Ideas….

A while back I wrote a post about OCLC moving to the cloud and how that alone didn’t really matter.  In that post I stated:

the library world will start to organize around co-operative cataloging vendors (and I’m going to put OCLC into the vendor pool like Ed pointed out others are starting to do). Essentially libraries will need to make a decision; do you like Ex Libris’ KnowledgeBase, OCLC’s KnowledgeBase, or some other vendor’s KnowledgeBase.

Yesterday III’s founder announced the beginnings of his cataloging co-operative SkyRiver. They claim to have a number of development partners in the project, including one ARL library (if you’re wondering who the possibilities are, Marshall Breeding has a list of ARL libraries on his website broken down by ILS type.  note that it may be possible that a non III catalog is a member, but given the way III works, I would argue that chance is slim).  So at anyrate……

Let the cataloging co-operative wars begin.

I’m beginning to flesh out my ideas for the NERCOMP presentation proposal I’m considering.  To do that I needed to think about what it is that I would want to cover.  I always feel its important to start off with a definition so that everyone is on the same page as to what it is that is being discussed. Below is a presentation I created with a brief definition of cloud computing.

To be fair, the definition of cloud computing is in flux and not always agreed upon. In the second slide, I borrowed from NIST’s working definition of cloud computing. This is the generally agreed upon definition (although some of the “finer” points are still up for debate…for a better, more entertaining discussion of this see Simon Wardley’s OSCON Presentation on YouTube)

I would love to hear any feedback you might have on this brief definition/presentation. Any comments you have will help me give a better presenation in the long run.

I’m considering writing a presentation proposal for NERCOMP 2010.  What I would like to talk about are two aspects of cloud computing that aren’t regularly focused on:

1) What exactly is cloud computing
(because we should all be on the same page before talking about something)

• defining the overall concept
• discussing SaaS, Iaas, Paas (and providing examples)
• public v. private cloud
• current “trends” in cloud computing
  • the demise of the operating systems
  • creation of cloud standards

2) How can IT use it beyond outsourcing email

• testing out new software
• storage
• improving upgrade processes
• development

additionally how will this impact IT departments

• less focus on technology
• more focus on user experience
• more focus on process and project management
• increase to production timelines
• a faster pace of “academic business”

3) What are the benefits to creating an Educational Cloud

• lowering the cost of the cloud services that are currently offered
• collaboration on projects
• sharing ownership of computing resources
  • software
  • platforms
  • infrastructure

I don’t know if I can fill 50 minutes all by my lonesome.  I’d like to have a session that is more meeting and less presentation.  Maybe getting users to participate via polls.  I wonder if I could make the session a mini unconference of sorts.  Maybe start off with a definition and then ask the audience to raise their hand if they have done any of the points outlined in #2 part 1  above.  Have them come up and talk about what it is that they did and how it impacted them (using ideas in #2 part 2 as a jumping off point)  in 5 minutes or less.  I could come up with a back up plan just in case no one raises their hand.

I could then wrap things up using with a push for creating an educational cloud based on the ideas outlined in #3 above.

hmmm…thoughts…flowing…through…head…

Please provide comments or opinions on these ideas.  If you think its an AWFUL idea and that NERCOMP might explode, let me know.  Or if you think it’ll explode in a good way, let me know that too.