[LINK] RFC: Cloud Computing

Bernard Robertson-Dunn brd at iimetro.com.au
Tue Nov 24 09:54:13 AEDT 2009


Roger Clarke wrote:
> Following on from discussions on the list earlier today ...
>
> I've been working on a paper on the user benefits and risks of cloud 
> computing.  That's of course necessitated some basic work on what the 
> heck cloud computing is.
>
> The emergent draft has a reasonably-developed first third, but at 
> this stage only a very sketchy analysis of risks.
>
> Constructively negative comments on the definitions, architecture and 
> benefits sections would be greatly appreciated!!
>
>      Computing Clouds on the Horizon?
>      Benefits and Risks from the User's Perspective
>       http://www.rogerclarke.com/II/CCI-0911.html
>   
There is an issue I raised on the Google Groups "Cloud Computing 
Interoperability Forum (CCIF)" group <cloudforum at googlegroups.com> and 
concerns enterprise wide system integration.

When systems are put into a cloud they can either be stand alone or 
integrated into the rest of an enterprise's systems.

In the case of integrated systems there are a number of issues and risks.

1. How do you integrate a system in the cloud into an environment when 
some systems are in the cloud (maybe more than one cloud) and some some 
are in the enterprise's data centre? Often data is required from other 
systems and vice versa. How do you manage and control these interactions 
across cloud boundaries?
 
2. How do you implement support functions like authentication, 
authorisation, single sign-on etc?

3. How do you create synchronised back-up and recovery across cloud 
boundaries?
 
The only suggestion I got back from the group was that you could 
implement a VPN from your enterprise into the cloud. To me this is not a 
particularly good idea. Punching a hole into your internal support 
environment seems not to be very sensible.

Cloud environments might be OK for isolated applications, but extending 
your operational environment into a cloud is fraught with both problems 
and risks.

And I'm sorry I can't point you at any references, I've looked and asked 
but can't find any material that discusses this. Evangelists just look 
at the up-side. It's only old-timers like us that see potential down-sides.

-- 
 
Regards
brd

Bernard Robertson-Dunn
Canberra Australia
brd at iimetro.com.au




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