Well said Ari... I agree completely. I would add security to the list.. its almost the same issue:you may think its secure locally but its probably not (ask your auditors to do a security audit), especially in small to medium orgs even when you think your IT person is too security focused, where as all of the big cloud providers have not only a large department with system specialists dedicated to security, they have auditors to evaluate the quality of the security. Non of this means they are better as they have other issues including being a bigger target, more staff with access and more systems to worry about but it does mean that in aggregate they are generally no worse.
I would also add one practical issue to the Cons.. in my experience museums often have more capital than operating fund or its easier to raise project funds than operating. So if you can raise the funds for buying a server/storage array but your org is cutting operational funding think hard before going full tilt into the cloud as that's a monthly cost that will only go up as you use more storage/resources. This does not discount that you have to re-raise the capital on 4-5 year time frame but its still easier to do that. When you look at ROI studies online you need to be careful that you are comparing apples to apples: - Its easier for a non-profit to raise capital than for a for-profit to get access to capital (they have to promise increased income where your promise is about serving mission) - Most cloud server/storage savings is focused at the company that will be able to eliminate staff to get ROI and not simply on the cost of the hardware - Make sure to calc savings over a 3-5 year window and that you include estimated data growth in those calcs... these days its much easier for a registrar to create 2-GB of data a year with a smart phone camera for condition reports than it was 3 years ago (multiply this time # of curators, social media people etc. and your grwoth might be problematic) Rich On Fri, Jun 20, 2014 at 8:37 AM, Ari Davidow <aridavidow at gmail.com> wrote: > Some things to consider: > > CON > If the cloud server goes down, you have no ability to fix it. You just have > to wait. > When your data is off-site with a third party you don't have control over > it. You will think you do though! > Having mulitple users accessing the same files at the same time can get > tricky with off-site storage > > Now, try to work around these with your local staff when it is local > services that go down. Consider the level of expertise your organization > can afford vs. some of the larger, reputable vendors (e.g., AWS, Microsoft, > Google, etc.). Have you lost more data, or had it inaccessible longer, > because of them, or because it took significant time to order, provision, > and install a replacement server or piece of equipment locally? > > Having your data sitting in a box nearby provides the *illusion* of > control, but often means that significantly fewer resources are > available--and available more slowly--when things go wrong; and that staff > are significantly less knowledgeable (and significantly more distracted > from) routine maintenance and disaster preparedness. Other organizations > may be different, but we never had the staff, depth of expertise, or budget > to provide a service level comparable to what we got from AWS or our SaaS > vendors. > > ari > > > On Fri, Jun 20, 2014 at 11:18 AM, <amikos at looseknitcollective.com> wrote: > > > Cindy-- > > > > > > You are right to ask about the advantages and disadvantages of cloud > > storage. There are many bullet points on both sides! > > To give a few examples of both: > > > > > > PRO > > Realtively cheap for huge amounts of data storage space > > Your institution does not have to pay for continually updating > > systems/hardware/software related to servers and desktop computers > > Potentially very easy access from any web connection > > > > > > CON > > If the cloud server goes down, you have no ability to fix it. You just > > have to wait. > > When your data is off-site with a third party you don't have control over > > it. You will think you do though! > > Having mulitple users accessing the same files at the same time can get > > tricky with off-site storage > > > > > > When I consult on this topic with museums I will have a discussion about > > how to break apart the storage data into related chuncks. Image databases > > can be in the Terabyte range. No doubt you have confidential or sensitive > > records which I would suggest should be stored locally. Ultimately, try > not > > to look at cloud storage as a "yes" or "no" question, but a way to > > selectively lighten the burden of your in-house system/servers. > > > > > > Best, > > > > > > Adam Mikos > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Cindy Mackey [mailto:CMackey at currier.org] > > Sent: Friday, June 20, 2014 09:50 AM > > To: 'Museum Computer Network Listserv' > > Subject: [MCN-L] Cloud Computing > > > > Our IT department is investigating whether it is > beneficial/cost-effective > > to switch all of our computer use to the cloud. Have any of your > > institutions completely switched over or is it a mix of cloud computing > and > > onsite servers/software?Cindy MackeyAssociate RegistrarCurrier Museum of > > Art150 Ash StreetManchester, NH 03104T: 603-669-6144 x137F: > > 603-669-7194www.currier.orgCONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail message, > > including all attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient > > (s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any > > unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If > you > > are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail > > and destroy all copies of the original message including all > > attachments._______________________________________________You are > > currently subscribed to mcn-l, the listserv of the Museum Computer > Network ( > > http://www.mcn.edu)To post to this list, send messages to: > mcn-l at mcn.eduTo > > unsubscribe or change mcn-l delivery options visit: > > http://mcn.edu/mailman/listinfo/mcn-lThe MCN-L archives can be found at: > > http://mcn.edu/pipermail/mcn-l/ > > > > _______________________________________________ > > You are currently subscribed to mcn-l, the listserv of the Museum > Computer > > Network (http://www.mcn.edu) > > > > To post to this list, send messages to: mcn-l at mcn.edu > > > > To unsubscribe or change mcn-l delivery options visit: > > http://mcn.edu/mailman/listinfo/mcn-l > > > > The MCN-L archives can be found at: > > http://mcn.edu/pipermail/mcn-l/ > > > > _______________________________________________ > You are currently subscribed to mcn-l, the listserv of the Museum Computer > Network (http://www.mcn.edu) > > To post to this list, send messages to: mcn-l at mcn.edu > > To unsubscribe or change mcn-l delivery options visit: > http://mcn.edu/mailman/listinfo/mcn-l > > The MCN-L archives can be found at: > http://mcn.edu/pipermail/mcn-l/ > -- Rich Cherry Co-chair, Museums and the Web @richcherry www.museumsandtheweb.com
