Ellyssa Kroski. "Library Cloud Atlas: A Guide to Cloud Computing and Storage". Library Journal.com. 10 September 2009.
The part of this article that really grabbed my attention was near the end where Kroski discusses how libraries have been transitioning to cloud computing. She mentions the LITA Top Tech Trends panel at the 2009 ALA Conference at Chicago this summer, of which cloud computing was a main topic. Libraries were counseled to carefully consider what information they wanted to entrust to the cloud. One person argued that libraries who chose cloud computing relinquished their responsibility to preserve information. Privacy issues, such as patron records, can also be a problem in the cloud.
Kroski lists several libraries that have transferred information to the cloud. All the libraries listed are using applications from Google (in the form of App Engine, Docs, or Analytics) or Amazon (in the form of EC2 or S3). The easiest ones to see are the libraries hosting their websites through either App Engine or EC2. I spent some time browsing the DC Public Library's page that Kroski mentions. It is quite trendy. The front page includes a list of the Top Downloads and rotating photos of the covers of popular books. Unfortunately, when I tried to use the catalog I received an error message. I am not sure if that has anything to do with the cloud computing aspect of the website, but it was disappointing nevertheless.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Resource Review #4 Danger in the Clouds: 4 Lessons from the Sidekick Disaster
Jennifer Moebius. "Danger in the Clouds: 4 Lessons from the Sidekick Disaster". Cloud Computing Journal (14 Oct 2009).
Earlier this month, a failed update to the server managing the data for the Sidekick mobile device caused widespread data loss for owners. The reason for the loss was the very reason Sidekick was so popular in the first place: cloud computing. Sidekick stores basically everything, including contacts, messages, and photos, on the cloud. This means that if an individual loses or damages their Sidekick all of their stored information is easily retrievable from the cloud. I doubt many Sidekick buyers anticipated their information begin wiped out by the very system that was supposed to protect it.
As I have focused on cloud computing this semester, I have come across numerous articles about the danger of storing information on the cloud. I find it ironic that at the same time I am exploring the potential downfalls of cloud computing, an real disaster occurs. This article quotes the BBC as saying it is "the biggest disaster yet for the whole concept of cloud computing". With the Sidekick fiasco fresh in mind, Moebius makes 4 main suggestions about using the cloud.
#1 The Cloud is not redundant
It can fail just like anything else
#2 Know your vendor
Know how your data is backed up, who backs it up, and how long it would take to restore
#3 Keep your options open
You can store your data in several cloud computing environments
#4 The only good backup is an offsite backup
Make sure your backups are not located in the same datacenter. The more offline it is stored, the safer it is.
I think these are all great suggestions. As Moebius points out, because we cannot see the cloud, it is easy to assume that it will continue to exist and work perfectly forever. I am sure this is just the first of many cloud failures we will experience as cloud computing becomes ubiquitious in our society. I hope there will be more articles like this one that alert people to how they can help keep their data safe.
Earlier this month, a failed update to the server managing the data for the Sidekick mobile device caused widespread data loss for owners. The reason for the loss was the very reason Sidekick was so popular in the first place: cloud computing. Sidekick stores basically everything, including contacts, messages, and photos, on the cloud. This means that if an individual loses or damages their Sidekick all of their stored information is easily retrievable from the cloud. I doubt many Sidekick buyers anticipated their information begin wiped out by the very system that was supposed to protect it.
As I have focused on cloud computing this semester, I have come across numerous articles about the danger of storing information on the cloud. I find it ironic that at the same time I am exploring the potential downfalls of cloud computing, an real disaster occurs. This article quotes the BBC as saying it is "the biggest disaster yet for the whole concept of cloud computing". With the Sidekick fiasco fresh in mind, Moebius makes 4 main suggestions about using the cloud.
#1 The Cloud is not redundant
It can fail just like anything else
#2 Know your vendor
Know how your data is backed up, who backs it up, and how long it would take to restore
#3 Keep your options open
You can store your data in several cloud computing environments
#4 The only good backup is an offsite backup
Make sure your backups are not located in the same datacenter. The more offline it is stored, the safer it is.
I think these are all great suggestions. As Moebius points out, because we cannot see the cloud, it is easy to assume that it will continue to exist and work perfectly forever. I am sure this is just the first of many cloud failures we will experience as cloud computing becomes ubiquitious in our society. I hope there will be more articles like this one that alert people to how they can help keep their data safe.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Resource Review #3 Mining Information from the Data Clouds by Erica Orange
Erica Orange. "Mining Information from the Data Clouds". Futurist 43.4 (2009): 17-21.
In this article, Erica Orange examines cloud computing from the perspective of a business futurist. She clearly explains the various types of clouds (public, private, and hybrid) and the numerous and creative ways people are currently using cloud computing. Right now cloud computing is being utilized to download videos in record time, design trucks, and track flu outbreaks. She reminds readers that most people are already using the cloud whether they know it or not. Activities such as updating bank balances online, purchasing an item online, uploading a YouTube video, or creating a blog entry are all being done in the cloud.
I admire how Orange gives a balanced and detailed view of both the positive and negative effects from cloud computing. Similar to other articles I found, she mentions the dangers of computing in the cloud, but mainly focuses on the consequences that result from the difficulty of deleting data and ease of obtaining it. Though she mentions the possibility of terrorism and misuse of this data by governments and companies, she does not delve into conspiracy theories or 1984-type predictions. She is also more specific about cloud computing benefits than other articles I have come across, such as the truck-designing and flu-tracking.
Orange dedicates a good portion of her article to how cloud computing is changing the way information and society interact. As the title implies, she shows how companies are planning to use increasingly available user information to shape how they do business and target customers. This can be seen as beneficial in that users are able to contribute to and ultimately control the type of services they get. However, Orange points out in her conclusion that the exact opposite may be true: that the technology may in fact be contributing to and controlling what we want. This is certainly an intriguing idea, and one I hope will be explored more in the cloud computing dialogue.
In this article, Erica Orange examines cloud computing from the perspective of a business futurist. She clearly explains the various types of clouds (public, private, and hybrid) and the numerous and creative ways people are currently using cloud computing. Right now cloud computing is being utilized to download videos in record time, design trucks, and track flu outbreaks. She reminds readers that most people are already using the cloud whether they know it or not. Activities such as updating bank balances online, purchasing an item online, uploading a YouTube video, or creating a blog entry are all being done in the cloud.
I admire how Orange gives a balanced and detailed view of both the positive and negative effects from cloud computing. Similar to other articles I found, she mentions the dangers of computing in the cloud, but mainly focuses on the consequences that result from the difficulty of deleting data and ease of obtaining it. Though she mentions the possibility of terrorism and misuse of this data by governments and companies, she does not delve into conspiracy theories or 1984-type predictions. She is also more specific about cloud computing benefits than other articles I have come across, such as the truck-designing and flu-tracking.
Orange dedicates a good portion of her article to how cloud computing is changing the way information and society interact. As the title implies, she shows how companies are planning to use increasingly available user information to shape how they do business and target customers. This can be seen as beneficial in that users are able to contribute to and ultimately control the type of services they get. However, Orange points out in her conclusion that the exact opposite may be true: that the technology may in fact be contributing to and controlling what we want. This is certainly an intriguing idea, and one I hope will be explored more in the cloud computing dialogue.
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