Decision Support Tools for Cloud Migration in the Enterprise

This paper describes two tools that aim to support decision making during the migration of IT systems to the cloud. The first is a modeling tool that produces cost estimates of using public IaaS clouds. The tool enables IT architects to model their applications, data and infrastructure requirements in addition to their computational resource usage patterns. The tool can be used to compare the cost of different cloud providers, deployment options and usage scenarios. The second tool is a spreadsheet that outlines the benefits and risks of using IaaS clouds from an enterprise perspective; this tool provides a starting point for risk assessment. Two case studies were used to evaluate the tools. The tools were useful as they informed decision makers about the costs, benefits and risks of using the cloud.Comment: To appear in IEEE CLOUD 201

On Cloud-based multisource Reliable Multicast Transport in Broadband Multimedia Satellite Networks

Multimedia synchronization, Software Over the Air, Personal Information Management on Cloud networks require new reliable protocols, which reduce the traffic load in the core and edge network. This work shows via simulations the performance of an efficient multicast file delivery, which advantage of the distributed file storage in Cloud computing. The performance evaluation focuses on the case of a personal satellite equipment with error prone channels

Foundations and Technological Landscape of Cloud Computing

The cloud computing paradigm has brought the benefits of utility computing to a global scale. It has gained paramount attention in recent years. Companies are seriously considering to adopt this new paradigm and expecting to receive significant benefits. In fact, the concept of cloud computing is not a revolution in terms of technology; it has been established based on the solid ground of virtualization, distributed system, and web services. To comprehend cloud computing, its foundations and technological landscape need to be adequately understood. This paper provides a comprehensive review on the building blocks of cloud computing and relevant technological aspects. It focuses on four key areas including architecture, virtualization, data management, and security issues

An Examination of Small Businesses\u27 Propensity to Adopt Cloud-Computing Innovation

The problem researched was small business leaders\u27 early and limited adoption of cloud computing. Business leaders that do not use cloud computing may forfeit the benefits of its lower capital costs and ubiquitous accessibility. Anchored in a diffusion of innovation theory, the purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional survey study was to examine if there is a relationship between small business leaders\u27 view of cloud-computing attributes of compatibility, complexity, observability, relative advantage, results demonstrable, trialability, and voluntariness and intent to use cloud computing. The central research question involved understanding the extent to which each cloud-computing attribute relate to small business leaders\u27 intent to use cloud computing. A sample of 3,897 small business leaders were selected from a commerce authority e-mail list yielding 151 completed surveys that were analyzed using regression. Significant correlations were found for the relationships between the independent variables of compatibility, complexity, observability, relative advantage, and results demonstrable and the dependent variable intent to use cloud computing. However, no significant correlation was found between the independent variable voluntariness and intent to use. The findings might provide new insights relating to cloud-computing deployment and commercialization strategies for small business leaders. Implications for positive social change include the need to prepare for new skills for workers affected by cloud computing adoption and cloud-computing ecosystem\u27s reduced environmental consequences and policies

Service level agreements and virtual machines

Virtual machines (VMs) have been used for some time now, but only now with the newer and faster hardware that is being developed, now it is possible to consolidate many machines down to a single one running multiple instances of operating systems each with their own purpose. For as long as there have been users to use the servers, there has been the need for service level agreements. Now with the virtualization of services comes the need for a new breed of service level agreements. Service level agreements (SLAs) rarely exist for virtual servers unlike physical servers. Since this is the case, an effective SLA needs to be developed so the users of the virtual machines can know and be guaranteed their service like they were with the physical server. Questions such as, is it possible to take an existing service level agreement with the metrics from a physical server and transfer it directly to the virtual server? Are there changes that need to be made to the SLA in order for the SLA to be functional? These questions will be addressed in this study, along with a discussion on why changes would need to be made when moving a SLA to a virtual environment from a physical server. It is indeed possible to take most of the preexisting service level agreement that was written for a physical server and with modifications to metrics of CPU usage and memory utilization use it in a virtual environment. Additional metrics need to be made to the SLA when it is transferred to the virtual environment in order for the SLA to work effectively. These new metrics were found, tested and shown to be necessary in a virtual environment

The Implications Of Virtual Environments In Digital Forensic Investigations

This research paper discusses the role of virtual environments in digital forensic investigations. With virtual environments becoming more prevalent as an analysis tool in digital forensic investigations, it’s becoming more important for digital forensic investigators to understand the limitation and strengths of virtual machines. The study aims to expose limitations within commercial closed source virtual machines and open source virtual machines. The study provides a brief overview of history digital forensic investigations and virtual environments, and concludes with an experiment with four common open and closed source virtual machines; the effects of the virtual machines on the host machine as well as the performance of the virtual machine itself. My findings discovered that while the open source tools provided more control and freedom to the operator, the closed source tools were more stable and consistent in their operation. The significance of these findings can be further researched by applying them in the context of exemplifying reliability of forensic techniques when presented as analysis tool used in litigation

ACUTA Journal of Telecommunications in Higher Education

In This Issue Making Dollars and Sense Out of Cloud Computing Surfing the Wave of Cloud Computing VolP Meets the Cloud A Quick Look at Cloud Computing in Higher Education,2012 Cloud Computing: ls the Forecast Bright or Overcast? Cloud E-Mail Momentum Swells Institutional Excellence Award lndividual Awards President\u27s Message From the Executive Director Q&A with the CI

AN EVALUATION OF THE BENEFITS AND DIFFICULTIES FACING GHANAIAN SMES IN IMPLEMENTING CLOUD COMPUTING

ABSTRACT The advantages and challenges of cloud computing services adoption by Small and Medium Size Enterprises (SMEs) in the Kumasi Metropolis are examined in this paper. SMEs in Ghana lack adequate information technology skills for record keeping and information management, marketing and processing. It will be beneficial for SMEs in Ghana to use cloud conjugating for enable productivity, dependability, cost savings, and corporate cooperation. Although, the benefits of cloud computing are enormous, due to a number of obstacles, the widespread implementation of cloud computing among SMEs is slow and discouraging. The impact of the use of cloud computing on the performance of the organization has also been thoroughly explored in this study. Using a combination of methods. the study gathered quantitative data using questionnaires. whereas interview guides were used to gather qualitative data. In assessing the effects of the use of cloud computing on the firm\u27s performance, a simple linear regression was used to ascertain the correlation between them. The findings establish that cloud computing has a major influence on business performance. Data were gathered in the Kumasi Metropolitan Area

Standardized Exclusion: A Theory of Barrier Lock-In

The United States has relaxed antitrust scrutiny of private standard-setting organizations in recognition of their potential procompetitive benefits. In the meantime, however, the growing importance of network industries—and the coinciding move toward vendor-led standards consortia—has welcomed new, insidious anticompetitive risks. This Note proffers one such risk: barrier lock-in. A theory of barrier lock-in recognizes that dominant vendors can capture and control standards consortia to keep standardized equipment complex and costly. These practices are exclusionary. This Note situates barrier lock-in within the existing antitrust literature and jurisprudence, provides a potential example of barrier lock-in in the 5G network equipment standardization process, and proposes two solutions for future legislative, executive, and judicial action against misbehaving standard-setters