[arachne] Re: What is "cloud computing" ???
- From: "Glenn Gilbreath Jr." <wizard57m@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: arachne@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:29:38 -0600
Arachne at FreeLists---The Arachne Fan Club!
Your example of a server fire is the reason for Google, Microsoft and
others implementing high levels of redundancy into their "clouds".
All the data is not stored on just one server, but mirrored on several.
As for your data and security...no argument form me, nor others that I
know.
I like the idea of having my data, contacts, etc on my system, and not
at the mercy of someone else, hoping a disgruntled employee doesn't
"go postal" and decide to delete as much as they can before they get their
pink slip.
Will the idea of cloud computing catch on? I don't know...but Google Docs
seems to be quite popular, as is Yahoo Calendar, Microsoft Live, and
numerous
other services. Another issue yet to be addressed is cost. How much are
these service suppliers going to want in exchange for providing software
services? Google currently offsets cost via "targeted advertising"...so
I don't use Google Docs! Even "free" has a cost...is it worth losing
control of your privacy, browsing habits, purchasing habits, etc. just to
use an online word processor? Not for me, but for others it seems to be
OK.
C U L8R!
Wiz <{;-)
www.geocities.com\wizard57m\index.html
On Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:06:19 -0600, Ron Clarke <ariadne@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Arachne at FreeLists---The Arachne Fan Club!
Hi Folks,
On Fri, 12 Dec 2008 06:11:07 -0500 (EST)
"Sam Ewalt" <ewalt@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
On Thu, December 11, 2008 9:35 pm, L.D. Best wrote:
> Here's a teaser: Can 'low end' computers take advantage of "the
cloud" ??
>
"The cloud" is a massive, expandable network of servers and
powerful computers that you can access as needed. There is no
need for massive computing power on your desktop if you can
access that power whenever and wherever you need it.
Think dumb terminal and multi-user system with the applications
and data being stored and worked with remotely. The terminal
doesn't have to be all that powerful, just capable of displaying
the interface to the resources that reside elsewhere. The "elsewhere"
is expandable and gathers resources as needed.
"The cloud" is an evolving idea. Early and perhaps primitive examples
would be things like Gmail and the Google applications. Who needs a
word processor on your own computer as long as you can access one?
You don't have to take it with you, it's already there. Many people
from many locations can all access and work on the same documents.
You can travel around the campus and around the world and still have
all your files and documents. You don't even know where your stuff
is physically. It no longer matters.
Maybe not to you, but it matters to me.
What is still fresh in my mind is the fire in a server farm in Dallas
Texas. That server farm hosted web domains, including both of mine. I
lost nothing, but others were not so lucky. My domains are now hosted in
Sydney, Australia.
Now, what if I had had my business records there as well ?
Keep extending this idea. Why does an enterprise need its own
servers as long as service is available?
To ensure that all the important stuff is safe from mishap, and is
backed up properly and regularly.
And that my confidential stuff is not so vulnerable to either hackers
(including government agencies) or corrupted server-farm employees.
Services don't need to reside in a location. They just need to
exist and be locatable. They can float through the cloud like
ideas float through our brains.
If you want "cloud" functionality for Arachne - you already have it.
Read the documents on "netdos".
See: arachne\doc\netdos.htm for Michael Polak's original explanation.
Not a lot of applications available yet, just proof of concept, but
it DOES work.
See: http://www.ausreg.com/netdos/netdos.htm
If there are favourite single-executable DOS programs that anyone
would like hosted in an "Arachne cloud", speak up ! Ya never know what
is possible until ya try. :)
Regards,
Ron
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