An empirical study on business analytics affordances enhancing the management of cloud computing data security

The mechanism of business analytics affordances enhancing the management of cloud computing data security is a key antecedent in improving cloud computing security. Based on information value chain theory and IT affordances theory, a research model is built to investigate the underlying mechanism of business analytics affordances enhancing the management of cloud computing data security. The model includes business analytics affordances, decision-making affordances of cloud computing data security, decision-making rationality of cloud computing data security, and the management of cloud computing data security. Simultaneously, the model considers the role of data-driven culture and IT business process integration. It is empirically tested using data collected from 316 enterprises by Partial Least Squares-based structural equation model. Without data-driven culture and IT business process integration, the results suggest that there is a process from business analytics affordances to decision-making affordances of cloud computing data security, decision-making rationality of cloud computing data security, and to the management of cloud computing data security. Moreover, Data-driven culture and IT business process integration have a positive mediation effect on the relationship between business analytics affordances and decision-making affordances of cloud computing data security. The conclusions in this study provide useful references for the enterprise to strengthen the management of cloud computing data security using business analytics.     

基于云计算层次架构的安全框架研究

云计算安全问题是限制云计算发展的主要问题,一直是IT 界研究的热点。介绍了云计算的特点和服务模式,总结了云计算的安全问题,最后根据云计算的层次架构探讨了解决各层次安全问题的安全策略,并在此基础上提出了一种云计算安全框架。     

Cloud computing as an innovation: Percepetion,attitude, and adoption

Cloud computing is a current trend that reveals the next-generation application architecture and it is estimated that by 2013 the cloud market will have reached $8.1bn. While cloud services such as webmail, Flickr and YouTube have been widely used by individuals for some time, it not until relatively recently that organisations have began to use cloud services as a tool for meeting their IT needs. This study aims to investigate how cloud computing is understood by IT professionals and the concerns that IT professionals have in regard to the adoption of cloud services. The study was carried out in Taiwan and used a survey by interview approach to understand IT professionals’ understandings and concerns about cloud computing. The findings of the study suggest that while the benefits of cloud computing such as its computational power and ability to help companies save costs are often mentioned in the literature, the primary concerns that IT managers and software engineers have are compatibility of the cloud with companies’ policy, IS development environment, and business needs; and relative advantages of adopting cloud solutions. The findings also suggest that most IT companies in Taiwan will not adopt cloud computing until the uncertainties associated with cloud computing, e.g. security and standardisation are reduced and successful business models have emerged.     

Discovering the potential of cloud computing in accelerating the search for curing serious illnesses

Derided, when it emerged in 2007 as a fad, cloud computing has proved to be a viable business model for remotely delivering IT services through the Web (and other media) on a pay-as-you-go basis. The flexibility of this emerging computing service has opened many possibilities for organizations. Drug companies and medical research centers are among those organizations that are likely to benefit from this new IT service model. As well as providing massive cost-savings, cloud computing could offer these organizations the opportunity to greatly enhance the efficiency of their operations. For cloud providers, this is a new field to expand their reach. The aim of this article is to explore this new development and the potential of cloud computing in contributing to the advancement of research in life science and explain why this IT service model (despite many of its problems) could be game-changer for companies engaged in this business.     

Towards performance evaluation of cloud service providers for cloud data security

Today’s data is sensitive that requires privacy and security both from the cloud service providers (CSP) as well as from users in its all the form of data states: data at rest, while transferring data, enquiring data, and processing the data. Cloud computing has been applied in the health sector, national security services, banking and other business and companies that store confidential data into the cloud as we have seen in recent years. Therefore, information and data security is a crucial issue that needs to be addressed thoroughly in the cloud computing business. This research deals with the performance analysis of recent cloud data security models. This paper proposes cloud data security models based on Business Process Modeling Notations (BPMN) and simulation results can reveal performances issues related to data security as part of any organizations initiative on Business process management (BPM).     

Making use of cloud computing for healthcare provision: Opportunities and challenges

Cloud or utility computing is an emerging new computing paradigm designed to deliver numerous computing services through networked media such as the Web. This approach offers several advantages to potential users such as “metered” use (i.e., pay-as-you-go) which offers scalability, online delivery of software and virtual hardware services (e.g., collaboration programmes, virtual servers, virtual storage devices) which would enable organizations to obviate the need to own, maintain and update their software and hardware infrastructures. The flexibility of this emerging computing service has opened many possibilities for organizations that did not exist before. Among those organizations are those engaged in healthcare provision. The aim of this article is to shed some light on this development and explore the potential (and future) of cloud computing in contributing to the advancement of healthcare provision. A small case study will also be presented and discussed.     

