Security and Privacy Issues in Cloud Computing

Cloud computing transforming the way of information technology (IT) for consuming and managing, promising improving cost efficiencies, accelerate innovations, faster time-to-market and the ability to scale applications on demand (Leighton, 2009). According to Gartner, while the hype grew ex-ponentially during 2008 and continued since, it is clear that there is a major shift towards the cloud computing model and that the benefits may be substantial (Gartner Hype-Cycle, 2012). However, as the shape of the cloud computing is emerging and developing rapidly both conceptually and in reality, the legal/contractual, economic, service quality, interoperability, security and privacy issues still pose significant challenges. In this chapter, we describe various service and deployment models of cloud computing and identify major challenges. In particular, we discuss three critical challenges: regulatory, security and privacy issues in cloud computing. Some solutions to mitigate these challenges are also proposed along with a brief presentation on the future trends in cloud computing deployment

Living with offshoring: The impact of offshoring on the evolution of organizational configurations

Offshoring allows firms to pursue greater flexibility at lower costs, but it also presents major structural and managerial challenges. Adopting the activity configuration perspective, we argue that offshoring creates tensions between benefits to the competitive position of the firm, and potential disruption to the cohesion and consistency of the organization's internal activity configuration. We further argue that both benefits and risks increase as organizations move from offshoring low to offshoring high value-creating activities, and as they seek tight as opposed to loose couplings among offshored and onshored value-creating activities. Our research site is the UK operations of Tiscali, a European telecommunications firm. We examine how Tiscali uses offshoring as it grows and expands its service offerings from single, to double, and then triple play, and also analyze how Tiscali addresses the ensuing disruption to its activity configuration. We conclude with implications of our study to future research on offshoring

Research and Education in Computational Science and Engineering

Over the past two decades the field of computational science and engineering (CSE) has penetrated both basic and applied research in academia, industry, and laboratories to advance discovery, optimize systems, support decision-makers, and educate the scientific and engineering workforce. Informed by centuries of theory and experiment, CSE performs computational experiments to answer questions that neither theory nor experiment alone is equipped to answer. CSE provides scientists and engineers of all persuasions with algorithmic inventions and software systems that transcend disciplines and scales. Carried on a wave of digital technology, CSE brings the power of parallelism to bear on troves of data. Mathematics-based advanced computing has become a prevalent means of discovery and innovation in essentially all areas of science, engineering, technology, and society; and the CSE community is at the core of this transformation. However, a combination of disruptive developments---including the architectural complexity of extreme-scale computing, the data revolution that engulfs the planet, and the specialization required to follow the applications to new frontiers---is redefining the scope and reach of the CSE endeavor. This report describes the rapid expansion of CSE and the challenges to sustaining its bold advances. The report also presents strategies and directions for CSE research and education for the next decade.Comment: Major revision, to appear in SIAM Revie

From Business Model to Business Modelling: Modularity and Manipulation

The concept of modularity has gained considerable traction in technology studies as a way to conceive, describe and innovate complex systems, such as product design or organizational structures. In the recent literature, technological modularity has often been intertwined with business model innovation, and scholarship has started investigating how modularity in technology affects changes in business models, both at the cognitive and activity system levels. Yet we still lack a theoretical definition of what modularity is in the business model domain. Business model innovation also encompasses different possibilities of modeling businesses, which are not clearly understood nor classified. We ask when, how and if modularity theory can be extended to business models in order to enable effective and efficient modeling. We distinguish theoretically between modularity for technology and for business models, and investigate the key processes of modularization and manipulation. We introduce the basic operations of business modeling via modular operators adapted from the technological modularity domain, using iconic examples to develop an analogical reasoning between modularity in technology and in business models. Finally, we discuss opportunities for using modularity theory to foster the understanding of business models and modeling, and develop a challenging research agenda for future investigations

The Grand Challenge of Managing the Petascale Facility.

This report is the result of a study of networks and how they may need to evolve to support petascale leadership computing and science. As Dr. Ray Orbach, director of the Department of Energy's Office of Science, says in the spring 2006 issue of SciDAC Review, 'One remarkable example of growth in unexpected directions has been in high-end computation'. In the same article Dr. Michael Strayer states, 'Moore's law suggests that before the end of the next cycle of SciDAC, we shall see petaflop computers'. Given the Office of Science's strong leadership and support for petascale computing and facilities, we should expect to see petaflop computers in operation in support of science before the end of the decade, and DOE/SC Advanced Scientific Computing Research programs are focused on making this a reality. This study took its lead from this strong focus on petascale computing and the networks required to support such facilities, but it grew to include almost all aspects of the DOE/SC petascale computational and experimental science facilities, all of which will face daunting challenges in managing and analyzing the voluminous amounts of data expected. In addition, trends indicate the increased coupling of unique experimental facilities with computational facilities, along with the integration of multidisciplinary datasets and high-end computing with data-intensive computing; and we can expect these trends to continue at the petascale level and beyond. Coupled with recent technology trends, they clearly indicate the need for including capability petascale storage, networks, and experiments, as well as collaboration tools and programming environments, as integral components of the Office of Science's petascale capability metafacility. The objective of this report is to recommend a new cross-cutting program to support the management of petascale science and infrastructure. The appendices of the report document current and projected DOE computation facilities, science trends, and technology trends, whose combined impact can affect the manageability and stewardship of DOE's petascale facilities. This report is not meant to be all-inclusive. Rather, the facilities, science projects, and research topics presented are to be considered examples to clarify a point

