TECHNOLOGY CHRONICLE

Cloud computing implementation can be wrought with pitfalls, but many individuals and businesses are finding that the benefits far outweigh the struggles.  Others maintain we’re getting too big for our britches.

Look, this is still a pretty new science!  Some of the big providers of cloud computing have worked to refine their services into a more predictable and reliable technology.

But we have to acknowledge that while there are definitely benefits to the implementation of cloud computing, there are still many struggles that persist.

Lack of Regulation

While some countries have begun to tackle this issue with organized standards organizations, there is still a decided lack of regulatory control over what is required of cloud computing service providers.

This is hardly surprising given the nature of the internet as a free speech zone–  traditionally free from oversight.

But this can be problematic for companies.  Without Big Brother to cut out the baddies, businesses have to be extra-careful when selecting their cloud computing service providers.  The only way to protect themselves is to go over their cloud computing SLA (service level agreement) with a fine-toothed comb.  Many do not.  And they can end up paying a hefty price– not only in monetary terms. The cost of losing information and the downtime between IT changeovers can cause a lot of stress on personnel.

Some argue that this lack of regulation can be addressed successfully, and maybe it can.  But it’s a complicated issue.  As countries becomes more and more integrated via what has truly become a “world-wide web”, jurisdiction and enforcement will also become increasingly difficult to define.

Although you might say that this market will become the epitome of capitalism.  In a regulatory free environment, services will thrive or fail based on their track records alone.

Security

Cloud computing implementation can be a bit of a trade off between security and efficiency.  It seems that the world is “drinking the juice” across the board and throwing caution to the wind!  But actually, it’s kind of understandable.  It can be difficult not to get caught up in the cloud computing hype!

In the past, we’ve presented several articles that have discussed the disadvantages of cloud computing, and security is always mentioned.  The implementation of a cloud computing strategy will almost inevitably involve a concession in security, or at the very least, a shift in how it’s managed.

Successes!

It’s easy to dwell on how difficult cloud computing implementation can be.  But the truth is, the IT industry is booming because of it!  Think of everything that has happened in recent years–  streaming videos, navigation programs, app development… the list could go on and on.  Many predict cloud computing will continue to be one of the primary drivers, if not THE primary driver of IT revenues in the coming years.

Through the implementation of cloud computing, businesses can streamline and equalize their computing operations, and manual backups become a thing of the past.

So despite the problems, it’s no wonder that many choose to go ahead with cloud computing anyway!

Strategies

It’s important for businesses and individuals to know what their getting into, especially when it comes to computing in the cloud.  Since (as we discussed) there aren’t a lot of hard standards in place to protect consumers, it’s really up to everyone to do their due diligence when selecting a provider.

It will also help to have an idea of what you want to accomplish by moving to the cloud.  What are you in it for? Data retention? Accessibility?

It’s important to know what your priorities are so that when the time comes, you know how to explain yourself to the service representative.  Furthermore, your best offense will be that cloud computing SLA — Make sure your priorities are delineated in your agreement.  If you do, your chances at a successful (and pleasant) cloud computing implementation will be far greater!

Happy Computing!

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Gone are the days of floppy disks!

In this day and age, information is power!  –And there are many businesses which rely entirely on their IT in order to handle that information.  In a case where IT systems fail, these businesses may suffer a lot. So in order to protect themselves from such issues, businesses need to find a way to quickly recover from any data loss that may occur.

Fortunately, there are many technologies that have been developed to help back up information, so that if it’s lost, the business can still run properly.  There are many ways that this can be done.  Let’s check them out.

The use of extra physical storage

This is probably one of the oldest data backup solutions available. In a nutshell, it means using a device such as a set of hard drives to back up the information. This means copying the information from your computers onto the drives. In order to keep the information current, one may need to keep updating the information on a regular basis, such as every few weeks depending on the turnover of information that the company receives. The media can then be stored in a secure location, such as a safe.

Using backup software

There are some companies that have made the process of backing up information much easier. For instance, if you have an internet connection, they could give you access to their servers through special types of software. The software then facilitates the movement of information from the computers to the offsite servers. This is a much more convenient way of saving such information, since it means that you will not need to worry about issues to do with moving media around physically.

Using cloud computing

The latest method of doing backups is through cloud computing. The good thing about utilizing a cloud computing backup is that  the companies providing the service usually have backups as well.  This means that when you save information on a cloud, you will be making two or more backups in different locations depending on the company you are using. This makes it much easier for you to recover your information in case you lose it or even if the cloud computing backup service suffers a malfunction.  Additionally, this technology is very accessible to anyone.

All in all, the thing you need to remember is that backing up your information is very important these days. Fortunately, there are many ways of doing it without much of a hassle– and with a cloud computing backup, it almost can’t be easier.

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The business adoption of cloud computing models remains strong as the cloud computing adoption rate for individual users continues to rise.

A recent study conducted by North Bridge Venture Partners indicated that more and more companies are beginning to trust  cloud computing adoption for their IT solution needs.

The reasons for this are wide and varied–  and you can read more specifically about the study here.

However, it was identified that  the primary motivator for the business adoption of cloud computing (at 57%) was “scalability”.  This seems to confirm logical reasoning.  Cloud computing adoption rates are increasing as computers are relied upon more and more for daily functioning.  Rather than constantly replacing or supplementing onsite computing resources, businesses can give employees access to adjustable databases in the cloud.

It is also no surprise then that the primary concern for businesses (at  55%) was “security”.  Cloud computing adoption requires a release in security control that some businesses and individuals find inhibiting.  Businesses generally choose to implement one or more of the steps in the cloud computing adoption model below, but there is no step in this or any model that will ensure complete data security.

While the study did not report on the trends in cloud computing adoption models among individual users, it is apparent that consumers are driving the demand for more cloud-based services.  Programs like Dropbox and sites like Sendspace are freeing up the hard drives of users around the world by hosting large files that would be tedious to store locally or send via email.

This also brings up the fact that most individual users have adopted cloud-based programs such as Yahoo, Gmail and even Facebook for their emailing needs.  The transparency of security policy has been brought to the forefront as consumers relinquish their data to these companies in exchange for convenience.

You can read more about the disadvantages of cloud computing in this previous article from Technology Chronicle.

It seems, however, that both individuals and businesses are increasingly willing to trust such companies.  Cloud computing adoption rates remain strong and businesses continue to seek out a cloud computing adoption model in order to make the transition.

It is worth noting that a decrease in either the business adoption of cloud computing models or the cloud computing adoption rate of individuals does not necessarily mean that cloud users are decreasing.  Once a certain threshold of cloud computing adoption is reached, there will be fewer and fewer potential new users to support perpetually high rates.

So regardless of rates and statistics, it looks like cloud computing is here to stay.

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