Google will win the War of the Clouds...eventually

The paper I submitted tonight for my Cloud Computing class follows; hope it's not too long for you:

There is thunder in the clouds today.  Certainly many companies are forging ahead and trying to make an impact in cloud computing, but of the three major companies (Google, Microsoft and Amazon) at the center of the cloud war, Google and Microsoft are battling head to head in the area of software development.  The big philosophical difference between these two companies is that Google embraces an innovative open-source architecture while Microsoft continues to develop proprietary software.  Simon Wardley reports in his blog that “cloud is fundamentally about enabling and increasing rates of user innovation.”  Using the collective knowledge of the world to improve and expand its products, Google has an intellectual advantage over Microsoft in the long run.

With Google’s recent announcement of Chrome OS, built on the Linux kernel and based on the new Chrome browser, the company is moving beyond the physical computer-based world of today to an entirely new environment where everything will be handled from the cloud.  Purportedly, a netbook with Chrome OS installed will reach the internet almost immediately.  Among the other innovations in Chrome OS is Google Cloud Print.  Google’s vision is that using the APIs for its print service, developers will build applications capable of printing to ANY “cloud-aware” printer from ANY device connected to the internet without the use of drivers and other printer-specific software.  The folks at Google hope that printer manufacturers will work with them to create printers that are “cloud-aware” and compatible with Google Cloud Print. In the meantime, Google is working on a method to allow communication with legacy printers through proxy.

While Google thinks out of the box and works to build an entire ecosystem in the cloud, Microsoft continues to “improve” its Windows environment.  Microsoft Azure is Windows in the cloud.  It has been adapted to work with cloud resources while still maintaining its earthly applications.  David Chappell in his article “Introducing Window’s Azure” explains that the “Windows Azure platform provides a bridge for Windows developers moving into this new world” and describes cloud platforms as “slightly exotic options” for most organizations.

Arguably, the familiarity of the Microsoft’s Windows product means that the millions of current Windows users and developers will continue to support the program, for now. Migrating to the cloud on the Windows Azure platform will be easier for existing Windows Enterprise users since most people shy away from change.  Users and developers in the current generation have grown up with the internet and all of the applications that have sprung up around it.  They enjoy and embrace the democracy of open source software.  They will choose to use and develop under the Google umbrella.

Data is one of the world’s most important resources and optimized cloud architecture makes data available in a way we can hardly imagine. While most corporate data is stored in relational database form today and will likely migrate to the Windows-based cloud in the same format, Google’s BigTable(and Microsoft’s DataStore) is designed for the cloud environment.  Entity objects with attributes are scalable and optimally web-accessible while relational data is meant to be accessed with structured queries. 

Microsoft Windows was designed for use on PC-based computers and servers.  Modifying the program and calling it Windows Azure to run in the Cloud will likely provide service along the same lines that Windows provides today.  Google’s Cloud system on the other hand is data-centered and Google’s development has focused on handling all aspects of computing through the internet.  Interface to Google’s Cloud is expected to be through very thin clients--hand held devices and netbooks for access, sensors for input and cloud-ready printers and other devices for output. 

In the future, users will be looking to access information quickly, with devices we can’t imagine today and from anywhere. Applications developed with the cloud architecture in mind will serve the needs of the earthly world as it advances into the “internet of things” where people have their hand on their iphone and their information in the cloud.  Enterprise systems may cling to Windows for now, but eventually they will realize that data is their most important corporate resource and they need it now!

Mathematics

My tweet for the day from the Math people comes from Thomas Mann who said, "  Occupy yourselves with the study of mathematics.  It is the best remedy against the lusts of the flesh."  Allan should be happy to know that I'm diligently studying mathematics; I'm going to campus today to spread out and finish my reliability midterm.  I've saved the most challenging question to finish last..."Prove that the exponential probability distribution function is the only underlying distribution in the universe that has a constant failure rate."  After finishing the midterm I have to update my Matlab computer program to reflect changes for my Ant Colony algorithm, write a short paper about the Cloud and read the reliability chapter about the renewal process and availability.  My weekend is filled with mathematics.

Auction Admin in the Cloud

I've deployed my first application to Google's cloud.  It was homework for class so it doesn't do much right now, but it has potential.  My daughter wants to do an online auction at the JCC and this could be the beginning of that application.  It is called Auction Administration.  Just click on that link.  You'll have to create a login to do more than list items and if you're the first one, there are no items.  Have fun.

I wrote it in Python--an object-oriented language and I'm still learning what that means, but I know a lot more about it now than I did last week.  Google's App Engine stores data in BigTable, which is NOT a relational database like I'm used to.  The data is formatted to facilitate scalability.  There is an algorithm for designing 3rd normal relational databases--it is almost a scientific process!  I have no idea how to design data models for BigTable, but I've ordered a book to help me learn how.

