Knowledge Base

Answers to common questions about cloud, security, compliance and AI.

Knowledge Base

Cloud

What is cloud migration?

Moving applications, data and workloads from on-premises or another environment to a cloud platform such as Azure, AWS or Google Cloud, usually with changes to improve security, resilience and cost.

What is a cloud landing zone?

A pre-configured cloud environment with identity, networking, security and governance foundations where workloads are deployed safely and consistently.

How can we reduce cloud costs?

Improve visibility with tagging and budgets, rightsize resources, shut down idle environments, use reservations or savings plans for steady workloads and review spend regularly (FinOps).

What is managed cloud?

An ongoing service covering monitoring, patching, backup, security and cost optimization for your cloud environments.

Security

What is a managed SOC?

A managed security operations center monitors your environment, triages alerts and escalates real threats so your team can respond faster without building a 24/7 function internally.

What is the difference between a vulnerability assessment and a penetration test?

A vulnerability assessment identifies and prioritizes known weaknesses at scale. A penetration test simulates a real attacker to prove whether weaknesses can actually be exploited.

What is Zero Trust?

A security model that never trusts by default: every user, device and request is verified, access is least-privilege and activity is continuously monitored.

What should an incident response plan include?

Roles and contacts, severity levels, containment steps, communication plans, legal and regulatory notification duties, evidence handling and recovery procedures, tested through regular exercises.

Compliance

What does SOC 2 readiness involve?

Scoping, gap assessment, control and policy implementation, evidence collection and auditor preparation. The audit itself is performed by an independent CPA firm.

Is HIPAA compliance a certification?

No. HIPAA does not have an official certification. Organizations demonstrate compliance through safeguards, risk analysis, policies and documentation.

What is ISO 27001?

The international standard for an information security management system (ISMS). Certification is awarded by accredited certification bodies after an audit.

What are NIS2 and DORA?

NIS2 is an EU directive raising cyber security obligations for essential and important entities. DORA is an EU regulation on digital operational resilience for financial entities and critical ICT providers. Confirm applicability with legal counsel.

AI

How should we start with AI?

Begin with an AI readiness assessment covering data, goals and governance, then prioritize a small number of practical use cases with measurable outcomes.

Is Microsoft Copilot safe to deploy?

It can be, when permissions, sensitivity labels, data loss prevention and usage policies are prepared first. Copilot respects existing permissions, so oversharing must be fixed before rollout.

What is AI governance?

The policies, ownership, risk assessment, human oversight and monitoring that keep AI adoption secure, accountable and compliant.

General

Can IT Guiders support us 24/7?

Yes, 24/7 support options are available for selected services. Contact us to discuss coverage.

What engagement models do you offer?

Fixed price projects, managed services, dedicated teams and enterprise partnerships.

How does pricing work?

Indicative pricing starts at $499 for focused engagements and $1,499 for professional engagements, with custom pricing for enterprise needs. Final pricing depends on scope, integrations, compliance requirements and support levels.

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