cloud computing for libraries

THE TECH SETEllyssa Kroski, Series Editor

Marshall Breeding

Cloud Computing for Libraries

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

LIBRARY AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ASSOCIATION


Breeding

11

American Library Association50 E. Huron StreetChicago, IL 60611

1 (866) SHOPALA (866) 746-7252

This is the series to acquire and share in any institution over the next year. I think of it as a cost-effective way to attend the equivalent of ten excellent technology management courses ledby a dream faculty! TECH SET® #11–20 will help librarians stay relevant, thrive, and survive. It isa must-read for all library leaders and planners.

— Stephen Abram, MLS, Vice President, Strategic Relations and Markets, Cengage Learning

“”

Find out more about each topic in THE TECH SET® VOLUMES 11–20and preview the Tables of Contents online at www.alatechsource.org/techset/.

Each multimedia title features a book, a companion website, and a podcast to fully cover the topic and then keep you up-to-date.

Cloud Computing for Libraries is part of THE TECH SET®

VOLUMES 11–20, a series of concise guides edited by EllyssaKroski and offering practical instruction from the field’s hottesttech gurus. Each title in the series is a one-stop passport to an emerging technology. If you’re ready to start creating, collaborating, connecting, and communicating through cutting-edge tools and techniques, you’ll want to get primed by all thebooks in THE TECH SET®.

New tech skills for you spell new services for your patrons:

• Learn the latest, cutting-edge technologies.

• Plan new library services for these popular applications.

• Navigate the social mechanics involved with gaining buy-in for these forward-thinking initiatives.

• Utilize the social marketing techniques used by info pros.

• Assess the benefits of these new technologies to maintain your success.

• Follow best practices already established by innovators and libraries using these technologies.

11. Cloud Computing for Libraries, by Marshall Breeding12. Building Mobile Library Applications, by Jason A. Clark

13. Location-Aware Services and QR Codes for Libraries, by Joe Murphy

14. Drupal in Libraries, by Kenneth J. Varnum

15. Strategic Planning for Social Media in Libraries, by Sarah K. Steiner

16. Next-Gen Library Redesign, by Michael Lascarides

17. Screencasting for Libraries, by Greg R. Notess

18. User Experience (UX) Design for Libraries, by Aaron Schmidt and Amanda Etches

19. IM and SMS Reference Services for Libraries, by Amanda Bielskas and Kathleen M. Dreyer

20. Semantic Web Technologies and Social Searching for Librarians, by Robin M. Fay and Michael P. Sauers

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www.neal-schuman.com

Marshall Breeding



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ALA TechSourceAn imprint of the American Library Association

Chicago 2012

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© 2012 by the American Library Association. Any claim of copyright is subject toapplicable limitations and exceptions, such as rights of fair use and library copyingpursuant to Sections 107 and 108 of the U.S. Copyright Act. No copyright is claimedfor content in the public domain, such as works of the U.S. government.

Printed in the United States of America

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication DataBreeding, Marshall.

Cloud computing for libraries / Marshall Breeding.p. cm. — (The tech set ; #11)

Includes bibliographical references and index.ISBN 978-1-55570-785-91. Web services—Library applications. 2. Cloud computing. 3. Electronic informa-

tion resources—Management. I. Title.

Z674.75.W67B74 2012025.04—dc23

2012007207

This paper meets the requirements of ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992 (Permanence ofPaper).

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!

CONTENTS

Foreword by Ellyssa Kroski . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii

Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi

1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

2. Types of Solutions Available . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

3. Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

4. Social Mechanics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

5. Implementation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

6. Marketing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

7. Best Practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

8. Metrics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

9. Developing Trends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

Recommended Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

About the Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

Don’t miss this book’s companion website!

Turn the page for details.

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THE TECH SET® Volumes 11–20 is more than just the book you’re holding!

