Cloud Computing: Implications for Education
INTRODUCTION
“To the cloud.” These words were the catch phrase for a string of popular Microsoft
commercials to run in late 2010, designed to try and introduce consumers to the benefits of
Microsoft’s cloud computing services. Dummies.com defines the cloud as “the set of hardware,
networks, storage, services, and interfaces that combine to deliver aspects of computing as a
service” (Hurwitz, Bloor, Kaufman & Halper, 2011a, para. 2). As defined by the National
Institute of Standards and Technology, cloud computing is “a model for enabling ubiquitous,
convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources
[e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications, and services] that can be rapidly provisioned and
released with minimal management effort or service provider interaction” (Mell & Grance, 2011,
p. 2). In a more user-friendly definition, Wikipedia defines cloud computing as “the on-demand
provision of computational resources [data, software] via a computer network, rather than from a
local computer” (“Cloud Computing”, 2011, para. 1). The following graphic from Wikipedia
provides a simple representation of the cloud computing concept.
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As the above picture demonstrates, cloud computing is applicable with many of today’s
technology, allowing information to be synchronized between platforms. According to
comScore (2011) 65.8 million people in the US owned SmartPhones in January - an 8% increase
from their October 2010 survey finding (Smartphone Platform Market Share section, para. 1).
This one example of rapid growth in a cloud-intensive product seems to suggest that cloud
technology is here to stay.
The use of cloud technology is becoming more commonplace, with significant
implications in the realm of education. Collaboration, cost savings, and course management are
just a few of the benefits cloud computing offers.
BACKGROUND
Historical Perspective
The general idea of cloud computing according to Biswas (2011, para. 4) can be traced to
the 1960’s when John McCarthy noted, “Computation may someday be organized as a public
utility.” McCarthy’s premonition foresaw the advent of grid computing in the early 1990’s,
analogous to connecting the nation through an electric power grid. With development of the
Internet and advances in technology – speed, capability, and reduced cost – the ability to
distribute computational power has become reality.
One of the first companies to embrace the cloud was Salesforce.com, which developed an
application for delivering sales and customer relationship management (CRM) services via the
Internet (Biswas, 2011, para. 6). Others followed suit with Amazon Web Service (2002), Google
Docs (2006), and Amazon’s Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2). In 2007 Google and IBM partnered
with higher education to introduce cloud computing to academia (Lombardi, 2007, para. 1).
Finally, Microsoft entered the arena with the introduction of Windows Azure in November 2009.
Adaptation to the cloud will likely continue to evolve and grow in 2011 and beyond as
businesses and academic institutions look to leverage IT funding and do more with less. One
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only has to look at the aforementioned initiatives by Amazon, Google, and Microsoft to realize
the advent of cloud computing is here.
Cloud Computing Models
Cloud computing, as noted previously by Hurwitz, Bloor, Kaufman and Halper (2011a,
para. 2), is comprised of the set of hardware, networks, storage, services, and interfaces whose
combination deliver computing as a service. The “cloud” is typically delivered in three different
configurations to meet the needs of the particular organization. These include Infrastructure as a
Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS) as outlined in the
following table (Hurwitz, Bloor, Kaufman and Halper, 2011b).
Table 1 – Cloud Models
Cloud Model
Definition
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
The storage and computational resources
necessary to run a cloud, providing access
over the Internet. Sometimes referred to as
Hardware as a Service (HaaS)
Platform as a Service (PaaS)
The platform utilized with the cloud
controlling allocation of servers, bandwidth
and storage.
Software as a Service (SaaS)
Providing software applications through the
Internet without the need to host or manage
the applications on one’s own computer
Classifications
In addition to the aforementioned cloud models, clouds are classified as public, private,
or hybrid clouds. Public clouds are the equivalent of data centers outside of an entity’s firewall
providing resources on demand via the Internet. Examples include Amazon Elastic Compute
Cloud (EC2), IBM's Blue Cloud, Sun Cloud, Google AppEngine and Windows Azure Services
Platform (Public Cloud, 2011, para. 4). In contrast, private clouds such as Citrix1and VMWare2
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are inside an organization’s firewall or private space within a cloud service provider’s data
center. Finally, hybrid clouds contain aspects of both private and public clouds. Figure 1
illustrates the basic characteristics of these cloud types (Wikipedia, 2011).
