Posted on 06/09/2011 9:46:31 AM PDT by ShadowAce
Cloud computing is all the rage today, with everyone from the U.S. Federal government to Apple herding us into a brave new world of remotely hosted data and services. There are, of course, many advantages to the cloud concept. But as usual, this new IT architecture has some inherent and serious risks that cloud proponents hope potential customers will not dwell on.
There's nothing new about that, of course - except for the stakes. Innovation usually outruns caution and comprehensive consideration of concerns like safety and unintended consequences. But if we want to put all of our computing resources and data into one bucket, we had better make damn sure that it's got a pretty strong bottom.
Here's a nightmare scenario of what could happen otherwise. And it's not pretty.
< snip >
In a wink of an eye, the earth had been cleansed of the heresies of modern civilization. The world was once again as Mohammed had known it.
In the first winter that followed, a billion people starved to death.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
If that caught your attention, you can read an in-depth analysis of the issues involved, and a critique of the degree to which the Obama administration's new cybersecurity plan would address them, in the Feature Article to the last issue of my eJournal, Standards Today. You can find that article here.
He does give an interesting, and plausible, possibility for cloud computing that is kinda scary.
Thinking of all the recent Sony etc mass hacking recently, this one really belongs in the category:
“what could possibly go wrong?”
Microsoft has the right idea about cloud computing: just use the word “cloud” every 5 minutes without actually fundamentally changing your approach to software architecture.
I’m thinking the game Dust 514 may use cloud computing, as the maps are going to be huge, and the game itself is going to be a digital download, which makes me think it will be 1080p and require more space than a double-layer Blu-ray can hold. Especially since it will be directly connected to EVE Online, CCP is running it on their own superclusters.
Cloud computing is a great idea for video games. For hosting sensitive things though, maybe not so much.
Exactly. I prefer to keep my stuff locally where I am responsible for it. I know a lot of my personal information will end up on the cloud just because of banks/gov't/etc putting it out there, but I can at least mitigate the damage.
I agree wholeheartedly.
You no longer control your data and applications.
Back-up services are a great idea but you won't find me signing on for cloud computing.
Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)
It doesn’t have to be a massive apocalypse. If the wire dies you lose access to all your data, that’s the big problem with the cloud. It sounds cool all the way up until your entire company grinds to a screeching halt because of one lightning strike in the wrong place.
I just don't trust anyone that I do not know and don't trust some that I do! My stuff stays with me, and me only. Two computers, one online to surf with, and one for personal use and storage. I am private, and so is my photos and documents.
Bingo. Two two most annoying "cloud" commercials are the couple in the airport watching a TV show saved on their home DVR and the wife cutting and pasting pictures on her computer to assemble a decent family photo. Neither has anything to do with cloud computing. In fact the first one is specifically anti-cloud since the TV show was stored on a specific known device kept in their house.
Cloud computing can be convenient, but always make sure that you have a copy of the data under your personal control so that you can rebuild it if the cloud service company goes out of business or just decides to not store your data for some reason. What happens if Apple decides that it won't store or allow redownloads of your iTunes music and you didn't keep a copy on your own hard disk?
It sounds like a great plot for a novel.
a computer was this big thing called a “main frame” that took up nearly a room. It was a mysterious object that could only be serviced or modified by the people that sold it to you. Likewise the only software you could use also came through the people that sold it to you. You were allowed to use a dumb terminal that was totally dependent on the mainframe, over which you had absolutely no control....
then came the mini-computer. You were still pretty much at the mercy of the people that sold it to you for upgrades and software, but a small percentage of controlling your own destiny was allotted to you.....
and finally near nirvana - the micro computer. You could open the box, install a variety of components of your own choosing, select from numerous brands of software, and even different operating systems.....
and now - the evolution to - sealed plastic boxes that you can do nothing with and software choices entirely by the manufacturer. Even your data won't be under your control. You will now have essentially a wireless terminal to the mainframe.
Why does all this sound so familiar?
Why do I refuse to have anything to do with it?
Why do people fall for it? - Wait, that one I know - because they weren't around to remember what a f-up situation computing was when your world revolved around a “mainframe”
I do.
I don’t do TV so I had no idea what Cloud computing meant until a few days ago. My old band did “cloud computing” by using google documents to store and retrieve song lists and rehearsal agendas, schedules. It was VERY convenient.
I certainly would not use it for anything important, though. Well, all my future terrorist plans are in google docs. Schedules, locations, bomb blast requirements for the specific target. That sort of thing. I’m sure it’s secure though...
;)
>>Why do people fall for it? - Wait, that one I know - because they weren’t around to remember what a f-up situation computing was when your world revolved around a “mainframe”
I do. <<
Well, not to be contrary, but back in those days, people didn’t discuss computers and viruses in the same sentence. ;)
Interesting scenario. In 2008 when things were going to hell, I bought "The Encyclopedia of Country Living". It's not a complete survival book, but more of a Swiss army knife of survival knowledge. Could you figure out how to slaughter and prepare a hog? Now would you know how to do it without access to Google? I wanted something in paper form in case everything collapsed.
No, we discussed an entire company being brought to its knees because of a simple bug in the mainframe that nobody could located. We discussed lost productivity because too many people were on it once and the system was “paging.” We discussed a mysterious OZ that was beyond any of our control, yet it could completely turn our schedules upside down.
The idea that “cloud” computing is somehow justified because immature idiots won't stop going to porno sites and getting virus infections is ludicrous. Let the children play around on the internet and cloud computing. The adults that actually have to be productive and make money can do just fine without it.
ping for later ...
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