These 10 titles, along with the 10 titles that preceded them, in THE TECHSET® series feature three components:

1. This book2. Companion web content that provides more details on the topic and

keeps you current 3. Author podcasts that will extend your knowledge and give you insight

into the author’s experience

The companion webpages and podcasts can be found at:

www.alatechsource.org/techset/

On the website, you’ll go far beyond the printed pages you’re holding and:

! Access author updates that are packed with new advice and recom-mended resources

! Use the website comments section to interact, ask questions, andshare advice with the authors and your LIS peers

! Hear these pros in screencasts, podcasts, and other videos providinggreat instruction on getting the most out of the latest library technologies

For more information on THE TECH SET® series and the individual titles,visit www.neal-schuman.com/techset-11-to-20.

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PREFACE

In a time when the term “cloud computing” seems tagged to almost any kindof technology product to make it sound new and trendy, Cloud Computing forLibraries distinguishes the substance from the hype to make you well-equippedto understand and evaluate its merits, risks, and value to your organization.

Cloud computing represents one of the most important technology trendsof our time. Every day we make use of computing and information resourcesthrough a web browser powered by some distant and diffuse infrastructure.This model has become routine for personal use—e-mail, word processing,social networking, photo sharing. In more recent months and years cloudcomputing has entered the library technology sphere. Cloud computingbrings the opportunity for libraries to shift away from the need to own andoperate their own servers to power their core automation applications and toinstead shift to gaining similar functionality through web-based services. Inorder to develop technology strategies in this context, it’s essential forlibraries to have a solid understanding of this new technology landscape, tomove beyond a vague awareness of cloud computing to a more nuanced,well-informed understanding of such concepts as software-as-a-service, infra-structure-as-a-service, and platform-as-a-service and the relative advantages,caveats, and risks.

! AUDIENCE AND ORGANIZATION

Cloud Computing for Libraries aims to equip libraries with the information andpractical advice needed to evaluate the many opportunities to take advantagesof cloud computing for the benefit of their organizations. It includes informa-tion on different levels; library administrators will gain the background neededto inform strategic planning relative to the broad changes adopting cloudcomputing effects in a library and its implications for budget and personnel;librarians throughout the organization will find ideas on how cloud computing

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applications can empower them to use technology without the constraintsoften present with locally supported infrastructure; systems librarians andother personnel who work more directly with technology will find in-depthinformation and examples of how they can roll up their sleeves and plungedirectly into practical projects—often taking advantage of free levels of serviceoffered by some of the top cloud services providers. It offers examples thatcan be followed by smaller libraries self-sufficient in their computing needs aswell as those libraries that operate within large organizations with enterprise-oriented technology infrastructure. Public, academic, school, and speciallibraries all face similar issues as cloud computing grows to become thedominant way through which new technology services are delivered.

In the pages that follow, Chapter 1 sets the stage, providing a generaloverview of the concepts surrounding cloud computing. Chapter 2 begins todig into the details by stepping through the various models of computingfrom those based on local infrastructure through increasing levels of abstrac-tion through those more truly in the mold of cloud computing. Chapter 3covers planning issues and the benefits and caveats that need to be part ofany discussion or strategic decision regarding the computing infrastructure,such as whether to remain with local equipment or shift to a service-basedalternative. This chapter also takes a look at the way that library automationproducts have embraced cloud computing. Given the major investmentsmade in core library automation platforms, Chapter 4 takes a close look athow these products and services are increasingly offered through some formof cloud computing.

Libraries ready to begin experimenting with cloud computing, implementa pilot project, or engage in a full-blown implementation will see examples inChapter 5, including the general procedures to follow. These examples serveboth as some specific ways to get started with some of the major cloud ser-vices providers, such as those offered through Amazon Web Services andGoogle Apps, and inspiration to spark ideas for other ways to exploit thesetechnologies.

Once a library chooses and implements a new service based on cloud com-puting, it’s time to market it. Chapter 6 explores ideas on how to cultivatebuy-in from library personnel and to boost the use of the service throughdirect promotional activities, improved usability, and search engine opti-mization. Chapter 7 offers best practices and some tips on how libraries canapproach this new style of computing with the best advantage and least risk,and Chapter 8 turns to some of the ways that libraries can measure the use ofthese services and assess their impact. Finally, Chapter 9 examines some ofthe current and future trends to anticipate regarding how cloud computingwill impact libraries and other organizations.

