Is cloud computing reliable enough yet?

If you are a Gmail or Google News user, you might have noticed that the service was either down, or extremely ‘sluggish’ earlier.  Apparently, this problem was caused by what Google Spokesperson Urs Hoelzle referred to as a  “traffic jam.”

Google’s downtime raises a question

Of course, with so many people now relying on providers, like Google, for ‘cloud computing’ services – The question is; “Is cloud computing reliable enough yet?”

This is not the first time Google’s services have either been unavailable or too slow to use. Indeed, many other well respected providers of cloud computing have experienced similar issues, including Amazon and Microsoft.

People love the cloud

Cloud computing; where the user uses online apps and online storage – as opposed to storing them on their computer, has many benefits. Storing data externally, for example, means that should a computer be stolen or critically damaged, the data is still accessible. You can also work on the same document, using multiple machines, without worrying about synchronising them.  Services like the superb Google Docs and Google Calendar are extremely popular; giving users the ability to work from anywhere, on any computer.

All you need is a browser, an Internet connection and a reliable service at the other end.  It’s the final part of that list, where the current problem rests.

Cloud computing & netbooks

The recent surge in netbook computers is also partly due to the popularity of cloud computing.  Manufacturers can now ship a machine, running any OS, knowing all it needs is a browser for the user to be able to run a host of popular cloud computing apps.  No need for huge hard drives or stacks of productivity software.

Netbooks manufacturers can ship a machine with just 8 gigabytes of hard drive space – because there’s services like Microsoft’s Skydrive, which offers users 25 gigabytes of storage, for free, in ‘the cloud’.  Providers like Amazon offer a low cost alternative.  Then there’s services like flickr, where you can store images for free too – the list is almost endless.

Corporate clouds & personal clouds

If you are using cloud services for personal use, it’s unlikely that the occasional hour’s downtime is going to cause a major problem.  However, if a business / enterprise user needs to get a proposal to a client by end of business today – BUT they have no email access, it could be a very costly experience.

As the popularity of cloud computing increases and providers are better able to cope with the kind of traffic jam Urs Hoelzle mentioned, I think cloud computing will be ideal for all of us.  For now though, the element of risk might still be too great for some.