Are a new set of cloud standards starting to form?

So it is with the developing shape of cloud computing. Definition is starting to emerge in the skies with the establishment of a set of standards seeking to best facilitate its adoption. Will they eliminate the confusion that currently shrouds the stuff? It’s a subject that’s scored a whack of attention from folks anxious to corral usability within manageable parameters. We take a look at some of the organizations trying to set the tone for this game changer.

Cloud Standards Customer Council.

This end-user advocacy group claims ownership of more than 100 members. It exists to complement existing cloud standards efforts. It seeks the production of a core set of client-driven requirements that lower the barriers for widespread cloud adoption by prioritizing key interoperability issues, including cloud management, reference architecture and hybrid clouds. It also hopes, with its existence, to facilitate the exchange of real-world stories that might provide illumination and insight into the practical application of this complicated new beast. A “resource hub” on the council’s website offers case studies in which users might find a useful reflection of themselves. The site also provides a compilation of industry news stories on the cloud, and cloud-based webcasts and podcasts can be accessed here. Notable members: Citigroup, Deere & Co., Costco Wholesale, North Carolina State University.

Open Data Center Alliance.

This Intel-backed standards organization was formed last year. Principles claim the membership represents more than $100 billion in annual IT spending power. This organization is behind the recent development of eight discreet “usage models,” designed to help IT managers in negotiations with cloud providers through the provision of various standardized templates. Indeed, this independent IT consortium is dedicated to having these usage models in widespread application in order to best help newcomers comprehensively appreciate the expected delivery of identified customer requirements based on open, industry-standard and multivendor solutions. Notable members: BMW, Marriott International, Shell and Deutsche Bank.

Cloud Security Alliance.

This not-for-profit, member-driven organization is committed to promoting the best practices for security assurance provision within cloud computing. Led by a broad coalition of industry practitioners, corporations and associations, the alliance is also keen to provide education on this subject for new users struggling with its dimensions. Its site helpfully lists upcoming events, such as the Cloud Security Alliance Conference 2011 (in Orlando, November 16 and 17). A blog features entries with such titles as, “Pass the Buck: Who’s Responsible for Security in the Cloud?” and “Understanding Best-in-Class Cloud Security Measures and How to Evaluate Providers.” It also provides a highly useful forum for the dissemination of the latest news, research developments and educational opportunities. Notable members: Coca-Cola, eBay, Reed Elsevier.

So as we move into the new paradigm keep an eye out for these cloud players; who knows, they may set the standards your organization has to meet.

But, like so many things during a time of transition, it’s a challenge to know which is the preferred route: new or old? Old-fashioned tape backup or online disaster recovery?

Data loss is very common.

Some statistics suggest that a full two-thirds of Internet users have suffered it, catastrophically. What’s more, research by the University of Texas reports that only 6% of companies that do, survive. Just the same, the Gartner Group estimates that just 35% of small to medium size businesses  have a disaster recovery plan in place.

Traditionally, magnetic tape has been the medium of choice for backup. Simple to use and unencumbered by lots of moving parts, tape enjoys a solid reputation for its capacity and durability. Tape is a sequential-access medium, so even though access times may be wanting, the rate of continuously writing or reading data can actually be very fast. And because it’s been around so long, its peculiarities and limitations are well understood.

But tapes have no shortage of weaknesses.

Tape backups are highly labour intensive and the real cost associated with producing them isn’t generally taken into account.

Worse still, organizations engaged in systematic tape-backup activities often neglect to test the results of their efforts, and are only made aware of their failings when they go to restore order after a major data loss and discover that the data were never backed up.

According to research from the Gartner Group, 71% of all tape restores fail.

I’m not surprised to witness a shift from tapes to online backups.

Online backup solutions are every bit as secure but come with a slew of cost-saving, flexibility and security bonuses, not the least of which is that users can perform backups remotely. While the occasional paranoid holdout might stick with tapes for a bit longer, this mode of data backup is clearly making way for the online model.

To that end, 360 Visibility’s Online Backup Solution and CA XOsoft products offer a whack of business continuity, high availability and continuous data protection solutions to support your disaster- and data-recovery software planning needs. Our WANSync, WANSyncHA and Enterprise Rewinder product suites ensure uninterrupted access to all types of files, MS SQL and Oracle Databases and MS Exchanges servers, even in disaster mode. Each offers unique capabilities that promise failsafe data backup for a company’s blood and guts—without a drop spilt.