The class is moving on to Microsoft Azure next; I'll let you know how that goes...

Summer solstice

Today is the summer solstice so it's the day of the year with the most daylight.  I could actually use a few more hours; I don't need more or less daylight.  I'm writing a computer program for the Cloud class--I've (almost) learned Google App Engine, Python, and a little bit of Django and I've refreshed my understanding of HTML.  My application can add users, add items and list items.  I need it to also update and delete the items and be able to query the database, but I'm having trouble with those tasks.  This program is due at 10pm tomorrow night, regardless of the amount of daylight.

For reliability engineering, we've been given our take-home midterm that's due a week from tomorrow.  I need to get started on it since we can only ask questions in class on Thursday, then we're on our own.

For my research I am expanding on the DRLP Ant Colony problem I worked on in the adaptive optimization class last semester.    I've documented the model I'll be using and laid the groundwork for the experimental design.    By Monday afternoon I'll have the objective function module coded and tested.  The objective function is the equation that the project is minimizing.  In this case, it is the sum of the flow cost between machines along the double row layout multiplied by the distance between the machines.

My brain will be working overtime for the next week.

Summer Night

Summer Night...Auburn's White Linen Night...I had such a wonderful evening.  They closed the two main streets in downtown Auburn, College from Glenn Street to Thach--that's two long blocks--and Magnolia from just before McDonald's to Gay Street--that's two long blocks too.  Local artists sold their paintings, jewelry, ceramics, all sorts of art; the Auburn Roller Girls skated; a new health food store gave away hula hoops to children and provided colored electrical tape to decorate them; Magnolia Street was covered with children's drawing from sidewalk chalk; children made hats from crepe paper and walked in the Children's parade; someone gave free rides in a blue and orange bicycle-like carriage; Little Italy sold pizza and taught children to toss the dough; Auburn Arts Council (the organizer) sold cotton candy; local restaurants gave away food samples; bands played at 3 of the street closures and children bounced in a big inflatable thing at the other closure.  I walked around for an hour and ate dinner, but even though I'd seen everything I wasn't ready to go home so I sat on the curb and listened to MUSE, a local 3 man band, until the streets opened up again at 9:30.  MUSE is playing at Fred's in Loachapoka next Friday night and I think I'll go see them.  Fred's is a feed and seed store that turns into a bar at night...

Mouse in the house

I guess I shouldn't be too surprised that I have a mouse in my house.  He visits my spare bedroom each night to eat a handful of sunflower seeds from the small hole he chewed in the 50 lb bag I keep there.  Before he gets too comfortable and brings his family I'll (unfortunately) have to get a mousetrap and a mouse-proof container for the sunflower seeds.

I bought a small bird bath which I put near the feeders and yesterday I watched a red-bellied woodpecker and a cardinal drink from it.  It's working!

Summer seminars

Our seminars this summer seem to be tailored to me.  The INSY faculty is taking turns giving an hour lecture on a topic that they think will be useful to graduate students, but is not explicitly taught in a course.  The first one was "How to Give a GOOD talk" and it was a good talk.  The take-away from that program was a top ten list of things to do or not to do in any talk.  The next one was on writing proposals.  I haven't done that yet, but, hopefully, that will be helpful to my future.  Last week the program was "Collaboration using Technology."  After a disclaimer that he was not specifically endorsing a particular software, he demonstrated some technology that he has found useful over the years.  Today I downloaded Evernote, a free application that collects documents, pictures, notes, web references, voice memos and other items in folders.  I can tag each item and search for it among the folders.  The program synchronizes everything to the web, my laptop and my iphone.  I can enter items from any of those sources.  It is not for collaboration, but it is certainly useful technology for a graduate student.   The other application cited that I need is a version manager.  I'm writing software in my Cloud Computing class as well as in my research and trying to keep track of versions and changes is mind-boggling.  This app will help in any writing effort (like a dissertation or journal submission).  I don't have a list of the topics for the rest of the summer, but I look forward to the next topic and to exposure to the department's faculty.

I heard this morning on The New York Times, that there's a town in Nigeria that has been experiencing oil spills and leaks on a regular basis for the last 50 years and can't understand why the world is so focused on the Gulf Coast.  We (the world, not just the USA) really need to figure out how to get out of our dependence on oil.

The wind makes the sailboat go.

This weekend in New Orleans we discussed the 16 year old girl trying to sail around the world and moved on to my lack of sailing skills.  In a nutshell, I wasn't bad at sailing the Sunfish with the wind--I could always leave the shore, but returning from whence I came was seldom accomplished.  Most of the time, Dad had to rescue me with the powerboat.  Dad gave me a simple book about sailing and the book began with a question/answer--Q "What makes the sailboat go?"/  A "The wind makes the sailboat go."  We've been reminiscing about that since I was a teenager.  When I read Wordsmith's word-of-the-day, aeolian, I smiled.  Aeolian means "relating to or caused by the wind." The word's origin is from "Aeolus, god of the winds in Greek mythology.  As keeper of the winds, he gave a bag containing winds to help with Odysseus's sailing."  according to Wordsmith.  It turns out I'm in good company.

