March 5, 2011

Cloud Computing's Counter Trend: backing up The Cloud

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Every trend it's said contains within it, its counter trend. For
example the trend to fast food contained within it the counter trend to healthy food. The trend to diet foods contained within it the counter trend to indulgences like rich dairy ice cream made with premium ingredients.

The Trend
The trend to Cloud computing results in your data being stored in the cloud.  This allows you to access your data and applications from anywhere, to enjoy greater availability, and to benefit from continuous upgrades. Many small business now no longer even have a server on-premises, relying instead on cloud-based services like Gmail, Google Apps, SalesForce, and BaseCamp.

The Problem
But how would you restore your business' web presence tomorrow if your WordPress-based website were inaccessible? [WordPress hit by 'extremely large' DDoS attack, cnet, Mar 3, 2011] 

What if your access to your Gmail account was disrupted? [Gmail disruption sends some users calling for backup, WashingtonPost, Feb 28, 2011] 

What about any of number of similar scenarios for your WordPress, Blogger or Tumblr blogs, your Facebook, Flickr or Twitter accounts, or your Google Docs, Salesforce.com or BaseCamp files?

The Counter Trend
One of the uses of the cloud is to provide backup, in environments where working data's primary home was local. Now as the cloud becomes the primary home of working data, ironically the astute end-user is participating in the counter trend to cloud computing, backing up the cloud. And a market for tools to help users backup their cloud data is growing.


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