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After reading Cloud Computing for Libraries, staff from all parts of the librarywill gain the conceptual and practical information they need to explore andexploit cloud computing to facilitate their own work and to benefit thelibrary as a whole. This new approach to technology has the potential to helplibraries offer new and innovative services and to direct their technologyresources with more focused impact.

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!1INTRODUCTION

! A “Cloudy” View of the Future! Evolving toward Cloud Computing Today! The Many Forms of Cloud Computing! Contrasting Example: Local Computing! A Utility Model of Computing! Benefits

Technology can be complex, expensive, and difficult to manage. Many librariesfind themselves severely constrained because they don’t have adequate special-ized personnel and sufficient funding to use technology to its full potential.Cloud computing can help turn the tables, lowering the thresholds of expenseand expertise. While this model may not be a good fit for all libraries, or forall the different ways that libraries rely on technology, it’s an option worthinvestigating and adopting when appropriate and beneficial. You can begin byexperimenting with free or low-cost projects, moving along with more strategiccomponents of technology infrastructure over time. This book aims to giveyou a clear understanding of this new approach to technology and how it canhelp a library by making technology more manageable and more cost-effective.

What Is Cloud Computing? “Cloud computing” is not a precise term, with various definitions given; some examples: According to Wikipedia: “Cloud computing is Internet-based computing, whereby sharedresources, software, and information are provided to computers and other devices ondemand, like the electricity grid.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_computing)VMware, a company involved in providing software and services, offers a more business-ori-ented definition: “Cloud computing is a new approach that reduces IT complexity by leverag-ing the efficient pooling of on-demand, self-managed virtual infrastructure, consumed as aservice.” (http://www.vmware.com/ap/cloud-computing.html)

! 1

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Cloud computing takes its name from the way that it’s fuzzy, distant, diffuse,and immense. This approach to technology relies on massive aggregations ofhardware that form an amorphous mass that as a whole delivers some kind ofcomputing activity. You can’t see or touch the cloud—its actual pieces andparts are scattered in data centers, whose exact physical locations you may ormay not know.

The term “cloud computing” is used quite freely, tagged to almost any typeof virtualized computing environment or any arrangement where the libraryrelies on a remote hosting environment for a major automation component.It’s as much a marketing term as a technical one. Some of its characteristicsinclude:

! An abstract technology platform that involves generalized access toremote computing resources rather than locally owned and manageddiscrete servers

! A utility model of computing involving fees charged for levels of userather than capital investments in hardware or permanent softwarelicenses

! Computing that’s provisioned on demand, with resources allocated asneeded

! Elastic quantity and power of the computing resources that increase attimes of peak use and scale down when demand is lower

! Highly clustered and distributed computing infrastructure that spreadscomputing tasks across many devices to maximize performance withhigh fault tolerance for the failure of individual components

Cloud computing isn’t an all-or-nothing proposition. A library can continueto manage some parts of its computing operation on locally managed serversas it makes selective use of cloud services. For those more open to experimen-tation, there are lots of opportunities to try out some cloud-based services orcreate prototypes to gain firsthand knowledge of its approach and how itmight benefit the library. It’s easy to start trying out services delivered in thecloud for one’s personal computing needs. Introducing cloud computing intoan organization such as a library requires a bit more thought and planning.

Today there’s lots of hype surrounding cloud computing. Like any newtechnology, it has its enthusiasts and its detractors. There are lots of companiesthat offer their services through the cloud, and naturally they promote thisapproach and emphasize its benefits and downplay the risks and disadvantages.As libraries consider moving their essential services to the cloud, it’s essentialto separate hype from substance. This book will present both sides of thestory, including the potential benefits and any caveats that might apply. Mostof all, it will provide you with a clear understanding of the general concepts

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and with enough details of the various approaches and service offerings thatyou will be able to make well-informed decisions.

