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One of the latest buzzwords in technology is cloud computing. In this scenario, the Internet is considered to be “the cloud.” The basic idea, roughly stated, is that we no longer need to rely on our local computer hard drives for everything–including software applications and storage. Now we can just log into various Internet-based services, use their applications, and store our documents on their servers.

Many examples of cloud computing are common and in use every day. On a personal level, MySpace, Facebook and LinkedIn help you manage your contacts and address book (friends, colleagues), and Flickr helps manage and display your photo collection. On a business level, Google Docs and Zoho offer a suite of tools for writing, accounting, and much, much more.

We all know that technology is not perfect. Combined with human interaction, we get a system that can be surprisingly fragile. Cloud computing is one example of this.

I have had the frustrating experience (many times) of using–and coming to depend on–GoogleDocs for group writing projects. I always found it frustrating when, without prior notice, Google would implement changes in the user interface that complicated our group work; or when Google Docs had a service hiccup and our group’s documents became unavailable for some time.

Similarly, others are documenting problems. I wrote about Digital Eviction (on Digital ID Coach) a couple of weeks ago citing Phil Wolff’s Data Portability article that’s timely and relevant to this post about having growing pains in cloud computing. Phil’s post offers six actions that might be appropriate to address the problems that cloud computing are likely to create. Briefly, those include:

• Intervention with a back-up service
• Prevent and educate on graceful exit strategy
• Commit to adding appropriate language to contracts (EULAs and TOSs)
• Insure your digital assets
• Advocate for the little guy
• Enforce with real laws and penalties

As we are increasingly dependent on cloud-based service providers, recognizing the vulnerability of these services makes it more important than ever to create back-ups of our work. One place might be on our local hard drives. I urge you to do it now.

Content, Network, Policy, Scenarios backup, cloud computing, digital assets, SAAS, service providers, terms of service

The old concept of a time-sharing computer may be returning to replace purchase of the future “office suite” software. Soon you can rent Word or PowerPoint?

The new design makes programs like Word, Excel and Outlook e-mail part of collaborative work spaces. In theory, an employee working in Word could tap into all the corporate information on a customer or project.

“Making collaboration faster, easier and more efficient will be the next revolution in worker productivity, and we want to be in the forefront,” said Peter Rinearson, vice president for new business development in Microsoft’s information worker group.

Automating collaborative work, many economists agree, is a promising frontier for productivity gains. The low-cost networked communications of the Internet make it possible.

But there is a long way to go. Analysts estimate that 95 percent of today’s workers use the telephone and e-mail for team projects. Microsoft has plenty of competition in the emerging market, and Office’s past success could prove an obstacle.

“Microsoft is trying to make Office less a product and more like an online service,” said Nate Root, an analyst for Forrester Research. “Adoption is going to be slow because Microsoft is trying to change the paradigm. It’s a fundamental cultural change in how people think of and use Office.”

Content cloud computing, collaboration, Microsoft