Accounting Information System Essay

Submitted By mbamb313
Words: 373
Pages: 2

Michael Bartis
Accounting Information Systems
Chapter 1 Assignment

Accounting information systems are changing and adapting to the faced paced advances of technology. One of these advances is called the ‘cloud’. The cloud allows users to store data in server banks as opposed to their own servers or hard drives. With this option becoming more and more popular due to cost savings, it is only a matter of time before companies begin utilizing this service for accounting information. An issue with the cloud is security. In 2012, Accounting Today published an article by Henry Chao and Dr. Paul Foote titled Are We Ready for Accounting Information Systems in the Cloud. In this article, the authors discuss the issues facing service providers such as security concerns with storage, reliability issues with infrastructure, as well as the lack of awareness for users in regards to risk and what the future holds for accounting information systems. Chao and Foote say that providers such as Amazon, Google, and Microsoft promote the cloud as “the solution to all IT data storage needs with significant savings to the bottom line.” However, most companies would rather forgo the cost savings and invest in their own servers to manage accounting information. The article points out that providers have had significant issues that threaten the security of data as well as the ability to retrieve that data when necessary. For example, a glitch in Amazon Web Services system that went unrepaired for a day caused hours