Most cloud computing environments are built from thousands of genericcomputers clustered together. Through clustering and virtualization software,individual computer blades can be added to increase capacity. Clouds, becauseof the massive redundancy and clustering, are very fault tolerant. If any givencomponent fails, the cluster just works around it. Cloud infrastructure is allabout making many different discrete computers work together as an organicwhole. Just as living organisms don’t depend on any given cell, cloud-basedcomputer infrastructure continues to function as individual components failand are replaced; clouds grow in power as more components are added.

! A “CLOUDY” VIEW OF THE FUTURE

Let’s paint a picture of cloud computing as it might be fully realized at somepoint in the not-too-distant future. You switch on your computer and itpowers on instantly to a web browser. Computers of all sizes—notebooks,netbooks, tablets, and smartphones—are optimized for software deliveredthrough the web. Personal computers have no need for local storage,because all data are stored up in the cloud. Gone are the days of installingsoftware on your computer, managing new versions and updates. You doyour work on applications accessed via the web.

Beyond a web browser, optimized for fast performance and loaded withplug-ins to handle all kinds of content, there’s no need to have any softwareinstalled on most computers. By storing all content in the cloud and deliveringall software as services, computing becomes more portable and flexible thanthe days when everything was tied to specific hardware devices. Computercrashes no longer mean a worrisome ordeal of restoring the operating system,reinstalling software, and hoping that your last backup is reasonably up-to-date.

Ubiquitous Internet connectivity means uninterrupted access to all yourdata and applications. Your collection of music, movies, and video streams inyour personal storage space in the cloud is easily accessed from any of yourmany devices. Likewise, the library’s media collection, including thousands ofdigitized images, documents, videos, and the like reside in high-capacity storage,replicated in multiple ways to protect these irreplaceable objects even if one ofyour providers suffers some kind of catastrophic technical or business failure.

Cloud computing also reshapes the way that organizations handle theircomputing needs. Technology infrastructure will become highly specialized tosupport connectivity and less for storage and computation. There’s no needfor servers in the library’s computer room, for example, because all of itssoftware and systems are accessed via remote services. The integrated library

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system and other specialized applications are accessed through software-as-a-service arrangements. The library’s website and other administrative softwareare supplied from different service providers. Cloud computing can poten-tially enable a reality where libraries spend more of their resources creatinginnovative services without having to worry about the logistics and manage-ment of technical infrastructure.

! EVOLVING TOWARD CLOUD COMPUTING TODAY

More realistically, the age of cloud computing hasn’t quite arrived in full.Obstacles remain. Internet connectivity, for example, isn’t yet sufficiently per-vasive or cheap enough for many of us to untether ourselves from local dataand software. There are still too many areas without wireless or even cellulardata access. Even in well-connected areas, there will always be outages orcircumstances where Internet access is problematic. When completely relianton cloud-based services, interruptions in connectivity mean lost productivity.

Today, cloud computing usually supplements rather than replaces locallyinstalled software. Only a small proportion of organizations have fully imple-mented cloud-based computing. Yet many organizations have shifted selectedaspects of their operations away from locally supported computing, withmany planning increased adoption.

Though the trend toward cloud computing is heading upward, traditionallocal computing still dominates in most libraries. While it’s not a given that allcomputing will shift to the cloud, there are many cloud and cloud-like servicesalready available, with more individuals and organizations adopting thisapproach. It’s fairly easy to take advantage of products and services offeredthrough the cloud for personal use, but moving larger-scale applicationsfrom locally supported arrangements to cloud services will take a great deal ofplanning and maneuvering. We will cover the planning issues more extensivelyin Chapter 3.

! THE MANY FORMS OF CLOUD COMPUTING

Some cloud-based services come fully formed. Applications such as wordprocessors, spreadsheets, and calendars are often available for little or no costby simply signing up for an account. You can also use cloud services to createyour own customized applications. It’s possible to run web servers, databases,and other applications out on a cloud without ever having to purchase yourown hardware. Core automation systems such as the integrated library systemcan be implemented through server arrangements where the vendor hostsand maintains the software.


