Okuhara, Keiko

ScholarSpace at University of Hawai'i at Manoa

In effect, Diigo enables you to create a mobile research station, allowing students and other users to have all their notes andpertinent information at their fingertips. This is a completely unique concept and set of tools, one which adds tremendousvalue to the social information network phenomenon. As a website it is destined to hang around for a very long time, unlessand until it is surpassed by another website using the same core concept. (Is that Google lurking in the wings?)This concludes a run-down of three of the more useful social information sharing sites I've found, and I believe law schoolsand libraries will benefit greatly from promoting these sites and making them a part of their social media offerings.In the second installment of this topic, I will highlight a few of the lesser-known open source sites which perform somecompletely unique tasks, and go well beyond the research function into visual appearance, presentation, and even the worldof print. Happy hunting!Will Future Library Services be in the Cloud? Keiko OkuharaUniversity of HawaiiWhat Cloud Computing IsThese days we often hear about services related to cloud computing. The cloud computing paradigm would lead to novelsolutions for storing and processing data in the cloud. It is said that cloud computing has become an increasingly importanttechnology trend and will change all levels of the computational ecosystem to reshape the way information is processed,stored, and accessed. Microsoft released its Office 2010 worldwide, which includes a cloud computing component, in May2010. More to the point, cloud computing is not just the future. Without realizing it, we are already using cloud servicessuch as Flickr, Google, YouTube, LibGuides (http://www.libguides.com), and Serials Solutions, (http://serialsolutions.com).Cloud computing is Internet-based computing, and "cloud" is a metaphor for the Internet. The cloud implies networkedcomputers that distribute processing power, applications, and large systems. The cloud consists of specialized data centersthat host thousands of servers. Software and personal data are stored at the remote site "provider's servers," rather thanon a personal computer. Cloud-based applications are not running on a single computer, but are spread over a distributedcluster, using storage space and computing resources from many available machines as needed.Because cloud services are also provided on demand, cloud computing is also termed "on-demand computing. The commonelement [in cloud computing] is a shift in the geography of computation."' Arguably, the main advantage of cloud computingis its scalability and virtualization. Clouds offer the automatic resizing of virtualized hardware resources, so the cloud is easyto grow and shrink in its size. Scalability requires dynamic reconfiguration; as the system scales, it needs to be reconfiguredin an automated manner. Scalability also allows a program to continue running smoothly even as the number of users grows.It is not just that servers must respond to hundreds or thousands of requests per second. The system must also coordinateinformation, coming from multiple sources, not all of which are under the control of the same organization. The pattern ofcommunication is many-to-many, with each server talking to multiple clients and each client invoking programs on multipleservers. This optimized computation functionality inside a web browser is a considerable feat in the cloud. Virtualizationis the key enabling cloud technology, as it is the basis for features such as on-demand sharing of resources and enhancedscalability.To my surprise, according to Wikipedia, the underlying concept of cloud computing dates back to the 1960s, when JohnMcCarthy opined that "computation may someday be organized as a public utility." (See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud computing.)More recently, Amazon ventured into cloud computing with its AWS (Amazon Web Services). Offered through Amazon.com, AWS is a collection of remote computing services, and provides online services for other websites or client-sideapplications. The Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) for computational transactions and Simple Storage Service (S3)for cloud-based data storage are a central part of AWS. Amazon EC2 allows users to configure core server componentssuch as operating system, web server, and firewall, and to deploy applications. S3 provides an online storage web serviceover the Internet. Users are charged by Amazon for the storage space.Another well-known provider for cloud computing, Google launched its Google Apps andApp Engine. GoogleApps providesweb-based office tools to streamline setup and minimize maintenance. Data is simultaneously preserved in multiple securecenters to reduce total information technology (IT) costs. Google App Engine supplies a hosted service for applicationswithin the Google server and massive storage system. Google's App Engine "hosts python programs in a highly scalableTechnical Services Law Librarian, December 20 10 Page 13manner."' Google provides a data store API (application programming interface) which allows you to collaborate