Cloud computing: A leap in the near future for benefits of libraries

Sudesh Kumar SoodLibrarian, Postgraduate Govt. College,Una,H.PSudhir GuptaAssistant Librarian , Dr. YS Parmar UHF, Solan,

H.P. Urgian ChheringLibrarian, Govt. Degree College, Haripur (Manali),

H.P.

IntroductionIn a time when the term “cloud computing” seems tagged to almost

any kind of technology product to make it sound new and trendy, Cloud Computing for Libraries distinguishes the substance from the hype to make you well-equipped to understand and evaluate its merits, risks, and value to your organization. Cloud computing represents one of the most important technology trends of our time. Every day we make use of computing and information resources through a web browser powered by some distant and diffuse infrastructure. This model has become routine for personal use—e-mail, word processing, social networking, photo sharing. In more recent months and years cloud computing has entered the library technology sphere. Cloud computing brings the opportunity for libraries to shift away from the need to own and operate their own servers to power their core automation applications and to instead shift to gaining similar functionality through web-based services.

What is cloud computing?VMware, the global leader in virtualization

and cloud infrastructure definition" "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/ap/cloud-computing.html)

What is cloud computing?

According to Wikipedia: "Cloud computing is Internet-based

computing, whereby shared resource, software, and information are provided to computers and other devices on demand, like the electricity grid.“

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_computing)

Types of Cloud Computing

Software as a Service (Saas) Platforms as a Service (Paas) Infrastructure as a Service (Iaas)

Types of Cloud computing 1. Software as s service (SaaS): software-as-a-service: Here the vendor

supplies the hardware infrastructure, the software product and interacts with the user through a front-end portal. SaaS is a very broad market. Services can be anything from Web-based email to inventory control and database processing. Because the service provider hosts both the application and the data, the end user is free to use the service from anywhere.

2. Platform as a Service (PaaS): in this cloud is defined as a set of software and product development tools hosted on the provider's infrastructure. Developers create applications on the provider's platform over the Internet. PaaS providers may use APIs, website portals or gateway software installed on the customer's computer. Force.com, (an outgrowth of Salesforce.com) and GoogleApps are examples of PaaS. Developers need to know that currently, there are not standards for interoperability or data portability in the cloud. Some providers will not allow software created by their customers to be moved off the provider's platform.

3. Infrastructure as a service (IaaS): like Amazon Web Services provides virtual server instance API) to start, stop, access and configure their virtual servers and storage. In the enterprise, cloud computing allows a company to pay for only as much capacity as is needed, and bring more online as soon as required. Because this pay-for-what-you-use model resembles the way electricity, fuel and water are consumed; it's sometimes referred to as utility computing.

Cloud Computing for Libraries Why?

Dr. Ranganathan’s fourth principle very much applied when we say Cloud Computing. Save the time of reader by providing information anytime anywhere.

We should be able to design our services in such a way that a user gets it 24x7, if having good internet connectivity.

More efficient and speedy distribution of library services with lower cost

Continue… American multinational Computer Technology

Company Dell is currently working on a project called “Ophelia”, a potentially game changing device that is essentially a virtual computer that can be accessed anywhere. Project Ophelia would allow a user to access their own computer and its applications on any connected devices.

Simultaneously multiple users can use provided resources and services

Constant performance that is monitored by the service provider

Use of Cloud Computing in Library Data: Bibliographic, Digital, Administrative, License,

Access and Preservation.

Content: Collections, Subscriptions, Print, Publishing.

Services : Library as Place, Content Access, Content Creation, Instruction, Research, Preservation.

Experience: Research, Study Support, Peer based Collaboration, IT Exploration

Cloud Computing with a view to Indian LibrariesSWOT analysis is a strategic planning method used to evaluate the

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats involved in a project or in any venture. It involves specifying the objective of the project and identifying the internal and external factors that are favorable and unfavorable to achieve the objective. SWOT is a measure of analyzing a system as it displays good factors and bad factors for evaluation. Basically, SWOT analysis is used to evaluate market situation when a person wants to enter in the market. Nowadays Indian libraries can plan to move towards Cloud based environment because most of the Indian libraries have budget constraints and therefore, before choosing cloud environment one needs to have some fare idea about the cloud and cloud computing services. Hence, SWOT analysis provides some evidences; we are trying to evaluate the cloud computing on SWOT principle.

1.Strengths2.Weakness3.Opportunities4.Threats

Core Advantages Cost saving: You pay for what you use Easy on installation and maintenance Increased storage Highly automated Flexibility Better mobility Shared resources Back up and restoration

Data security and privacy Network connectivity and bandwidth Service unavailability due to power outage Dependence on outside agencies Limited flexibility Cost Knowledge and integration Long term stability of service provider

Disadvantages

Cloud Computing is in a period of strong growth, but this technology is still has some issues of security and somewhat it is immature. Government Technology Research Alliance (GTRA) research showed that the most common concern about implementing Cloud Computing technology was security.

The real value of cloud computing is that it makes your library related software and data available transparently and everywhere including in latest available smart phone devices.

We are all aware, country like India faced problems like digital divide and off course very low internet bandwidth. So, benefit of new technology can be reached to limited area of educational area.

But definitely, over a period of time Cloud Computing will become the most promising technology in next few years.

Conclusion