Defining "the cloud"
This section will provide a brief overview of the cloud, cloud services and the pros and cons associated with the cloud. Week #5 provided a great exploration of the cloud if you would like to go back for further review.
A commonly used definition of "the cloud":
"Clusters of distributed computers (largely vast data centers and server farms) which provide on-demand resources and services over a networked medium (usually the internet)"(Sultan, N. 2010. pp.110).
A commonly used definition of "the cloud":
"Clusters of distributed computers (largely vast data centers and server farms) which provide on-demand resources and services over a networked medium (usually the internet)"(Sultan, N. 2010. pp.110).
Services offered by the cloud:
Infrastructure as a Service (Iaas): product is delivered remotely through the internet and provides a complete computer infrastructure either physically or virtually, most often through virtual machines. Users are guests and services can be customized based on users profile and requirements. Example, Oracle.
Platform as a Service (PaaS): product is delivered through a computing platform, and this would include the operating system, programming language, database and webs server -- developers utilize the cloud to run their programs without having constant hardware and software expenditures. Example: Microsoft Azure and Google App.
Software as a Service (SaaS): programs are offered via the Internet, thus not requiring maintenance of software and hardware. SaaS is also referred to as "on-demand software" and can be pay-per-use. Providers install and operate application software in the cloud and users access the applications from cloud clients. There is no need to install and run the application on the cloud user's own computers, which simplifies maintenance and support. Examples include Twitter, Facebook and Flickr.
The above information was compiled from Wikipedia: Cloud Computing as well as Sultan, N. 2010. pp. 110.
Examples
Google Cloud Platform is one of the most common cloud services available.
Some of the apps that you may be familiar that operate on "the cloud" include:
Some of the apps that you may be familiar that operate on "the cloud" include:
- Google Drive
- Google Docs
- Gmail
- Google Talk
- Google Calendar
PROS & Cons of "the cloud"
Much of the hype surrounding "the cloud" has to do with the efficiencies that it presents not only to users, but to providers as well. Users are able to access their information from multiple devices from any location, while providers are able to cut costs that historically were required to maintain hardware and software.
A key concern when it comes to the cloud is the privacy of information. Many cloud-based applications operate from anywhere, they are public and information is loosely controlled. Increasingly, cloud-based applications are being offered through private servers in order to mitigate the issues surrounding privacy. There are significant concerns for certain industries in terms of confidentiality (ie. education, medical, financial realms). In addition, government regulations in the USA have started to address the issue of server location and public vs. private servers in order to address confidentiality laws, specifically in the area of medical information.
A key concern when it comes to the cloud is the privacy of information. Many cloud-based applications operate from anywhere, they are public and information is loosely controlled. Increasingly, cloud-based applications are being offered through private servers in order to mitigate the issues surrounding privacy. There are significant concerns for certain industries in terms of confidentiality (ie. education, medical, financial realms). In addition, government regulations in the USA have started to address the issue of server location and public vs. private servers in order to address confidentiality laws, specifically in the area of medical information.
The cloud: health & medical Fields
Within the medical field, there are numerous ways for which the cloud can be utilized, here are a few examples (Tejaswi, A. et al. 2012):
- storage of patient/client files/charts
- educational upgrading/continuing learning
- medical information repositories and databases (that can be shared amongst professionals)
- scheduling for both staff and clients
- symptoms analysis
Sugata Mitra: Build a school in the clouds
Although this TedTalk does not speak directly to the cloud as it relates to the medical field, we wanted to include this video to get you thinking outside of the box in terms of how the cloud as a component of education technology can support learning, can support business and how each of us can utilize it so differently.
This TedTalk by Sugata Mitra looks at the value and opportunity found in cloud based tools, if you have 20 minutes we highly recommend it:
This TedTalk by Sugata Mitra looks at the value and opportunity found in cloud based tools, if you have 20 minutes we highly recommend it: