Post on 26-Dec-2015
CLOUD COMPUTINGTrends to Watch for Libraries
Marshall BreedingDirector for Innovative Technology and ResearchVanderbilt University LibraryFounder and Publisher, Library Technology Guideshttp://www.librarytechnology.org/http://twitter.com/mbreedingInternet Librarian 2010Oct 26, 2010
Summary
One of the major transitions in technology involves increased adoption of computing models that involve use of hardware and software outside the library. It’s a seminal technology change as important as the shift from mainframes to client/server architectures. We’re hearing more about application service providers, software-as-a-service, storage-as-a-service, and platform-as-a-service. How does OCLC’s global WorldCat platform fit into the mix? What is the difference between public and private clouds? What are the issues for libraries in the deployment of cloud computing in terms of cost, efficiency, privacy, control, and security? Marshall Breeding clarifies the concepts of cloud computing with examples of interest to libraries.
Continuum of Abstraction
Locally owned and installed servers Co-located servers Co-located virtual servers Web hosting Server hosting services Application Service Provider Software-as-a-service Infrastructure-as-a-service Platform-as-a-serviceThe Advance of Computing From the Ground to the CloudComputers in Libraries, December 2009http://www.librarytechnology.org/ltg-displaytext.pl?RC=14384
What is Cloud computing?
Wikipedia:
“Cloud computing is Internet-based computing, whereby shared resources, software, and information are provided to computers and other devices on demand, like the electricity grid.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_computing
What is Cloud computing?
VMWare:
“Cloud computing is a new approach that reduces IT complexity by leveraging the efficient pooling of on-demand, self-managed virtual infrastructure, consumed as a service”
http://www.vmware.com/solutions/cloud-computing/
Cloud illustration
http://soacloudcomputing.blogspot.com/2008/10/cloud-computing.html
Cloud computing as marketing term
Cloud computing used very freely, tagged to almost any virtualized environment
Any arrangement where the library relies on some kind of remote hosting environment for major automation components
Includes almost any vendor-hosted product offering
Cloud computing – characteristics
Highly abstracted computing model Utility model Provisioned on demand Scaled according to variable needs Discrete virtual machines Compute cycles on demand Storage on demand Elastic – consumption of resources can
contract and expand according to demand
Fundamental technology shift Mainframe computing Client/Server Cloud Computing
http://www.flickr.com/photos/carrick/61952845/
http://soacloudcomputing.blogspot.com/2008/10/cloud-computing.html
http://www.javaworld.com/javaworld/jw-10-2001/jw-1019-jxta.html
Local Computing
Traditional model Locally owned and managed Shifting from departmental to enterprise Departmental servers co-located in
central IT data centers Increasingly virtualized
Virtualization
The ability for multiple computing images to simultaneously exist on one physical server
Physical hardware partitioned into multiple instances using virtual machine management tools such as Vmware
Applicable to local, remote, and cloud models
Hosting Services
Web hosting Web site only Standard support for PHP, Perl, and other
dynamic page generation Dedicated Server
Appropriate for applications that have not been tested and deployed in virtual environments
Virtual server Requires software that supports virtualization
Advantages
Increasing opportunities to eliminate local servers and tech support
Many libraries cannot support the cost of systems and network administrators which command higher salaries than professional librarians
Eliminate hardware replacement, operating systems upgrades, etc.
