* A report by The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada is critical of cloud computing, but seems confused about what it actually is
The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada recently published a document about cloud computing titled “Reaching for the Cloud(s): Privacy Issues related to Cloud Computing.” I didn’t like this document at all.
The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada recently published a document about cloud computing titled “Reaching for the Cloud(s): Privacy Issues related to Cloud Computing.”
I didn’t like this document at all.
It could be that I was drawn up short by the very first paragraph, which states that cloud computing “…describes any system where information and/or applications are stored online, allowing access to be achieved by the user via a device. For the purposes of that application or data the personal computer becomes in essence a ‘dumb terminal’, a machine that interacts with a cloud-mainframe in order to store, retrieve or manipulate data.”
FAQ: cloud computing, demystified
But that describes any networked system, from the NetWare-connected PC I used 25 years ago right on up through the browser-based systems (such as Google Apps or Microsoft’s Azure) that are soon to become all the rage in the coming era of the iPad.
If you can’t get your definitions correct, or have some precision in your terms, then why should I read the rest of your document? Still, I did read it.
So what does the Privacy Commissioner see as the problems of cloud computing?
1) “Cloud computing infrastructures are premised on a business model that charges the consumer fees on a perpetual basis for something that they currently pay a flat rate for or even receive for free.” (Are they channeling Richard Stallman?)
2) “Cloud computing depends on net access, access is arguably slower, more expensive and less reliable than hard drives or CPUs, and may also be prevented, surveilled or tampered with by external forces, such as government, employers or law enforcement.” (Which, again, could be said about any networked device from a LAN to the cloud.)
3) “And, of course, although users pay for the service, they do not have or are not granted ‘the expertise or control over the technology infrastructure that provides these services.'” [Quoting a CBC Radio program] (How many of your users have either “expertise” or “control” over your infrastructure?)
The entire paper seems to be a reaction to the data loss suffered by many T-Mobile Sidekick users when servers of Microsoft subsidiary Danger suffered a technical glitch. (See “Microsoft Red-Faced After Massive Sidekick Data Loss”.) This also explains the rather over-broad definition of “cloud computing” so that it extends to any device connected to any network. Under the narrower definition, which limits the term to applications and services provided to enterprises and their users the objections of the Privacy Commissioner become almost farcical.
There’s a lot of other things in this report to object to (read how cloud computing will destroy innovation, for example) — too much to overcome any good in it. But you will hear about it from a bunch of well-meaning people. I thought it best that you be forewarned.
The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada recently published a document about cloud computing titled “Reaching for the Cloud(s): Privacy Issues related to Cloud Computing.”
I didn’t like this document at all.
It could be that I was drawn up short by the very first paragraph, which states that cloud computing “…describes any system where information and/or applications are stored online, allowing access to be achieved by the user via a device. For the purposes of that application or data the personal computer becomes in essence a ‘dumb terminal’, a machine that interacts with a cloud-mainframe in order to store, retrieve or manipulate data.”
FAQ: cloud computing, demystified
But that describes any networked system, from the NetWare-connected PC I used 25 years ago right on up through the browser-based systems (such as Google Apps or Microsoft’s Azure) that are soon to become all the rage in the coming era of the iPad.
If you can’t get your definitions correct, or have some precision in your terms, then why should I read the rest of your document? Still, I did read it.
So what does the Privacy Commissioner see as the problems of cloud computing?
1) “Cloud computing infrastructures are premised on a business model that charges the consumer fees on a perpetual basis for something that they currently pay a flat rate for or even receive for free.” (Are they channeling Richard Stallman?)
2) “Cloud computing depends on net access, access is arguably slower, more expensive and less reliable than hard drives or CPUs, and may also be prevented, surveilled or tampered with by external forces, such as government, employers or law enforcement.” (Which, again, could be said about any networked device from a LAN to the cloud.)
3) “And, of course, although users pay for the service, they do not have or are not granted ‘the expertise or control over the technology infrastructure that provides these services.'” [Quoting a CBC Radio program] (How many of your users have either “expertise” or “control” over your infrastructure?)
The entire paper seems to be a reaction to the data loss suffered by many T-Mobile Sidekick users when servers of Microsoft subsidiary Danger suffered a technical glitch. (See “Microsoft Red-Faced After Massive Sidekick Data Loss”.) This also explains the rather over-broad definition of “cloud computing” so that it extends to any device connected to any network. Under the narrower definition, which limits the term to applications and services provided to enterprises and their users the objections of the Privacy Commissioner become almost farcical.
There’s a lot of other things in this report to object to (read how cloud computing will destroy innovation, for example) — too much to overcome any good in it. But you will hear about it from a bunch of well-meaning people. I thought it best that you be forewarned.