多理论视角下企业云ERP系统转换意愿研究

随着云计算的不断发展,云企业信息系统(EIS)显示出其优势,愈来愈多企业愿意考虑从传统EIS转换到云EIS系统。然而,却很少研究探讨企业在EIS的转换议题,本研究整合信息系统成功模型和技术接受模型,发展一个多理论框架去探索企业向云ERP转换的意愿。我们从企业管理者收集了199份调查问卷,通过结构方程模型验证本研究模型与假设,结果发现有用性和易用性是影响转换意愿重要因素,易用性、信息质量和系统质量则正向影响认知有用性,这些结论,给未来转换意愿研究提供了参考,我们建议云服务供应商应重视系统本身的易用性和有用性,提高系统质量并关注信息质量,以帮助他们提供企业需求的产品,吸引更多企业从传统EIS转换到云EIS。     

多理论视角下企业云ERP系统转换意愿研究

随着云计算的不断发展,云企业信息系统(EIS)显示出其优势，愈来愈多企业愿意考虑从传统EIS转换到云EIS系统。然而，却很少研究探讨企业在EIS的转换议题，本研究整合信息系统成功模型和技术接受模型，发展一个多理论框架去探索企业向云ERP转换的意愿。我们从企业管理者收集了199份调查问卷，通过结构方程模型验证本研究模型与假设，结果发现有用性和易用性是影响转换意愿重要因素，易用性、信息质量和系统质量则正向影响认知有用性，这些结论，给未来转换意愿研究提供了参考，我们建议云服务供应商应重视系统本身的易用性和有用性，提高系统质量并关注信息质量，以帮助他们提供企业需求的产品，吸引更多企业从传统EIS转换到云EIS。     

Data and infrastructure security auditing in cloud computing environments

For many companies the remaining barriers to adopting cloud computing services are related to security. One of these significant security issues is the lack of auditability for various aspects of security in the cloud computing environment. In this paper we look at the issue of cloud computing security auditing from three perspectives: user auditing requirements, technical approaches for (data) security auditing and current cloud service provider capabilities for meeting audit requirements. We also divide specific auditing issues into two categories: infrastructure security auditing and data security auditing. We find ultimately that despite a number of techniques available to address user auditing concerns in the data auditing area, cloud providers have thus far only focused on infrastructure security auditing concerns.     

Examining cloud computing adoption intention,pricing mechanism,and deployment model

Cloud computing is a new information technology (IT) paradigm that promises to revolutionize traditional IT delivery through reduced costs, greater elasticity, and ubiquitous access. On the surface, adopting cloud computing requires a firm to address many of the same concerns they face in adopting any enterprise IT. However, cloud technologies also offer new pricing and deployment strategies that are unavailable in traditional enterprise solutions. It is unclear how previous research frameworks of enterprise IT adoption relate to these new adoption strategies. To bridge this gap in the literature, our study uses the technology–organization–environment (TOE) framework of innovation diffusion theory to develop a cloud service adoption model that deals with not only adoption intention, but also pricing mechanisms and deployment models. Our research model has been empirically tested using 200 Taiwanese firms. We found that: (1) Cloud adoption is still at its initial stage, since the adoption rates are very low; (2) the perceived benefits, business concerns, and IT capability within the TOE framework are significant determinants of cloud computing adoption, while external pressure is not; (3) firms with greater IT capability tend to choose the pay-as-you-go pricing mechanism; (4) business concern is the most important factor influencing the choice of deployment model, with higher concerns leading to private deployment options.     

云计算及其安全研究

云计算安全问题已成为云发展的核心问题。在探讨云概念、特征及云服务模式基础上,分析云计算存在的安全问题,并提出安全策略。     

Organisational sustainability modelling—An emerging service and analytics model for evaluating Cloud Computing adoption with two case studies

Cloud Computing is an emerging technology which promises to bring with it great benefits to all types of computing activities including business support. However, the full commitment to Cloud Computing necessary to gain the full benefit is a major project for any organisation, since it necessitates adoption of new business processes and attitudes to computing services in addition to the immediately obvious systems changes. Hence the evaluation of a Cloud Computing project needs to consider the balance of benefits and risks to the organisation in the full context of the environment in which it operates; it is not sufficient or appropriate to examine technical considerations alone.In this paper, we consider the application of CAPM, a well established approach used for the analysis of risks and benefits of commercial projects to Cloud adoption projects and propose a revised and improved technique, OSM. To support the validity of OSM, two full case studies are presented. In the first, we describe an application of the approach to the iSolutions Group at University of Southampton, which focuses on evaluations of Cloud Computing service improvement. We then illustrate the use of OSM for measuring learning satisfaction of two cohort groups at the University of Greenwich. The results confirm the advantages of using OSM. We conclude that OSM can analyse the risk and return status of Cloud Computing services and help organisations that adopt Cloud Computing to evaluate and review their Cloud Computing projects and services. OSM is an emerging service and analytics model supported by several case studies.     

