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Cloud computing, did you hear it? I think many of you concern in computing or computer technology or studying in information technology are familiar with this term: cloud computing. The term cloud computing refers to the delivery of scalable IT resources over the Internet, as opposed to hosting and operating those resources locally, such as on a college or university network. People may called it global computer: on-demand computing, grid computing, or software as a service, cloud computing basically means that, instead of storing your software or data on your own PC or your own company’s computers, you store it on servers on the internet. In other words, cloud computing means a concept of storing your software and/or data not on your own PC or company’s computers but rather on servers on the internet.
With cloud computing, institutions procure IT services from remote providers, and campus constituents access these resources over the Internet. Email, for example, long considered a staple of an institution’s IT operations, can be obtained from a range of sources, and a growing number of campuses contract with outside suppliers for this function. Software is hosted by the provider and does not need to be installed or maintained on individual computers around campus. In some cases, a large university or a consortium might become a provider of cloud services. Storage and processing needs can also be met by the cloud. Institutions pay only for the resources used, and users can access the applications and files they need from virtually any Internet.
Cloud computing presents IT organizations with a fundamentally different model of operation, one that takes advantage of the maturity of web applications and networks and the rising interoperability of computing systems to provide IT services. Cloud providers specialize in particular applications and services, and this expertise allows them to efficiently manage upgrades and maintenance, backups, disaster recovery, and failover functions. As a result, consumers of cloud services may see increased reliability, even as costs decline due to economies of scale and other production factors. With cloud computing, organizations can monitor current needs and make on-the-fly adjustments to increase or decrease capacity, accommodating spikes in demand without paying for unused capacity during slower times. Aside from the potential to lower costs, colleges and universities gain the flexibility of being able to respond quickly to requests for new services by purchasing them from the cloud.
Cloud computing encourages IT organizations and providers to increase standardization of protocols and processes so that the many pieces of the cloud computing model can interoperate properly and efficiently. Cloud computing’s scalability is another key benefit to higher education, particularly for research projects that require vast amounts of storage or processing capacity for a limited time. Some companies have built data centers near sources of renewable energy, such as wind farms and hydroelectric facilities, and cloud computing affords access to these providers of “green IT.” Finally, cloud computing allows college and university IT providers to make IT costs transparent and thus match consumption of IT services to those who pay for such services.
References:
Using Information Technology, William/Sawyer
7 Things You Should Know about Cloud Computing, educause.edu