Abstract: A system and a method implement a cloud storage gateway configured to provide secure storage services in a cloud environment. A method can include implementing storage provisioning for a virtual machine (VM) in a hybrid cloud environment that includes an enterprise network in communication with a cloud. Enterprise network includes enterprise storage, and cloud includes cloud storage. The storage provisioning is implemented by deploying a cloud storage gateway in the cloud that facilitates secure migration of data associated with the VM between enterprise storage and cloud storage. A nested virtual machine container (NVC) is also deployed in the cloud, where NVC abstracts an interface that is transparent to a cloud infrastructure of the cloud. Cloud storage gateway can then be executed as a virtual machine within NVC. Such storage provisioning is further implemented by deploying the VM in a NVC in the cloud and directly attaching storage to the VM.