Cloud-based business services innovation: A risk management model

Cloud computing providers and their software-as-a-service offerings have become more profuse and mature, making cloud technology an increasingly important platform for business services innovation. Although the cloud offers rich opportunities for transforming businesses—innovating existing services and introducing creative new ones—it also involves risks that business managers must identify and resolve to successfully drive innovation efforts. However, no comprehensive models are available to help managers assess and mitigate the risks they face. To address this void, we reviewed extant literature on cloud computing from a business innovation perspective to uncover the myriad challenges managers confront as they seek to leverage cloud technology in the ongoing transformation of their organization’s service offerings. Combining this systematic literature analysis with relevant theory, we synthesized an integrated model for managing risk during innovation of cloud-based business services. The model identifies three types of risks (services, technology, and process risks) and four types of resolutions (stakeholder engagement, technology development, innovation planning, and innovation control). The model also helps managers identify their organization’s general risk profile and link that profile to a specific configuration of resolutions.     

Software security requirements management as an emerging cloud computing service

Emerging cloud applications are growing rapidly and the need for identifying and managing service requirements is also highly important and critical at present. Software Engineering and Information Systems has established techniques, methods and technology over two decades to help achieve cloud service requirements, design, development, and testing. However, due to the lack of understanding of software security vulnerabilities that should have been identified and managed during the requirements engineering phase, we have not been so successful in applying software engineering, information management, and requirements management principles that have been established for the past at least 25 years, when developing secure software systems. Therefore, software security cannot just be added after a system has been built and delivered to customers as seen in today’s software applications. This paper provides concise methods, techniques, and best practice requirements engineering and management as an emerging cloud service (SSREMaaES) and also provides guidelines on software security as a service. This paper also discusses an Integrated-Secure SDLC model (IS-SDLC), which will benefit practitioners, researchers, learners, and educators. This paper illustrates our approach for a large cloud system Amazon EC2 service.     

云计算环境下移动平台数据终端应用模式研究

云计算是一种新兴的计算技术,可以利用互联网向用户提供各种应用服务。用户无需知晓、了解和控制这些服务的知识技术架构,而能对云端资源应用自如。在了解云计算环境下移动平台数据终端需求的基础上,分析了其网络体系架构,并利用云计算服务模式,给出了其应用模式和实现机制。     

基于Eucalyptus和AppScale的云应用研究

云计算是面向服务器集群的计算服务,可融合到现有的基础建设中。云计算支持为每一位用户或每一个应用程序定制更加适合于自己的服务,包括Web服务、接口程序和各种高级语言。这种高度的定制服务方式提供了大量的可操作扩展功能,让开发人员可以更加专注于应用技术的创新。开源的Eucalyptus是实现计算集群或工作站集群的云计算平台,AppScale可与之良好对接,使用AppScale可在其上开发云应用服务、数据库服务,并可在 Eucalyp-tus上创建集群运行Google App Engine应用程序。探索了Eucalyptus和AppScale的设计和实现机制,研究了如何使用 AppScale在虚拟化了的基础设施上开发云应用程序,以促进云计算的应用和发展。     

数字图书馆IaaS云计算平台安全策略研究

"云"计算是一种新兴的共享基础架构方法。"云"计算虽然给用户带来经济与高效的应用,但用户信息资源安全与隐私保护也受到极大的挑战。本文分析了数字图书馆IaaS云计算平台的安全问题,然后根据IaaS云计算平台特点,提出了数字图书馆IaaS云计算平台安全结构与安全策略。     

Reaching for the “cloud”: How SMEs can manage

Cloud computing is an emerging new computing paradigm for delivering computing services. The approach relies on a number of existing technologies e.g., the Internet, virtualization and grid computing. However, the provision of this service in a pay-as-you-go way through the popular medium of the Internet renders this computing service approach unique compared with currently available computing service modalities. This article highlights some aspects of this uniqueness and also explores some of the concerns that might be preventing some companies from adopting it. Notwithstanding these concerns, it is argued in this article that cloud computing is likely to prove commercially viable for many small and medium enterprises (SMEs) due to its flexibility and pay-as-you-go cost structure, particularly in the current climate of economic difficulties. A case study of a cloud experience by a British SME is also presented in this study in order to further highlight the perceived values of cloud computing in terms of cost and efficiency for real small enterprises.     

面向企业信息化系统集成的中台架构研究

提出面向企业信息化系统集成的中台架构来解决数据与应用集成共享和消除信息孤岛等问题。研究发现,企业信息系统集成的中台架构提供企业能够快速,低成本创新的能力;数据中台和业务中台天然的解决了数据共享程度低、业务流程复杂、数据标准规范不统一的问题,真正的让大数据变成服务于企业的资产。     

对图书馆云的思考

云计算使图书馆在云网互联的虚拟空间里日益构筑起联邦式的图书馆云盟,众多的图书馆利用云计算平台架构起信息共享空间,共同分享由大量计算系统连接在一起而形成的软硬件基础设施、存储资源及各项基础性和知识性服务。但图书馆云联邦在发展过程中,还存在着云计算平台建设水平与云安全等两个重要瓶颈。