequate. A basis for trust in cloud storage solutions
might be found in the enhancement of checklists and other guidance documents
for ARM professionals to address economic considerations


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