The Smell of the South

It smells like the South on my walk to/from campus.  Magnolias and gardenias are blooming and their very sweet smell is absolutely the smell of the South.  Mimosas are also blooming everywhere, but they are considered invasive non-native trees so I don't count them even though they are pretty and smell nice.

I've seen a gray catbird several times this week.  Usually we hear them before we see them--they are named catbird because they sound like a cat's mew.  They're in the same family as the mockingbird and in some ways resemble them.

WHOA!  A raccoon just dumped out my bird feeder!  I saw the feeder being held from below and knew that a squirrel couldn't be reaching that high.  When I stood up there was a raccoon reaching up from the ground and dumping out the feeder.  He ran away when he saw me at the window.

Twenty-six claps

Twenty-six claps in unicycling tonight!  I'm pretty sure I'll be riding alone by the end of the summer.  Next week I need to remember my wrist guards just in case my instructor thinks I'm ready to take off entirely on my own.  Tonight began a new set of classes and I have three new classmates--Allison is in the fifth grade and both Dean and Cole are second graders.  They'll probably all be riding before me...it's much easier when you're young and fearless.

Lightning bugs

As a child, my sister and I caught them and put them in jars to light up our night, now I smile when I come home in the dark and see lightning bugs (fireflies) outside my door.  Of course, that means I also have mosquitos, but it's worth the occasional mosquito bite to enjoy the lightning bugs.  Tonight I had dinner at Provino's, my favorite Italian restaurant in Auburn.  My waiter was very patient and let me eat my vegetable lasagna, drink a glass of wine and read my book until I was ready to go.  I needed a break from my La-Z-Boy.

Nicholas Carr's book about Cloud Computing is certainly thought-provoking.  I can't help but think that non-profits can use The Cloud to their benefit.  I'm hoping I can learn enough this summer to save the JCC some money.  Why should they buy another server?  It may be too early in the utility computing world for conservative non-profits to move in that direction, but I think I'd rather spend my time learning how to migrate to the Cloud than learning how to set up a Windows network.

I'm watching an older episode of Treme and I just saw my friend's son in a scene at the airport.  How fun! Speaking of Treme, I like Davis, the politician.  Who is he?  And, next time I'm home, I need to go to Lil Dizzy's for lunch.  Who wants to go with me?

Heartbreaking

Watching TV brings tears to my eyes.  Every channel shows pictures of oil-covered birds...so many brown pelicans and other water birds suffering so unnecessarily.  And, I read in the Aububon Zoo newsletter about the sea turtles they are rescuing and rehabilitating--28 so far and all of them are members of endangered species.  These rescued animals are the ones we can see--how many thousands more are suffering that we can't see?  The beautiful Gulf of Mexico will never be the same and it breaks my heart.

On a more positive note, this week I'm watching a young downy woodpecker.  This little family (downy woodpeckers are about 6.5 inches long) acts the same as the much bigger (about 9.25 inches) red-bellied woodpecker family.  The young one squeaks and fluffs his feathers to get Mom's attention.  She's still patiently gathering seeds and feeding him, but that will change.  I see red-headed woodpeckers regularly on my walk to campus.  Their numbers are declining, mainly because of habitat destruction.  They prefer a park-like setting with spaces between trees so Cary Woods subdivision is a perfect environment for them.

I've had to stop filling my big feeder with sunflower seeds since Alvin has figured out how to get inside.  And once inside these little guys eat ALL of the seeds.  It can't be good for them.   I'll have to figure out a way to hang the feeder so that only birds can get to it.

I've been to the Cloud

I love "The Cloud"!  I'm learning Python (an object-oriented programming language that has come into favor for web app development) from a very excited and smart teacher on Google.com.  Python is an easy language to learn and I think I'll have fun implementing a project using it.  Today we learned the basics of Google App Engine and again, I think I'll have fun implementing a project using it.  I wrote a short application to put a "guestbook" on the web and have people who visit my page (if I had a page) sign in.

I can already see applications I could do in New Orleans.  All non-profits should be looking at the Cloud,  specifically Google App Engine, for some things.  First of all, it (GAE) is free up to a whole lot of storage and web page visits, and second, it has many (maybe most) of the same apps that Microsoft has.  I don't think many non-profits could switch entirely from Microsoft because so much proprietary software only interfaces with Microsoft, but hopefully that will change as the Cloud movement gains momentum and interoperability and standards become the norm.  In the meantime, it is worth exploring for internal websites; for specialty one-time programs; for email--why use GoDaddy when you could use Gmail?  I'll be learning more about the administrative console and the whole suite of apps as I learn more about the development environment.  This is so much fun!