Tuesday, February 10, 2009

My head in the Cloud

Microsoft’s announced future direction is for SQL Server to become a “data platform” encompassing not only traditionally structured database data, but unstructured information such as text documents, xml documents, spreadsheets, streaming media, etc. Furthermore, they foresee that sooner rather than later, data management and storage will be a web service enshrouded in the Cloud, which has become a techno-chic synonym for the internet. The idea is that you don’t need to know where the data is stored or where your database management system is located. You just request data from a url somewhere (probably China where the technician work very cheap). When you need it, it appears out of the cloud.

I have my doubts that this will find quick acceptance. The internet is by nature unreliable and insecure. To date, the hackers are staying comfortably ahead of the hacker police.

I could be wrong and often am. No doubt such a scheme could be a great deal less expensive than maintaining your own database infrastructure. I am curious to know how many of you would delegate the safety and accessibility of your mission-critical data to the Cloud? If you have a minute, could you email me your thoughts on this?

ksurvance@sql-consulting.com
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