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Cloud computing has become so pervasive that people use it all the timewithout necessarily realizing it. The popular applications provided by Googlefor e-mail, word processing, and calendar embody many of the characteristicsof cloud computing. See Chapter 7 for practical examples of cloud computingin action.

Although cloud computing has been around a while, we can anticipateever wider adoption, and it may grow at some point in the near future to bethe dominant model for computing. According to Forrester Research, thecloud computing industry will grow from its current size of $41 billion inrevenue seen in 2010 to $241 billion in 2020 (see Stefan Ried’s April 21,2011, blog post “Sizing the Cloud” at http://blogs.forrester.com/stefan_ried/11-04-21-sizing_the_cloud).

! CONTRASTING EXAMPLE: LOCAL COMPUTING

To understand cloud computing, let’s first review the traditional approach,as might apply to your library’s web server. It runs on a server that the libraryowns and maintains, mounted in a rack in a computer center or computerroom. You can see it and touch it. Someone’s responsible for keeping theoperating system up-to-date, configuring the software, and performing othertechnical and administrative chores. Your library paid the cost of the serverhardware and pays for the electricity that powers and cools it.

By contrast cloud computing takes a much more abstract form. It’s a servicethat appears as needed. The hardware on which it resides isn’t of directconcern to those who use the service. You’re aware it exists somewhere out inthe cloud, but where it’s located isn’t a concern.

Cloud computing is elastic. It isn’t of fixed size. Rather, it expands andcontracts according to demand. With conventional local computing, if theusage of the computer exceeds the capacity of a server, you have to buy morememory, disk drives, or even more servers. Cloud computing, by contrast,offers the ability to scale computing resources according to variable levels ofdemand. Capacity fluctuates according to demand, with more computingpower available during peaks of high use and scaling down during periods oflower activity. You budget for the computing cycles and storage actually usedrather than having to pay for capacity to handle highest use all the time.

! A UTILITY MODEL OF COMPUTING

Cloud computing can be characterized as a utility model. There may be someminimum base charge, but what you use is measured, there is a certain costper unit, and you are billed for what you use. In the same way that the electric

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company installs a meter that measures what you use and sends you a monthlybill, many forms of cloud computing measure what you use as the basis forwhat you pay. The more you (or your users) consume, the more you pay. Inan infrastructure-as-a-service model, for example, the provider tracks theresources consumed, such as the quantity of virtual servers provisioned; thenumber of processor cycles, database transactions, bytes stored, and webpagesrequested; and the incoming or outgoing network activity. Different rates willapply depending on options selected, such as the number of processor coresassociated with virtual servers, memory allocated, storage replications, andother factors. Subscription agreements to these services include tables thatspecify what rates apply to each category of use. The monthly bill will varydepending on usage patterns.

In general terms, cloud computing allows an individual or organizationto pay for only the computing resources they use without having to makelarge up-front purchases for equipment. The fees will increase as any givenapplication gains popularity and will decrease during periods of slack activity.This pay-as-you-go model differs significantly from the budget models thatapply to applications implemented on purchased equipment.

Many cloud-based services offer free introductory packages. A variety ofconsumer-oriented cloud storage sites allow limited amounts of storageeither through an advertising-supported business model or as a lead-in topremium paid services. Even higher-end cloud computing environmentsoffer try-before-you-buy options that provide access to a limited amount ofcomputing resources for an introductory period before monthly chargesapply. These introductory offers allow an organization to evaluate competingservices prior to making a financial commitment to any given offering.

The measured service model to cloud computing can support a low-costsoftware development environment. The level of computing resourcesneeded and the consumption levels will be much lower during a softwaredevelopment process than they will be once the completed application isplaced into production. The general character of cloud computing of payingonly for the resources used should result in flexibility and savings comparedto the alternative of purchasing equipment that may never be used to itscomplete potential.

! BENEFITS

A number of factors drive the movement toward cloud computing. Thisapproach offers opportunities for organizations to lower their overall costsfor technology, improve performance of highly used services, support widelydistributed users, and increase reliability.