Figure 1 – Types of Cloud Computing
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Citrix is a terminal server system that allows users access over the Internet to software
applications from remote locations.
VMware provides virtualization of servers – providing multiple virtual instances of an
operating system on one machine, reducing the number of physical machines – as well as cloud
infrastructure.
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Characteristics
There are several key characteristics essential for effective and efficient use of cloud
services, regardless of which model or classification is utilized. According to Educause (“Cloud
101”, 2011), an on demand self-service, broad network access, resource pooling, rapid elasticity
and measured service shown in Table 2 (Cloud Characteristics section, para. 3).
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Table 2 – Cloud Characteristics
On-demand self-service. A consumer can provision computing capabilities as needed,
such as server time and network storage, without requiring human interaction with each
service's provider.
Broad network access. Capabilities are available over the network and accessed through
standard mechanisms that promote use by heterogeneous thin or thick client platforms
(e.g., mobile phones, laptops, and PDAs).
Resource pooling. The provider's computing resources are pooled to serve multiple
consumers using a multi-tenant model, with different physical and virtual resources
dynamically assigned and reassigned according to consumer demand. There is a sense of
location-independence in that the customer generally has no control or knowledge over
the exact location of the provided resources but may be able to specify location at a
higher level of abstraction (e.g., country, state, or data center). Examples of resources
include storage, processing, memory, network bandwidth, and virtual machines.
Rapid elasticity. Capabilities can be rapidly and elastically provisioned, in some cases
automatically, to quickly scale out, and rapidly released to quickly scale in. To the
consumer, the capabilities available for provisioning often appear to be unlimited and can
be purchased in any quantity at any time.
Measured Service. Cloud systems automatically control and optimize resource use by
leveraging a metering capability at some level of abstraction appropriate to the type of
service (e.g., storage, processing, bandwidth, and active user accounts). Resource usage
can be monitored, controlled, and reported, providing transparency for both the provider
and consumer of the utilized service.
CONSIDERATIONS
Cloud computing provides significant advantages to educational institutions. As noted by
Al-Zoube, El-Seoud & Wayne (2010, p. 58), “Cloud computing offers a cost-effective solution
to the problem of how to provide services, data storage, and computing power to a growing
number of Internet users without investing capital in physical machines that need to be
maintained and upgraded on-site on regular basis by the it support staff.” Such an approach helps
leverage finite fiscal resources without adversely affecting the quality of education and services
provided. One example of a cloud computing benefit is the availability of Microsoft Office
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applications accessed through the cloud, eliminating the need for installation on computers
campus wide. Alternatively, PCs would access MS office applications running on cloud-based
servers. Additionally, students’ personal computers could utilize MS Office remotely from any
location with an Internet connection, as FSU has done with Microsoft Live@edu, eliminating the
need for individual client licenses. To access their previously created documents, students are not
required to be on campus. Cloud storage and software services provide significant advantages
and savings to the educational institutions and their students.
Another significant use of cloud computing in education is the use of Virtual Learning
Environments (VLE’s) to track courses and manage their content. Two popular examples include
Blackboard and Moodle. These cloud-based applications provide a single resource for teachers to
manage their courses and their students’ grades without the need for programming skill(s) on the
part of faculty (Al-Zoube, El-Seoud & Wyne, 2010, p. 61). Depending on the specific
educational institution, VLE’s can be designed to handle course registration, scheduling, student
fee payments, and almost any other required. For example, Blackboard’s Student Services
section of their website provides e-Learning support, student enrollment management, financial
aid, student retention, student account management and IT help desk support services as
available options, to name a few (Blackboard, 2011, para. 2).
Alternatives to the VLE’s are Personal Learning Environments, or PLE’s. These types of
sites are also sometimes referred to as Web 2.0. O’Reilly defined Web 2.0 as “...a set of
economic, social and technology trends that collectively form the basis for the next generation of
the Internet ... characterized by user participation, openness, and network effects” (Musser,
O'Reilly, & the O'Reilly Radar Team, 2006, p. 4). These sites allow multiple people to access
and work on the information at the same time from anywhere in the world. They also provide
significant customization on the part of the student, allowing them to have more control over
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their learning experience, in contrast to VLE’s (Al-Zoube, El-Seoud & Wyne, 2010, p. 62).