The Effectiveness of Pre-Service Principal Preparation Programs on Instructional School Leadership in High Stakes Testing Grades

In today’s world of accountability, the preparation of school leaders has never been more critical. Many states are now developing policies and processes that seek to enhance school leadership preparation programs. Enhancing school leadership preparation programs is particularly important in the area of instructional leadership because research suggests that instructional leaders have a significant direct effect on student outcomes. The purpose of this study was to explore principals’ perceptions of relationships between training in their pre-service principal preparation programs and their effectiveness as in-service instructional leaders in New Jersey schools. The study is significant because the preparation of school leaders impacts the success of their students. Twelve in-service principals participated in semi-structured interviews designed to explore their perceptions of the emphasis that their pre-service programs placed on three skills associated with effective instructional leadership: 1) setting high expectations, 2) establishing a positive school climate, and 3) instructional practice. Results of the interviews showed that while all principals used these skills in their current practice, they did not attribute their training primarily to their pre-service principal preparation programs. Instead, they relied on alternative methods of training to gain these critical skills. Based on participant responses, recommendations are made for ongoing research to improve principal preparation programs through embedded practical opportunities

Exploring the impact of Cognitive Health Enhancing Behaviours, Subjective Cognitive Complaints, Fear of Dementia and Generalised Anxiety on Cognitive Function

There has been much interest recently in health behaviours that might reduce the risk of neurodegenerative illnesses that cause dementia. Examples of behaviours that potentially enhance (neuro)cognitive health include exercising, maintaining social connections, cognitive activity, and diet. This thesis explores how anxiety mediates the relationship between cognitive health enhancing behaviours and cognitive functioning in healthy adults. Part I is a systematic literature review examining the impact of psychosocial, cognitive training, and multidomain interventions on cognitive functioning. In total, 31 randomised controlled trials (RCTs) were included in this review. Part II presents a secondary analysis of data collected from a charity called Food for the Brain (FFB). Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was used to analyse whether different types of anxiety mediate the relationship between cognitive health enhancing behaviours and cognitive functioning. Exploratory analysis of longitudinal data collected at six, 12 and 24 months after baseline, investigated predictors of change in cognitive health enhancing behaviours over time. Part III is a critical appraisal that reflects on my experience of co-production and completing the systematic review for the APPLE-Tree project, methodological problems with the measures in the empirical study and the role that clinical psychology has in public health

Production and investigation of highly thermophilic multi-domain carbohydrate-active enzymes

With the looming threat of climate change caused largely by an excess of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, recent scientific efforts have focused on the substitution of fossil fuels and other polluting compounds with more environmentally conscious choices. To this end, the investigation of biomass as both a renewable source of energy and as a chemical basis to produce high-value products is being extensively investigated. Although plant biomass is complex, it is also an extremely rich carbon source, and microorganisms in a plethora of environments have evolved to exploit it. These microorganisms produce carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) to degrade the plant biomass into components that can be utilized for their growth. The deeper study of these enzymes, especially those containing multiple enzyme domains, can elucidate their mechanisms of action, and guide their exploitation for industrial purposes. This thesis consists of the characterization of two different multicatalytic CAZymes from different bacteria found in extremely different environments. The enzymes both contain CE15 (carbohydrate esterase family 15) domains, which have not previously been studied in a multicatalytic context. CkXyn10C-GE15A from the hyperthermophilic Caldicellulosiruptor kristjanssonii consists of a GH10 (glycoside hydrolase family 10) xylanase linked to a CE15 enzyme, and additionally contains two CBM22 (carbohydrate binding module family 22) and three CBM9 domains. A second enzyme, BeCE15A-Rex8A from the gut bacterium Bacteroides eggerthii, consisting of a GH8 xylan-targeting domain and a CE15 domain was also investigated. Although the catalytic domains in both enzymes were active, no synergy was seen between them, respectively. As these enzymes were difficult to produce recombinantly, a new technique using split intein-mediated fusions to produce multicatalytic enzymes was investigated, with results showing that the produced enzymes remain catalytically active after the fusion event. The work presented in this thesis contributes to the understanding of multidomain enzymes and the synergy (or lack thereof) of xylanases in combination with CE15 domains. It also provides structural insights into a number of highly thermophilic CAZyme domains, and has implications for industrial biorefinery applications