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For many organizations, local computing involves high cost and low effi-ciency. Even though prices have declined over recent years, server hardwarerepresents a major expense. The capacity of most servers greatly exceeds thecurrent needs of the organization. Because this equipment must last for five ormore years, organizations tend to purchase excess capacity beyond immediateneeds to accommodate anticipated growth in use. With cloud computing youpay for what you use as you use it instead of paying for excess capacity neverconsumed.

Personnel costs related to technology can be greatly reduced throughincreased reliance on cloud computing. Local computing depends on technicalpersonnel with specialized training in server administration, network security,and applications support. The maintenance of local servers involves constantdiligence in keeping operating systems on the latest versions, applying securitypatches on a regular schedule, tuning servers for optimum performance,monitoring systems availability, as well as implementing customizations andconfiguration changes. Shifting to software delivered through a cloud modelcan drastically reduce technology-related personnel costs or at least allow anorganization to target the talents of their staff members more selectively.

The cloud computing model eliminates the need to purchase and maintainlocal server hardware. Other than this direct cost component, it impactsindirect costs such as the energy required to power and cool this equipment,any occupancy costs associated with data centers, and administrative overhead.

The business models associated with cloud computing avoid the largeup-front costs associated with software licenses. Rather than purchasingpermanent licenses, many organizations can achieve substantial savings byshifting to software-as-a-service or other services. Software-as-a-service, forexample, usually involves a set monthly or annual subscription fee rather thana large up-front investment for purchasing a license. Traditional softwarelicenses will often require ongoing payments for service and support. Thesoftware component of cloud computing may or may not see substantialchanges relative to traditional licensing but has the potential to substantiallyreduce costs related to personnel and hardware.

In Chapter 3, we’ll take a closer look at all the cost issues involved, withcomparisons between local computing and cloud-based alternatives. It’sessential to perform an analysis of total cost of ownership over time in orderto understand the budget impact of cloud computing as the basis of anorganization’s technology strategy.

As libraries more than ever face the need to fulfill their missions with everfew resources, cloud computing can contribute an important dimensionto technology strategies. Libraries need to have every possible tool availableto them. In the absence of diminishing technical personnel and smaller

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budgets for computing equipment, it may be possible to gain access to equalor even superior automation products through cloud-based services. In broadterms, increased adoption of cloud services should allow a library to focus itstechnology budget and personnel less on activities that involve necessary, butroutine support for library operations, allowing it to focus more on creatingstrategic or innovative services. Are there routine support services, such ase-mail, word processing, or financial systems, that the library currentlyspends excessive time and resources supporting that could be accessed withsignificantly less effort and expense through some cloud-based service? Doesa library want its most technically proficient—and highest paid—personnelspending their time dealing with the upkeep of a room full of servers, orshould this talent be focused on higher level activities that make a strongerimpact on the library’s mission? The subsequent chapters of this book shouldhelp clarify the realm of cloud computing from a vague marketing term intoa menu of strategic tools for your library.


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AADrive, 18Aleph, 41Alma, 41–41, 108Amazon Web Services, 24

Amazon Cloud Drive, 18CloudFront, 83, 87Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2), 15, 21,

24, 27, 31, 36, 40, 41, 76–80, 98Amazon Machine Instance (AMI),

77–80Elastic IP service, 80

Relational Database Service (RDS),81–82

Simple Storage Service (S3), 17, 21, 29,44, 70–76, 84–87

Apache web server, 70Application programming interfaces

(APIs), 44, 51, 53Application service provider (ASP), 22,

38–39comparison with SaaS, 23

AWStats, 104

BBiblioCommons, 43, 108Biblionix, 42Box.net, 18Budget planning, 34, 35, 47Bungee Connect, 24

CCamtasia Studio, 89Civica Library and Learning, 40

Cloud computing, definition, 1Cloud Drive, Amazon, 18CloudFront, 83, 87CNAME configuration, 74–75, 85Collaborative computing, 18, 68CONTENTdm, 83Cost factors

free services, 31, 34, 98indirect costs, 7measured service, 6, 86personnel cost savings, 7scaling factors, 46–47, 86total cost of ownership, 31, 100utility model, 2, 5–6value assessment, 36

Creative Commons license, 90Customer relationship management

(CRM) platform, 20

DData vulnerability, 16, 99Database administration, 51, 81–82Dedicated server hosting services, 13–14Departmental computing, 12Digital preservation, 38, 87Digitool, 83Discovery services, 37, 106, 110Domain naming system (DNS), 63–64,

80–81, 85CNAME configuration, 74–75, 85

DropBox, 17, 60–61Drupal, 70DuraSpace, 44

DuraCloud, 44, 88, 108

! 117

!