Admittedly, not all Web 2.0 applications are used as PLE’s, but many possess the capability.
One area not addressed in the previous examples of cloud computing is security. Fellows
(2009) breaks the cloud security issue into three primary components: physical security, data
security, and the security of the cloud control system (Special Challenges section, para. 2).
Physical security concerns are the same ones faced by non-cloud based systems. If one’s
computer / server loses power, is damaged, stolen, or otherwise compromised, all resident data
may be lost or misused by individuals that should not have access to it. Data being stolen,
corrupted, or inaccessible, are aspects of the data security component Fellows discussed. This
component is of particular concern in the medical field, where sensitive patient data could be
compromised and result in serious problems for the individuals whose data was exposed, or lost.
As evidenced by the PlayStation Network compromise (Schreier, 2011) and Lockheed Martin’s
security breach (Shalal-Esa, 2011), cloud computing is vulnerable to intentional data destruction
and theft. These events underscore Fellows’ point about the importance of security of the data
within the cloud, not just the physical computers that comprise the cloud infrastructure. An
example of a cloud control system problem is the failure of Amazon’s EC2 cloud network. There
was a failure to have sufficient Elastic Block Storage to meet demand that caused the crash and
resulted in the irrevocable loss of data for some of Amazon’s customers (Hesseldahl, 201, para.
5). All of these events exemplify the security issues inherent in cloud computing.
Finally, there’s the idea of who owns the content in the cloud. Before a full-scale shift to
cloud computing by the masses, this issue will need to be addressed, understood, and accepted by
end users. Using Google Docs as an example, Strickland (2011) points out that “Section 11.1 of
Google's terms of service says that "you give Google a worldwide, royalty-free, and nonexclusive license to reproduce, adapt, modify, translate, publish, publicly perform, publicly
display and distribute any Content which you submit, post or display on or through the Service
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for the sole purpose of enabling Google to provide you with the Service in accordance with its
Privacy Policy (Concerns About Google Docs, para. 7).” Upon initial reflection, one might think
this gives Google exclusive rights to users’ content; however, Google contends this type of
agreement is necessary in able to publish user content to the cloud. Strickland further notes that
the Google Docs FAQ states that users retain all ownership rights to their own materials
(Concerns About Google Docs, para. 8). Interestingly, that statement is not part of the terms of
agreement which users are bound to. The point is to ensure the issue of content ownership within
the cloud is spelled out clearly, understood, and acceptable to the organization implementing
cloud services.
EDUCATIONAL IMPLEMENTATION
Cloud computing provides a state-of-the art tool for revolutionizing the delivery of IT
services in education, especially universities with their typically large investment in technology
infrastructure. As Ullman and Haggerty (2010) advocate, successful implementation of cloud
computing on campus relies on three common characteristics (Prerequisites for Cloud Success
section, para.1):
1) Authentication and authorization for cloud services should be done locally. Campus
users need to benefit from using familiar login credentials to access cloud services,
without sending user passwords directly to cloud providers. Most cloud providers
support federated authentication methods that work seamlessly for customer access,
often through the campus portal's single sign-on features.
2) Cloud applications should be branded with the look and feel of campus applications.
Most cloud providers allow some tailoring, ranging from appropriate placement of
campus logos to adopting your color schemes and website style sheets. Local
branding disguises the true host of an application and provides a seamless transition
as users click through from local to external cloud services and back again.
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3) Some degree of web services expertise will be needed within the IT support staff. The
complexity of the cloud application will drive the degree of extraction and sharing of
data needed among local applications and those within a cloud. Integration within
the campus can run from the simple building of .csv extract files to the more
complex designing XML imports or coding sophisticated APIs.
This provides context for taking cloud computing beyond the concept of web-based
outsourcing.
