Many scientific disciplines, from astronomy and physics to genomics and artificial intelligence, now rely on cloud computing due to the increasing importance of machine learning approaches in scientific research. Machine learning and other data-intensive research projects often necessitate computational resources that go beyond the capabilities of hardware owned by an individual researcher or provided by the university. With cloud computing, scientists may share data in real-time with colleagues all over the world and only pay for the processing power they use. A large portion of academic machine learning research would be inaccessible without the services provided by commercial cloud providers.

Intended Audience: Professors and Students

Cloud computing has also given students access to resources that enhance their learning and give them real-world opportunities to apply the technical skills they’re developing in the classroom. By studying, deploying, and contributing to open-source software and research projects pertinent to their field or professional aspirations, students can acquire technical skills in a hands-on manner through the use of cloud-based apps for sharing, teaching, and collaborating on code and data (such as GitHub and Jupyter Notebooks). Students can use cloud computing resources in the same way that independent developers do, publishing their code and apps for others to use and giving them the satisfaction that comes from seeing how their talents are put to use in the real world. Cloud computing resources can also be used to facilitate individualized educational infrastructure and to provide users with more command over their computer settings. Some researchers favor this method because it gives them more control over which apps they use, how they use them, and the data they collect. More and more cloud-based apps with a focus on education are becoming available as complements or replacements for more conventional academic IT services. Access to The HathiTrust’s digital collection of millions of volumes is made possible by Voyant Tools, and students and academics can conduct textual analysis on documents of their choosing without needing to write any code. To help academic communities learn, publish, and connect, platforms like Reclaim Hosting, Commons in a Box, the Modern Language Humanities Commons, and Manifold exist.

Community Infrastructure for Public Use

Some people and groups prefer to take matters into their own hands by installing and administering cloud-based software to better meet their own needs and those of their group, provide more granular control over features and data security, and otherwise exercise greater autonomy in their computing. Software as a service (SaaS) platforms often limit user control, privacy, and oversight of their computing environment; open source software, such as social media tools like Mastodon, video conferencing software like Jitsi, collaborative text editors like Etherpad, and web chat tools like Rocket Chat, offer alternatives. Due to ethical concerns over the use of personal data and company practices by major platforms and SaaS programs, some communities prefer these solutions despite the additional administrative burden they often present.

Concerns about Cloud Computing’s Potential Dangers, Expenses, and Morality

It’s important to keep in mind that there are costs, hazards, and ethical concerns associated with using the cloud, despite its numerous advantages. Some of these concerns apply to everyone who stores data in the cloud, while others are more pertinent to enterprises and organizations that do so:

Things to keep in mind for anyone who uses the cloud

The usage of application programming interfaces (APIs), cloud-based credentials, and on-demand services might make it easier for attackers to gain unauthorized access to cloud resources, making them less secure than traditional on-premise data centers. Learn how your cloud provider protects your data from intrusion and other threats, and get recommendations for additional security precautions you may take.

Damage to data: There is always the risk of irretrievable data loss while storing information on the cloud, just as there is with locally owned or managed devices due to natural disasters, bugs, unintentional syncing, user-generated errors, and other such calamities. Find out what backup services the cloud service provider offers, and be aware that they may not be offered automatically or for free. It’s also an option to perform backups manually.

Persistent data: Customers who store their information in the cloud may at some point desire to delete the data they’ve uploaded. However, it might be difficult, time-consuming, or even impossible to delete data from cloud resources and then verify that deletion. If you decide later that you no longer want your data stored in the cloud, it is in your best interest to familiarise yourself with the provider’s deletion rules before handing over any sensitive information.

The costs of using cloud services can quickly add up, even though they can deliver computer resources at a fraction of the cost of owning them. Look into the fine print of the cloud service’s pricing if you want to know how your consumption will be tracked and if you can establish usage caps or receive alerts when they are breached. Researching the methods used to provide billing information is particularly important because certain providers’ billing practices can be confusing.

Users of closed, private cloud services may be more susceptible to vendor lock-in, and the inability to easily switch service providers after having adapted their computing infrastructure to work within the closed, proprietary cloud. Fortunately, this threat can be mitigated by using open-source cloud solutions, which feature open standards that make it less difficult to switch between cloud service providers. Users of the cloud should be aware, however, that doing so will necessitate time, effort, and knowledge.

The data collected by cloud providers may be used for a variety of business purposes, such as analyzing customer behavior, improving advertising targeting and conversion rates, developing more accurate predictions using machine learning, and even selling individual user profiles to third parties. Determine the provider’s data usage policies if you’re concerned about the privacy of your own or your company’s data.

Given the enormous influence, certain cloud service providers have on global events, businesses need to think about the ethics of the companies they’re supporting by using their services. Cloud users can find a service that aligns with their beliefs by researching the provider’s policies on issues including data collecting, advertising, hate speech, politics, misinformation, the environment, and labor.

Using third-party computing resources can make it challenging, if not impossible, for cloud users to maintain full visibility and control over their computing environments, which can give rise to several technical and trust-related challenges. To alleviate some of these technical issues, cloud customers can take advantage of monitoring and analytics solutions to keep track of their infrastructure’s health and react swiftly to any issues that may occur. Reviewing a company’s customer data rules and public forms of analysis about its data practices can allay trust concerns, such as those connected to the company’s use of personal data.

Factors to Think About From a Business Perspective

The storage and use of client data are governed by stringent rules in some industries, including healthcare, banking, and education; these regulations may forbid the storage of consumer data in public clouds. To meet requirements for the handling of client data, many businesses in these sectors are turning to hybrid cloud strategies and other specialized IT solutions for their cloud computing needs. Organizations must adhere to the data protection and privacy laws of the country in which their service is accessed, in addition to industry rules. Providers who target clients in the European Union must, for instance, adhere to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Complexity: To minimize incompatibilities, data loss, and cost optimization, migrating an organization’s computing resources to the cloud can be an enormously difficult undertaking involving extensive planning, governance structures, and continual oversight. While the cloud may help businesses save money on their IT infrastructure, they will still require the services of knowledgeable IT personnel to guide and maintain the cloud’s inner workings.

Businesses, individual programmers, researchers, faculty, and students can all benefit from cloud technologies. Users may take advantage of the cloud to its full potential by learning about its various services, models, benefits, and hazards.