Application service provider
Business applications hosted by software vendor
Standalone application on discrete or virtualized hardware
Staff and public clients accessed via the Internet
Same user interfaces and functionality as if installed locally
ASP Library Automation
Entered library automation industry beginnig ~1997 Innovative (INN-Keeper) Epixtech (Horizon ASP)
Software-as-a-Service
Complete software application, customized for customer use
Software delivered through cloud infrastructure, data stored on cloud
Eg: Salesforce.com—widely used business infrastructure
SirsiDynix
Salesforce.com customer relationship management Sales force automation
NetSuite OpenAir Professional services automation Project management
BigMachines Management of quotations and software
provisioning
Enterprise SaaS deployments Many universities outsourcing mail Retain institutional domain names
Google Apps Education Edition Gmail
Microsoft Live@Edu
Infrastructure-as-a-service
Provisioning of Equipment Servers, storage
Virtual server provisioning Examples:
Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) Amazon Simple Storage Service (S3) Rackspace Cloud (
http://www.rackspacecloud.com/) EMC2 Atmos (http://www.atmosonline.com/)
Amazon EC2
Machine Instances Red Hat Enterprise Linux Debian Fedora Ubuntu Linux Open Solaris Windows Server 2003/2008
Storage-as-a-Service
Provisioned, on-demand storage Bundled to, or separate from other cloud
services
Platform-as-a-Platform as a Service
Virtualized computing environment for deployment of software
Application engine, no specific server provisioning
Examples: Google App Engine
SDKs for Java, Python Heroku: ruby platform Amazon Web Service
Private vs Public cloud
Public – multi-tenant provisioning Logically isolated computing environment Theoretical security / competitive concerns
Private – cloud architecture, institutionally controlled Enforces physical segregation Leverages cost and scalability Institutions may require private clouds from
providers Institutions may operate their own cloud
infrastructure for internal clients
Library automation through SaaS Almost all library automation products
offered through hosted options Saas or ASP?
ILS Products offered as SaaS SirsiDynix Symphony SirsiDynix Horizon Innovative Interfaces Millennium Ex Libris Aleph EOS International EOS.Web Evergreen – Equinox Software Koha – LibLime, ByWater, many others
internationally …many other examples …
Discovery products offered through SaaS
Serials Solutions Summon 360 Search, 360 Link, KnowledgeWorks
Ex Libris Primo Total Care Primo Central
… many other examples …
Repositories in the cloud
Dspace – institutional repository application
Fedora – generalized repository platform DuraSpace – organization now over both
Dspace and Fedora DuraCloud – shared, hosted repository
platform Pilot since 2009, production in early 2011 http://www.duraspace.org/duracloud.php
Vendor hosting behind-the-scenes Libraries need to have confidence in the
reliability and robustness of service Different hosting scenarios
Vendor manages its own data center Vendor leases server space in third party
data center Vendor relies on cloud-based infrastructure
Caveats and concerns with SaaS Libraries must have adequate bandwidth
to support access to remote applications without latency
Quality of service agreements that guarantee performance and reliability factors
Configurability and customizability limitations
Access to API’s Ability to interoperate with 3rd party
applications Eg: Connect SaaS ILS with discovery
product from another vendor
OCLC Web-scale Management Service
"the first Web-scale, cooperative library management service”
New highly scaleable platform for WorldCat Cataloging Interlibrary loan Discovery (WorldCat Local) Circulation Acquisitions License Management
Early deployments underway now – UTC, Pepperdine, etcIn Challenge to ILS Industry, OCLC Extends WorldCat Local To Launch New Library System
Marshall Breeding, Library Journal 4/23/2009http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6653619.html
Library applications for IaaS or PaaS
Ability for libraries to use cloud resources for locally created applications
Inexpensive and quick means for development and prototyping
Platform for production services
Digital library collections in the cloud?
Ex: Amazon S3 for storage of digital objects? Access – depending on cost
No guarantees for data security Preservation – only as one replicate of
broader preservation architecture
Cost implications
Total cost of ownership Do all cost components result in increased or
decreased expense Personnel costs – need less technical administration Hardware – server hardware eliminated Software costs: subscription, license,
maintenance/support Indirect costs: energy costs associated with power and
cooling of servers in data center IaaS: balance elimination of hardware investments
for ongoing usage fees Especially attractive for development and prototyping
Risks and concerns
Privacy of data Policies, regulations, jurisdictions
Ownership of data Avoid vendor lock-in
Integrity of Data Backups and disaster recovery
Security issues
Most providers implement stronger safeguards beyond the capacity of local institutions
Virtual instances equally susceptible to poor security practices as local computing
Cloud computing trends for libraries Increased migration away from local
computing toward some form of remote / hosted / virtualized alternative
Cloud computing especially attractive to libraries with few technology support personnel
Adequate bandwidth will continue to be a limiting factor
Increased pressure
Library automation vendors promoting SaaS offerings Some companies already exclusively SaaS
Software pricing increasingly favorable to SaaS
Caveat
technologies promoted by companies and organizations have a vested interest in their adoption
Critically assess viability of the technology and its appropriateness for your organization