Ullman and Haggerty (2010) go on to offer six different approaches to using cloud
services effectively campus wide (A loose Cloud Metaphor section, para. 4):
1) Commoditized services — needs only a utility provider e.g. Google Docs for
Education and Microsoft Live@edu
2) Open source — can be as good as or better e.g. Moodle, Sakai, Mahara
3) Go where the users are — don't reinvent the wheel e.g. Facebook, iTunes U, Twitter
4) Just-in-time computing — provides agility for elastic needs e.g. Amazon Web
Services (AWS)
5) Clouds can be local, too — build your own clouds e.g. VMware and Citrix
6) Niche-critical applications — find the right cloud provider for your niche-critical
application e.g. Federal Signal and Intelliresponse
One of the most popular cloud services adopted by universities is the migration of email
service to a cloud-based provider. The two leading competitors in this trend are Microsoft
Live@edu and Google Apps for Education. In addition to simply providing email, both services
offer additional cloud-based collaborative and productivity tools. According to Walsh (2009)
both programs offer similar features, but the decision between which provider to adopt is
complicated and an individual decision for each university (So how do Google Apps section,
para. 1). Both providers have numerous case studies of institutions that have adopted their
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services, are happy with the change, and have seen significant cost savings. Specifically,
Washington State University reported first year savings of approximately $100,000 after
converting to Microsoft Live@edu (Washington State University, 2010, para. 1). In favor of
Google, Vanderbilt reported an annual savings of $750,000 by using Google Apps (Vanderbilt
case study, 2010, para. 1). Regarding the number of education institutes that have adopted their
service, Microsoft reports “Thousands of educational institutions in more than 100 countries
around the world use Live@edu services, accounting for tens of millions of users” (Frequently
Asked Questions, 2011, item 12). Google provides a map of the institutions that have adopted
their cloud services, which indicates over 3 million users in the United States (Apps for higher
education: Less IT, More IQ, 2011). Both choices are popular and provide great options for
schools looking to expand their IT operations into the cloud.
There are numerous challenges faced by the adoption of cloud technology in education.
Gray (2010) divided these challenges into two main types, institutional and user (Strategic
Concerns section, para. 1&2). He further states that institutional concerns can be divided into
three areas: operational, financial, and compliance risks (Strategic Concerns section, para. 1).
While this is not an all-inclusive list of concerns, it does provide three primary areas for
consideration. Institutional operational risk refers to ensuring that cloud based resources are
going to be available when required. Gray cites an example of a company placing their email and
calendar services in a cloud, a situation equally applicable to educational institutions (Strategic
Concerns section, para. 3). Cloud-based email and scheduling services must always be accessible
to students and faculty, outside of normal maintenance cycles. A loss of connectivity would be
unacceptable, so cloud applications must be equally reliable as traditional campus-based
services.
Gray describes the second challenge as the financial aspect of moving to the cloud. He
pointed out that moving to the cloud could result in unexpected support or integration costs
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(Strategic Concerns section, para. 4). An institution may believe that by simply moving services
to the cloud, they will be able to reduce IT support requirements. While this is true with respect
to the maintenance and purchasing requirements for hardware, Gray cautions that many cloud
services were designed around an ad-based model, which requires “a lot of self-service and
community support of end users” (Strategic Concerns section, para. 4). This means that potential
savings will be moderated by the sustained customer support requirements.
The third institutional concern addressed by Grey is compliance. He is referring to the
compliance with legal requirements for disclosure of sensitive information under the Family
Educational Rights and Privacy Act, or FERPA. This law “protects the privacy of student
education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program
of the U.S. Department of Education” (FERPA, 2011, para. 4). Schools have to take special
precautions when negotiating cloud contracts to ensure that they comply fully with FERPA.
Additionally, Trappler (2010) notes that institutions will also want specific language written into
contracts stipulating that the cloud service provider cooperate with the school to manage the
release of any data (Legal Government Requests for Access section, para. 1).
A final consideration is how cloud computing can impact learning outside of formal
(school, work) settings. One example is the launch of Apple’s iCloud service in late 2011 that
will store your content so it’s always accessible from your iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Mac, or PC.
