A Look at Cloud Computing

Cloud computing seems to be one of the new technology buzzwords; whatever technology news pieces you look at, you’re very likely to see it at least mentioned in passing.  But what is it, what are its advantages, what is it used for, and where will this relatively new technology take us?

To quote from Wikipedia, “Cloud computing is internet (“cloud”) based development and use of computer technology (“computing”).”   Wonderful, but that’s pretty vague.  Expanding on that definition, cloud computing is essentially storing (and accessing) information online (the cloud!), as well as using web based software.  What I would consider the most commonly used, and incidentally, most recognized, is a web based email service.  Yahoo, Hotmail, and Gmail are all web based email clients, providing access to your inbox from virtually any computer with an internet connection.  While these are relatively established technologies, at least from a noncommercial standpoint, fairly recently we’ve seen a surge of cloud computing services, with a wide range of functions.

It is my opinion that over the next few years, the popularity of cloud computing will continue to grow, and more and more private users, and even corporations, will adopt it.  There are some… speed bumps relating to the potential widespread adoption of cloud computing, particularly on a business level, as well as some interesting new moral questions technology like this brings up.  I still feel, however, that these downsides can be classified as the “growing pains” of a new technology, and as this paper progresses, we’ll look at some examples of cloud computing services, mostly using Google as an example.

While cloud computing has some major advantages, there are some concerns that individuals and corporations have voiced, and some of them are valid.  One concern I’ve seen mentioned is that cloud based computing isn’t ideal for people who live out in the country, as a high speed, reliable internet connection is not always guaranteed.  I feel that this concern is legitimate, however, as one who lived in the sticks for a couple of years, I know first hand that more and more small town companies are offering high speed internet packages, with some even going so far as to be setting up fiber optic lines.  Like anything, give it time, and the advances will be made.  A corporate concern that comes to mind is the security of the physical data.  Where are the servers stored, and what sort of redundancies and backups are in place?  After doing some research, and again, using Google as an example, I’ve come to the conclusion that the major cloud players have their infrastructure set up much like the major players in web based email, that is to say (using laymen’s terms) you have large banks of servers, with powerful software running to analyze performance and adjust as needed.  Honestly, in terms of data loss, you’re safer using cloud computing, with all of its built in redundancies and many separate server locations.  We saved the biggest downer for last, the one that both corporations and private individuals are most concerned about: security.  As Lance Ulanoff (of PC Magazine) states, “We live in a suspicious society. We’re told not to give out our personal information, but documents we store in the cloud could contain our private data. I think consumers will need greater assurances than just the company saying, “We’ve got you covered.”  A valid concern, as there have been several stories lately about cloud based medical data ending up being, one way or the other, publicized.  I have mixed feelings about all this (I’m kinda big on privacy), and it’s turned out to be the hardest part to research.  I’m not sure if there is any easy way to prove what sort of access the companies involved has to the data.  As I’ve been researching around for this, several of the companies geared towards a corporate base make it clear that they don’t actually have direct access to your data.  They manage it, store it, but they can’t actually open up the file named secretstufflol.docx.  An interesting point that was brought to my attention was that even with some of the potential security downsides of cloud computing, since the information is only handled by one group (the contracted cloud managers, vs. many corporate IT services), the chances of industrial espionage are far lower, as a cloud computing firm who doesn’t protect their clients won’t be in business long.  You’re far more likely to see government or healthcare provider computers being sold at auction with hard drives being improperly wiped then have your cloud data h4x0r3d.  I’m not saying it’s not an issue, but I am saying that it’s an issue that is blown out of proportion, or at least not any more “deadly” than standard methods of computing and storage.  As time progresses, and the technology advances, there will be more and more companies dedicated to provide cloud security (see Wikipedia, Computerworld).

So what are the advantages of computing on the cloud, and why does everyone keep talking about it?  In my mind, the single greatest thing about cloud computing is the ability to access your information from practically anywhere.  If you have an (preferably highspeed) internet connection, smartphone, internet enabled PDA, netbook, and in some cases, even newer cars, you can access your data.  No loading software and files onto each and every device, no matter where you are (or what device you’re on), your information is right there, at your fingertips.  As the world is becoming more and more connected, this ability is huge.  Cloud computing is about detaching those wires to truly enter a mobile society, able to adapt to new developments on the fly.  A byproduct of being able to connect anywhere with multiple devices is that true synchronization across multiple devices is now being seen more and more often, and has become much more usable of late.  As an example, I recently purchased a smartphone from Verizon, the new Motorola Droid that runs on Google’s open source mobile OS, Android 2.0.  Upon first starting the phone, I was prompted to enter my Google account information, and then after five minutes or so, it had synced all of my Google Contacts (emails, phone numbers, addresses, birthdays, the works), my Google calendars, and my Gmail account.  With minimal work on by part, I took those contacts, and then added information from Facebook and even Twitter (which are both, incidentally, cloud based social networking platforms) to those that were applicable.  The end result is that I can make a change to my calendar for instance, on my phone, and it will change online, and on all my other devices that are also synced with my account.  Apple offers a cloud synchronization service called Mobile Me (complete with a cute little cloud logo) that let’s you sync your iPhone or iPod Touch, computer based iCal and Address Book, and opens up online storage and accessibility options as well.  The ability to sync my devices and access the information from anywhere is why I personally (from a private user standpoint) think cloud computing is such an amazing progression.

There are well-documented advantages from a corporate standpoint as well, most of them being financial based.  If all of your information is set up on the cloud, and you’re paying a company to take care of it for you, all of a sudden your IT department is pretty small, which is saving you money.  You’re also paying as a subscription, which means as your needs change, you can change and drop the services, and not have to invest in software and hardware. Ted Schadler (see Forrester’s advice to CFOs on eWeek.com) goes on to say, “The financial benefit of paying by the month rather than upfront is great when times are good, but especially important during a downturn. And while cloud computing is not yet ready for many enterprise IT needs, cloud-based collaboration services are a viable option for most firms today. And Forrester believes that cloud-based application services will become increasingly important as the providers mature.”  Since you are investing in a service, part of your costs are going to help pay for the maintenance of the servers, again freeing you from having to pay and run your own department.  On top of a dramatic reduction in personnel costs, you’re saving the money that would otherwise be dumped into server upkeep and housing, allowing you, among other things, to be working in smaller, more efficient buildings.  As web apps become more and more popular (Google recently released their own package), companies who switch will be saving massive amounts of money on the cost of software licensing.  Cloud computing is financially good for corporations, and as the technology matures, more and more businesses are going to make partial or full switches.

In summary, though cloud computing has some minor issues, these will be worked out in time, and even today are relatively minor.  This technology is the future; it’s ease of use and setup, ability to connect, sync, and access data nearly anywhere, and lower costs for corporations means that cloud computing is here to stay.