Cloud Computing and Storage Peter Park February 27th, 2013 IT 103 009 George Mason University

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Background The introduction of cloud storage can be traced back to the 1960s. This idea was brought up by a famous American computer scientist, J.C.R. Licklider. He is known for his ideas of interactive computing and intergalactic computer networking. Cloud computing did not rise in the market until around the nineties. This is because the internet did not provide much bandwidth until then. Cloud computing garnered more attention when salesforce.com was created in 1999. Salesforce.com is a global enterprise software company that specializes in cloud computing services. In 2009, Web 2.0 (term used to describe web sites that use interactive technology beyond that of younger web sites) started to become prominent; Google and other companies began to offer browser based enterprise applications (Google Apps). Other key factors that have enabled cloud computing to evolve include the maturing of virtualization technology, the development of universal high-speed bandwidth, and universal software interoperability standards. Andreas Asander, vice-principal of product management at virtualisation security specialist Clavister, said that once the security issues are resolved, cloud computing services "can enable an enterprise to expand its infrastructure, add capacity on demand, or outsource the whole infrastructure, resulting in greater flexibility, a wider choice of computing resources and significant cost savings."

Potential Benefits Cloud storage has several benefits over traditional data storage. If you upload your data onto a cloud storage system, that data can now be retrieved from any location given that you have access to the internet. It is even possible to allow other people to access the data. Cloud computing also has the advantage of cheaper and faster data back ups. Tapes were used to back up data on a daily basis, and it was costly to maintain the equipment necessary to restore the backs ups, and restores would often take more than a day. With the cloud back up, data can automatically be restored efficiently and cheaply. This is extremely useful for businesses that juggle a lot of data on a daily basis. 10 benefits of cloud computing, according to Verio, a global web hosting provider: 1. Achieve economies of scale increase volume output or productivity with fewer people. Your cost per unit, project or product plummets. 2. Reduce spending on technology infrastructure. Maintain easy access to your information with minimal upfront spending. Pay as you go (weekly, quarterly or yearly), based on demand. 3. Globalize your workforce on the cheap. People worldwide can access the cloud, provided they have an Internet connection. 4. Streamline processes. Get more work done in less time with less people. 5. Reduce capital costs. Theres no need to spend big money on hardware, software or licensing fees. 6. Improve accessibility. You have access anytime, anywhere, making your life so much easier!

7. Monitor projects more effectively. Stay within budget and ahead of completion cycle times. 8. Less personnel training is needed. It takes fewer people to do more work on a cloud, with a minimal learning curve on hardware and software issues. 9. Minimize licensing new software. Stretch and grow without the need to buy expensive software licenses or programs. 10. Improve flexibility. You can change direction without serious people or financial issues at stake.

Legal and Ethical Issues Laws involving cloud computing are still ever changing, and it is important for every individual to keep up to date on these changes. Since cloud computing involves hosting data between an organization and a third party, there are practical challenges in understanding how laws can be applied in multiple circumstances. Some of these laws apply to specific markets, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) for the health-care industry. However, companies often store health-related information about individual employees, which means those companies might have to comply with HIPPA even if theyre not operating in that market. It is also important to note that protecting data is crucial in maintaining the service. Failure to do so can result multiple negative consequences, including fines from multiple parties, such as the government or other industry regulatory bodies. Fines can be extremely damaging to businesses which do not garner much attention. For example, the Payment Card Industry (PCI) can give fines of up to $100,000 per month for violations to its compliance. Although these fines will be levied onto the acquiring bank, they may also impact the merchant.

Security Concerns The main concerns of cloud computing are reliability and security. The provider must ensure that their infrastructure is solid and that their clients data/applications are protected. In some cases, it may be difficult for the cloud customer (in its role as data controller) to effectively check the data handling practices of the cloud provider and thus to be sure that the data is handled in a lawful way. This problem is exacerbated in cases of multiple transfers of data, e.g., between federated clouds. On the other hand, some cloud providers do provide information on their data handling practices. Some also offer certification summaries on their data processing and data security activities and the data controls they have in place, e.g., SAS70 certification.

Reference Page Cauley, L., & TODAY, U. (n.d.). USATODAY.com - NSA has massive database of Americans' phone calls. USA TODAY: Latest World and US News - USATODAY.com. Retrieved February 28, 2013, from http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-05-10-nsa_x.htm Delaney, L. (n.d.). 10 Benefits of Cloud Computing. Verio. Retrieved February 28, 2013, from http://www.verio.com/resource-center/articles/cloud-computing-benefits/ ENISA. (2009, November 20). Cloud Computing Risk Assessment ENISA.ENISA. Retrieved February 28, 2013, from http://www.enisa.europa.eu/activities/riskmanagement/files/deliverables/cloud-computing-risk-assessment Gaskell, A. (2013, January 16). The Risks and Benefits of Cloud Computing.Technorati. Retrieved February 28, 2013, from http://technorati.com/technology/cloud-computing/article/therisks-and-benefits-of-cloud/ Wik, P. (2011, October 12). Service Technology Magazine - Issue LV - Thunder Clouds: Managing SOA-Cloud Risk - Part I. Service Technology Magazine. Retrieved February 28, 2013, from http://www.servicetechmag.com/I55/1011-1 Winkler, V. (n.d.). Cloud Computing: Legal and Regulatory Issues | TechNet.Resources and Tools for IT Professionals | TechNet. Retrieved February 28, 2013, from http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/hh994647.aspx