I know others have previously commented on cloud computing but I find it a very interesting topic and decided to blog on it also. Cloud computing is a topic that continues to surface throughout the worldwide web and conjures up images of a white fluffy cloud floating around somewhere in the sky. Well, that is not exactly what happens when you upload pictures to Flickr or Facebook, or save your e-mails. The fact is that many aspects of your life are being stored in massive data centers located in huge warehouses that are full of computers. Cloud computing in general involves delivering hosted services over the Internet. In fact, Amazon and Microsoft replicate data several times on servers around the world so that they do not chance losing your data. They continually move the data around within the cloud centers as well as from one data center to another. Here is a video that explains cloud computing in a simplistic format.
Some of the advantages to using cloud computing are reducing the amount of hardware expense companies incur running their own data centers, while also increasing efficiency and flexibility. Cloud computing allows consumers and businesses to use applications without installation and access their personal files at any computer with internet access. Here is an example: Recently, Wendy’s restaurants ran an auction that allowed consumers to bid on various items starting at 99 cents. Because the company had never done anything like this previously they couldn’t estimate how much traffic would be visiting the website. A marketing agency set up the web application with a database back end hosted by Rackspace US Inc. The website was established within just 24 hours, serviced over 40,000 customers within 10 days, and was able to conduct 400 database transactions per second. This is a perfect example of when a company may decide to use cloud computing. In this situation, it would not have been very cost effective for a business to invest money and resources to sustain a temporary web application with such erratic traffic patterns.
Conversely, a major issue of cloud computing is that it may result in either inaccessibility to the data for a brief period of time, or be subject to the possibility of a security breach. The company should ascertain that they would not experience disastrous consequences if either of these events were to occur. From many of the articles that have focused on this subject, the final recommendation is to tread lightly into the clouds while cautiously relocating sensitive data.
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Wow nice piece about Wendy's Patty. That is a great example of when a company should use a Cloud. I have always been curious to how these things work. Specifically, how does it know where all the data is especially when it stores it in multiple places! Seems like a real nightmare to manage...
ReplyDeleteGood post Patty. I have been interested in cloud computing for a while now; it's growing more than ever but I wonder what solutions they are going to have with regards to security issues.
ReplyDeleteThis is excellent Patty and I'm so glad you blogged on it. I blogged on Google's OS which seems to cater to this idea (first on netbooks). Another positive of this is that if your computer crashes, one less application to restore! Thanks for the post.
ReplyDeleteI have always set aside any thoughts of storing my data “online” mainly because I don’t feel comfortable having my data on the “Internet” for anyone (potentially) to access. Also, I believe there is a loss of control when you rely on someone else to manage your data. And, there is always the possibility of losing access in the event of a power failure or some other Internet problem. Up till now I could not think of any “good” reason for an individual (or business) to use cloud computing. The Wendy’s scenario is the first good example, in my opinion, of why a business should consider cloud computing.
ReplyDeletePatty,
ReplyDeleteGood post, allow as with anything done in business, people need to weigh the data security/integrity with the cost savings. Some of the same reasons used for going to cloud computing could be used against it. Loss of access to critical files if the internet connection is down, data stored aboard could be lost to fire/theft. I am with terry and still not sold on cloud computing.