INDEX

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DuraSpace (cont’d.)Fedora Commons, 84

EEC2. See Amazon Web ServicesElastic capacity, 5, 15Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2). See Amazon

Web ServicesE-mail administration, 61–66Enterprise computing, 54–55Enterprise e-mail implementation, 68Environmental issues, 29Evergreen open source ILS, 40Ex Libris, 21, 40, 41

Aleph, 41Alma, 41–42, 108DigiTool, 83Primo/Primo Central, 41Voyager, 41

Exchange, Microsoft, 62

FFamily Educational Rights and Privacy Act

(FERPA), 54, 56, 69Fedora Commons, 84Force.com, 20, 24Forrester Research, 5

GGeographic distribution, 16–17, 27Google

Analytics, 103App Engine, 24, 81, 111Apps, 61–65, 111Apps for Business, 69Apps for Education, 55, 69Calendar, 88Chrome OS, 111Chrome web browser, 111Docs, 21, 65, 67, 88Gmail, 21, 62, 65

HHealth Insurance Portability and

Accountability Act (HIPAA), 54,56, 69

Heroku, 24Hosting options, 11–14

IIaaS. See Infrastructure-as-a-serviceILS. See Integrated library systems (ILSs)Implementation strategies, 15Infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS), 6,

14–15, 36, 49Innovative Interfaces, 40Institutional collaboration, 55,

100–101IT departments, 19, 100policy compliance, 19, 61, 100

Integrated library systems (ILSs), 4, 12, 15, 21, 22, 26, 28, 30, 34, 36, 37–38,47, 85, 98, 106, 108

Intellectual property issues, 100Internet bandwidth issues, 3, 4, 28, 36–37,

110Internet Information Server, 70Intota, 41, 108Intuit, 21

JJava

application service provider, 22, 39Java Runtime Environment (JRE),

109–110JavaScript, 95, 104programming language, 24, 82

KKoha open source ILS, 40Kuali OLE project, 42

LLarge-scale data, 28–29LibAnswers, 90LibGuides, 90LibQUAL+, 105Library instruction, 88, 92Linux. See Operating systemsLive@edu, 69Local computing, 3, 5, 7, 10–11

advantages, 10–11cost models, 10–11, 13equipment replacement, 11facilities requirements (power, cooling,

etc.), 10personnel issues, 10–11


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MMarketing, 91–96Measurement and analytics, 103–107Metadata management, 85Microsoft

Exchange, 62Internet Information Server, 70Live@edu, 69Office 365, 21, 61, 69SharePoint, 52, 89Windows Azure, 88Windows Live SkyDrive, 18Windows Server, 13

Multimedia collections, 83–85, 110–111

NNetwork administration, 51

OOCLC, 44–45

CONTENTdm, 83WorldCat, 24, 45–46WorldShare Management Services, 45,

108WorldShare Platform, 24

Office 365, Microsoft, 21, 61, 69Operating systems

Linux, 13, 14, 15, 62, 77–78Microsoft Windows, 13, 14, 15

Organizational implications, 56, 61, 100,107

PPaaS. See Platform-as-a-service (PaaS)Personnel issues, 8, 49–51, 56–57, 107Platform-as-a-service (PaaS), 23–24, 81Poll Everywhere, 89Primo/Primo Central, 41Privacy issues, 26, 52, 54Proprietary software, 7