withGoogle Apps using your existing infrastructure and aids in the setup and deployment of Google Apps, such as GoogleSecure Data Connector. Cloud services are charged on a pay-per-use basis. A useful analogy is the power grid for electricaldistribution to individuals, which uses consumption-based pricing for commodity services. You basically pay for what youactually use.Cloud Service ContinuumThere are three types of cloud computing services: Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), andInfrastructure-as-a-Service (laaS). In a SaaS environment, although users have access to the provider's applications runningon a cloud infrastructure, there is no access to the underlying infrastructure such as network or server. The applications areaccessible from various client devices through a web browser. The pricing model with SaaS involves a startup fee and standardmonthly or annual subscription fees. For library services, SaaS can be used for electronic journal access and managementsystems, open URLs, instructional guides, and statistics tracking. PaaS solutions focus on the delivery of a computingplatform on which a locally developed or managed application can be deployed. In the PaaS solution, organizations don'thave to own and manage the underlying hardware and software. Also, PaaS may include facilities for application design,application development, and even testing. The PaaS model can be applied to Integrated Library Systems (ILSs), initialwebsite applications, and archives management software in library operations. IaaS solutions allow end-users to provisionnetworking components such as servers and storage space. The end-users are responsible for configuring network accessand managing core server components, including operating system, web server, and firewall. An institutional repositorydiscovery layer or ILS discovery layer are library functional examples. Each type of service requires a different level ofcommitment from the service provider, and different levels of cost incur based on the service level agreement (SLA) withthe provider.What Cloud-Based Solutions Can DoOrganizations utilize cloud computing to use external expertise and resources to deliver complex and better services.It shifts the bulk of the responsibility for infrastructure support out to a vendor, and basically outsources data files andsoftware support to a provider that specializes in web-based computing. Also, a cloud-based solution doesn't require theorganization to invest in a server infrastructure, since there is no need to perform client-based software upgrades. Storage,network security, operating system upgrades, hardware costs and all of the various and miscellaneous activities associatedwith maintaining a local computing infrastructure are outsourced to service providers. Cloud fees are off-set by lowermaintenance costs in both personnel and software licensing fees, since these applications are centrally installed and utilized.Therefore, organizations are freed from coping with license issues for locally-hosted software. Cloud computing lowers theexpense for adaptable computing resources, since to initiate a cloud service there is no need for either a per-host license torun the software or an up-front commitment.Challenges on the HorizonWhile cloud services seem to promise great benefits, the cloud paradigm presents a number of challenges both functionallyand legally. Since data is stored in a remote location, confidentiality and privacy risks are associated with this model. Theabsence of geographical boundaries in the cloud opens up new international legal and operational issues. Also, there canbe liability issues to consider in terms of which resources or operations are outsourced, since there may be some functionsthat must be maintained and stored locally by the institution. A provider's application may set hurdles to accommodatelocal needs, since users would not be able to tailor a customized application in a cloud computing environment. Individualneeds from different constituencies, such as student bodies and faculty members, may not be met if limited solely to theapplications the service provider offers. Once an institution and a provider sign off on a service level agreement (SLA), theSLA functions as a license that locks in the specific service with the specified price for the specific period. But at the timeof the signing, it is almost impossible to fully anticipate future needs or requirements. When reviewing the benefits of theSLA consider the lack of a guarantee of provider perpetuity, including the possibilities a disaster may occur or the providermay someday declare bankruptcy. Other aspects to consider include: 1) How and where can data back-ups and archiveinformation be located in the cloud? 2) How can unwanted data be expunged? 3) How can cloud-based applications beincluded in the organizational network? 4) How can services be managed in a decentralized environment? 5) How feasibleis data migration from one provider's server to another provider's server? 6) How much preparation time would be neededto deploy cloud computing? 