Why a 'protective' techie just can't trust the cloud
8/10/2009 |
OK, so maybe I am a little protective of my data. I do not use any external e-mail systems for anything important. I do not use any Internet storage products or even Apple's MobileMe service. I run all my own e-mail servers, Web servers, file servers, and content collection mechanisms. This is somewhat for convenience, but mainly because I simply can't bring myself to trust a faceless company with any sensitive information. I've been there, I've built similar infrastructures, I've seen how the sausage is made. I would rather handle it all myself, thank you.
And to me, this is the biggest problem with the cloud.
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I know that cloud computing is the future, that data storage needs and availability are best served through a large-scale delivery mechanism that isn't achievable for any but the largest companies. I know that at some point in the future the cloud will be a foregone conclusion, as much a part of modern life as cell phones, laptops, and Twitter. I see the advantages, I see the cost savings. I see the benefits. But for the moment, they simply don't outweigh the detriments.
It's not so much that I worry about data loss -- though that is a concern. It's more about who has access to my information. Who can read my e-mail, who can peruse my files, who can learn enough about me to commit fraud? It could be a garrulous sysadmin, it could be the government, it could be a hacker. I'd never know until it was too late. By keeping all of my information, data, files, and e-mail close to the vest and in an unknown location, I provide myself that protection. Yes, I could get hacked, possibly, but I'm certainly not a public target, like every company pushing cloud computing is. Besides, if I did get hacked, I'd be the only one to blame. And this is only for my personal data, not for a corporation.
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