(What is iCloud? 2011, para. 2). Content such as iTunes University would be available anytime,
anywhere on all your devices, facilitating on an informal, personal level. Additionally, cloudbased services provide access to a wide array of open content and open education opportunities
such as MIT’s OpenCourseWare digital repository at http://ocw.mit.edu/index.htm, well suited
for individual self-discovery and personal and professional development.
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SUMMARY
The era of cloud computing is upon us. As noted previously, there are myriad definitions
to describe the phenomena. Danielson (2008, para. 4) keeps it relatively simple, describing cloud
computing as technology that enables users and developers to utilize services without knowledge
of, expertise with, nor control over the technology infrastructure that supports them. It’s more
than web-based outsourcing; it’s leveraging the Internet in various ways to benefit the
organization. For education, especially universities, it provides channels for commoditized
services, open source applications, Web 2.0 technologies, Just-In-Time computing, and niche
applications campus-wide.
Schools looking to adopt cloud computing need to conduct thorough research and
analysis to ensure they select the appropriate technology and service providers as well as address
security and risk mitigation. Additionally, they must consider local authentication to the cloud,
institutional branding, and the necessary IT skills required of campus technology staff. When
properly planned and implemented, cloud computing can provide a campus-wide computing
platform that is cost-effective and leverages the internet and associated technologies that goes
beyond simply internet-based outsourcing.
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http://www.cloudtweaks.com/2011/02/a-history-of-cloud-computing/
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Danielson, K. (2008). Distinguishing Cloud Computing from Utility Computing. eBizQ.net.
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Fellows, D. (2009). What is a Distributed System? Retrieved from
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Gray, T. (2010). A Tale of Two Clouds. EDUCAUSE Quarterly Magazine, 33 (2). Retrieved
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Hesseldahl, A. (2011). Amazon's Cloud Crash Is Over, But the Talking About It Isn't. All Things
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TERMS & DEFINITIONS
Cloud Computing: the on-demand provision of computational resources (data, software) via a
computer network, rather than from a local computer.
The Cloud: the set of hardware, networks, storage, services, and interfaces that combine to
deliver aspects of computing as a service.
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Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): The storage and computational resources necessary to run
a cloud, providing access over the Internet. Sometimes referred to as Hardware as a Service
(HaaS)
Platform as a Service (PaaS): The platform utilized with the cloud controlling allocation of
servers, bandwidth and storage.
Software as a Service (SaaS): Providing software applications through the Internet without
the need to host or manage the applications on one’s own computer
On-demand self-service: A consumer can provision computing capabilities as needed, such as
server time and network storage, without requiring human interaction with each service's
provider.
Broad network access: Capabilities are available over the network and accessed through
standard mechanisms that promote use by heterogeneous thin or thick client platforms (e.g.,
mobile phones, laptops, and PDAs).
Resource pooling: The provider's computing resources are pooled to serve multiple consumers
using a multi-tenant model, with different physical and virtual resources dynamically assigned
and reassigned according to consumer demand. There is a sense of location-independence in
that the customer generally has no control or knowledge over the exact location of the provided
resources but may be able to specify location at a higher level of abstraction (e.g., country,
state, or data center). Examples of resources include storage, processing, memory, network
bandwidth, and virtual machines.
Rapid elasticity: Capabilities can be rapidly and elastically provisioned, in some cases
automatically, to quickly scale out, and rapidly released to quickly scale in. To the consumer,
the capabilities available for provisioning often appear to be unlimited and can be purchased in
any quantity at any time.
16
Measured Service: Cloud systems automatically control and optimize resource use by
leveraging a metering capability at some level of abstraction appropriate to the type of service
(e.g., storage, processing, bandwidth, and active user accounts). Resource usage can be
monitored, controlled, and reported, providing transparency for both the provider and
consumer of the utilized service.
Virtual Learning Environments (VLE’s): Cloud-based applications that provide a single
resource for teachers to manage their courses and their students’ grades without the need for
programming skill(s).
Personal Learning Environments (PLE’s): Cloud based applications that function like
VLE’s, but provide students with more customizability than VLE’s.
Web 2.0: A set of economic, social and technology trends that collectively form the basis for
the next generation of the Internet ... characterized by user participation, openness, and
network effects.
Authors: Dave Aguilar and Kem Siddons, Florida State University (June 2011)
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