QQuickBooks, 21

RRackspace, 21, 26, 44, 88Regulatory issues (HIPAA, FERPA), 54, 56,

69

Relational Database Service (RDS), 81–82

Reliability issues, 26Repositories, 44–45Risk mitigation, 36

SSaaS. See Software-as-a-service (SaaS)Salesforce.com, 20, 24Search engine optimization (SEO),

95–96Security issues, 24–26, 31, 52, 54Serials Solutions, 21, 41

Intota, 41, 108Summon, 41360 product suite, 41

Server colocation, 12–13Server consolidation, 29Service-level agreements, 28, 36SharePoint, 52, 89Simple Storage Service (S3). See Amazon

Web ServicesSirsiDynix, 39Social media, 93Software development projects, 15, 30–31,

83Software version control, 30Software-as-a-service (SaaS), 7, 19–20, 30,

34, 38, 49, 53multitenant architecture, 19, 40–41, 44,

108software maintenance implications, 20subscription cost model, 21, 34

Springshare LibAnswers, 90LibGuides, 90

Storage-as-a-service, 5, 16–17, 59–61backup issues, 17, 19, 27, 99cost issues, 27personal storage, 17–18

Strategic planning, 55–56, 102Summon, 41SurveyMonkey, 88

TTechnology trends, 107360 product suite, 41Turbo Tax, 21

Index ! 119

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UUnix, 13, 67, 70, 76, 80Usability, 94USB storage devices, 16, 60, 88

VVideo archiving, 29Virtual private networks (VPNs), 13, 53Virtual server hosting services, 14Voyager, 41

VPN. See Virtual private networks (VPNs)

VTLS, 40

WWeb browser trends, 111Web-based interfaces, 109Website hosting, 11, 70Website management, 52, 70WebTrends, 104


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Marshall Breeding


11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

LIBRARY AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ASSOCIATION


Breeding

11

American Library Association50 E. Huron StreetChicago, IL 60611

1 (866) SHOPALA (866) 746-7252

This is the series to acquire and share in any institution over the next year. I think of it as a cost-effective way to attend the equivalent of ten excellent technology management courses ledby a dream faculty! TECH SET® #11–20 will help librarians stay relevant, thrive, and survive. It isa must-read for all library leaders and planners.

— Stephen Abram, MLS, Vice President, Strategic Relations and Markets, Cengage Learning

“”

Find out more about each topic in THE TECH SET® VOLUMES 11–20and preview the Tables of Contents online at www.alatechsource.org/techset/.

Each multimedia title features a book, a companion website, and a podcast to fully cover the topic and then keep you up-to-date.

Cloud Computing for Libraries is part of THE TECH SET®

VOLUMES 11–20, a series of concise guides edited by EllyssaKroski and offering practical instruction from the field’s hottesttech gurus. Each title in the series is a one-stop passport to an emerging technology. If you’re ready to start creating, collaborating, connecting, and communicating through cutting-edge tools and techniques, you’ll want to get primed by all thebooks in THE TECH SET®.

New tech skills for you spell new services for your patrons:

• Learn the latest, cutting-edge technologies.

• Plan new library services for these popular applications.

• Navigate the social mechanics involved with gaining buy-in for these forward-thinking initiatives.

• Utilize the social marketing techniques used by info pros.

• Assess the benefits of these new technologies to maintain your success.

• Follow best practices already established by innovators and libraries using these technologies.

11. Cloud Computing for Libraries, by Marshall Breeding12. Building Mobile Library Applications, by Jason A. Clark

13. Location-Aware Services and QR Codes for Libraries, by Joe Murphy

14. Drupal in Libraries, by Kenneth J. Varnum

15. Strategic Planning for Social Media in Libraries, by Sarah K. Steiner

16. Next-Gen Library Redesign, by Michael Lascarides

17. Screencasting for Libraries, by Greg R. Notess

18. User Experience (UX) Design for Libraries, by Aaron Schmidt and Amanda Etches

19. IM and SMS Reference Services for Libraries, by Amanda Bielskas and Kathleen M. Dreyer

20. Semantic Web Technologies and Social Searching for Librarians, by Robin M. Fay and Michael P. Sauers

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