PA Risk-Oriented Conservative Framework for Effective Deployment of Cloud-based e-Services in Higher Education

Abstract

Cloud Computing is irrefutably one of the greatest computing innovations in modern times. This utility- based platform promises to open up new opportunities in a wide range of computing domains, such as research, entrepreneurship, green computing, high performance computing, and pervasive intelligence among others. The basic tenet of this on-demand paradigm is to remove the burden where organizations would have to establish elaborate Information and Communication Technology data centers and instead offload part or all the elaborate Information and Communication Technology Infrastructure to a Cloud Solution Provider or through a third party for access across the Internet by hiring software, application platform as well as the ICT infrastructure. The uptake of this technology holds the promise of driving down cost while fostering innovation and promoting agility in running elaborate Information and Communication Technology departments. The constant need to store, update and manage on-site elaborate Information and Communication Technology infrastructures in academic institutions particularly institutions of higher learning for research and training activities is undoubtedly a costly exercise. For this reason, migration towards cloud services has and continues to be a running agenda in boardroom policies for these institutions. However, the full potential of this marvelous technology is yet to be realized in higher education due to deployment challenges. This paper reviews existing Cloud Computing deployment models and suggests a risk-based conservative approach for Cloud Computing uptake