7) Is there any chance of losing access to your documents stored at the remote location?Can Libraries in the Clouds have a Green Approach?OCLC is at the leading edge of the cloud paradigm for library communities. The organization has distributed cataloging andother library services for a number of years. OCLC's bibliographic utility is built by years of its members' contributions.This centralized database is the infrastructure for sharing MARC (Machine Readable Cataloging) records among librariesPage 14 Technical Services Law Librarian, Vol. 36, No. 2throughout the world. OCLC is uniquely positioned to provide cloud-based services with libraries globally. In this sense,OCLC can be called a library cloud computing provider because cataloging resources are distributed through OCLC's webservices.Now, OCLC has introduced its Web-scale Management Services (WMS) designed to integrate three aspects of service(management, user, and network), to create a more seamless discovery and delivery platform, and to result in a much lesscomplicated library system. The innovations of the WMS may leverage the data contributed by thousands of libraries overmany years for increased end-user satisfaction. OCLC's WorldCat Grid Services (http://www.oclc.org/us/en/services/brochures/213093usf worldcat grid services.pdf) provides new ways to access data at the network level permittingimplementation of more customized services and functions. Its aim is to support groups interested in overall library datamanagement.Since libraries are in the early stages of adopting cloud computing, potential projects with other vendors such as Amazonare possible in the near future. What IT issues should be considered when planning a cloud-based solution? The SLA shouldcover uptime (a measure of computer operating system reliability), legal protection, and security. Libraries need to ascertainwho is responsible for what tasks and at what cost by assessing in-house personnel and technology resources. Currentlibrary operational expenses must be considered to ensure that migration will improve overall library services and costeffectiveness. It takes a lot of energy to run computer equipment, and almost as much to keep it cool. Cloud computing isgaining popularity among fiscally-constrained libraries, as it can efficiently manage computing resources while contributingto the goal of Green IT by saving energy. Cloud computing mitigates power costs and energy consumption for libraries,so it would make sense to move to the most efficient available technology model. As libraries make inroads into this nextphase of their technology strategy, they find themselves at an important turning point, where they can augment overalloperations beyond their locally maintained computer infrastructure. In this context, cloud-based solutions offer opportunitiesfor libraries to expend fewer resources and to focus more on activities with direct benefit to library services.Future and Evaluation of Cloud ComputingThe underling concept of cloud computing has been around for a long time, but the future trend of cloud computing isdifficult to predict, since the development and implementation of cloud computing involves many factors. What is thebenchmark to evaluate a cloud solution? Although it is not easy to compare the total cost of ownership (TCO) of cloud andtraditional solutions, "there seems to be more research which questions the validity of these measures."' The traditionalmethod of comparing systems is to evaluate average performance under a particular workload. However, this method isnot sufficient for analyzing cloud computing due to its innovative technology. Clouds may help libraries reduce technologycosts in order to expand and enhance other costly projects, as well as create new services that would not be possible withoutcloud computing. Efficiently utilized computation saves time that can be used to focus efforts on other areas. Therefore,evaluation of end-user satisfaction and the impact on library services will be critical. Finally, provider service quality shouldbe assessed and compared to that of other providers on a regular basis.Brian Hayes, "Cloud Computing," Communications of the ACM51, no. 7 (July 2008): 9.Binning Carsten, "How is the Weather Tomorrow? Towards a Benchmark for the Cloud," ACM9 (2009): [3].Erik Mitchell, "Using Cloud Services for Library IT Infrastructure," Code 4lib Journal 9 (2010): 6.MANAGEMENTManaging Change and Transition Karen B. DouglasGoodson Law LibraryDuke University Law SchoolSince I have been managing major changes in my department due to library reorganization, I was hoping there might besome management training specifically geared to managing these changes. Currently, managing change has become one ofthe most important management skills that we can possess. Lo and behold I discovered that such a course was offered bythe Learning & Organization Development department right on Duke's campus! Unfortunately, I was six months into thetransition when I discovered the course. However, I did learn a great deal about leading change, especially the human sideTechnical Services Law Librarian, December 20 10 Page 15

Will Future Library Services be in the Cloud?

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Will Future Library Services be in the Cloud?

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