The United Nations of Cloud Computing
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Reuven Cohen
Jun 16, 2009, 10:47:07 PM6/16/09
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With all the recent buzz around cloud computing within various governments around the globe there is one major international organization notably absent from the discussions -- The United Nations. I thought I'd take a moment to briefly explore some of the opportunities for cloud computing within the UN.
To give a little background, the UN's stated aims is to facilitate cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achieving world peace. I'm the first to admit that cloud computing can do a great many things, but solving world peace probably isn't one of them. But international law, international security, economic development, and social progress all fit nicely into potential applications for cloud computing, especially within emerging economies around the globe.
Among the UN's various technology related endouvers are the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs), a set of eight targets to help end extreme poverty worldwide by 2015.In attempting to achieve these goals one the early efforts was the United Nations Information and Communication Technologies Task Force, created to advance the UN's efforts around addressing the core issues related to the role of information and communication technology in economic development and eradication of poverty. In 2006 the Global Alliance for ICT and Development (GAID) replaced UNICTTF, and now has the task of providing an open policy dialogue on the role of information and communication technologies. GAID is probably one of the best places to address the need for cloud computing at the UN.
One of the more famous off shoots of this program is the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project, a nonprofit created by Nicholas Negroponte. The OLPC's goal is to create a laptop to sell for $100 each to governments to give away at no cost to school-aged children. One of the key drivers that brought about the "NetBook" trend.
As I've said before, Cloud computing isn't about one endless global cloud, one with no defined borders or geography, but instead it's about the localization of cloud computing within these new and emerging regions around globe. It's about the opportunity that flexible and efficient distributed computing enables as an economic & social stimulus. More over, it's about empowering those who have up until now been passed by on the information super highway. The UN has the opportunity to bring the ultimate equalizer, emerging technology as well as more importantly real access to information to these under enabled regions.
The UN has a long history of providing a multilateral source of grants for technological assistance and access around the world including being an early advocate of open source technology. Recent advances in technology have revolutionized the way people live, learn and work, but these benefits have not spread around the world evenly. The so called digital divide exists between communities in their access to computers, the Internet, and other technologies. Over the last few years the UN has been at the forefront of trying to knock down some of these technological barriers. With the emergence of Cloud Computing we may now have an even more effective tool to help in this on going effort to end poverty and encourage social progress around the globe.
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Reuven Cohen
CCIF Instigator
To give a little background, the UN's stated aims is to facilitate cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achieving world peace. I'm the first to admit that cloud computing can do a great many things, but solving world peace probably isn't one of them. But international law, international security, economic development, and social progress all fit nicely into potential applications for cloud computing, especially within emerging economies around the globe.
Among the UN's various technology related endouvers are the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs), a set of eight targets to help end extreme poverty worldwide by 2015.In attempting to achieve these goals one the early efforts was the United Nations Information and Communication Technologies Task Force, created to advance the UN's efforts around addressing the core issues related to the role of information and communication technology in economic development and eradication of poverty. In 2006 the Global Alliance for ICT and Development (GAID) replaced UNICTTF, and now has the task of providing an open policy dialogue on the role of information and communication technologies. GAID is probably one of the best places to address the need for cloud computing at the UN.
One of the more famous off shoots of this program is the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project, a nonprofit created by Nicholas Negroponte. The OLPC's goal is to create a laptop to sell for $100 each to governments to give away at no cost to school-aged children. One of the key drivers that brought about the "NetBook" trend.
As I've said before, Cloud computing isn't about one endless global cloud, one with no defined borders or geography, but instead it's about the localization of cloud computing within these new and emerging regions around globe. It's about the opportunity that flexible and efficient distributed computing enables as an economic & social stimulus. More over, it's about empowering those who have up until now been passed by on the information super highway. The UN has the opportunity to bring the ultimate equalizer, emerging technology as well as more importantly real access to information to these under enabled regions.
The UN has a long history of providing a multilateral source of grants for technological assistance and access around the world including being an early advocate of open source technology. Recent advances in technology have revolutionized the way people live, learn and work, but these benefits have not spread around the world evenly. The so called digital divide exists between communities in their access to computers, the Internet, and other technologies. Over the last few years the UN has been at the forefront of trying to knock down some of these technological barriers. With the emergence of Cloud Computing we may now have an even more effective tool to help in this on going effort to end poverty and encourage social progress around the globe.
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Reuven Cohen
CCIF Instigator
Mohamed El-Refaey
Jun 17, 2009, 6:52:57 AM6/17/09
to cloud...@googlegroups.com
Nice post! Thanks Reuven for highlighting these initiatives and UN activities and these opportunities.
Regards,
Mohamed
Regards,
Mohamed
Michael Mudd
Jun 17, 2009, 11:42:36 AM6/17/09
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Are you really serious about wanting the dead hand of the UN involved at this early stage? Apart from the glacial pace of its multi stakeholders deliberations and reluctance to involve entrepreneurs and commercial companies in their deliberations, the UN has not at all been friendly to early emerging technologies.
The OLPC is a case in point, firstly they have not been able to get any where near the $100 targeted manufacturing cost, (more closer to double that), and have had hardly any customers - the biggest order to date is Uruguay ( about 40,000 units, I recall), which is an emerging middle income economy and nowhere near the bottom of the Digital Divide where the OLPC was targeted. Commercial companies such as ASUS with thier EEE series, with useful software have almost matched the actual prices of the OLPC and have sold 5 million+ to date. Then there is Intels Classmate.
As you are well aware, Cloud computing relies on a robust, high speed broadband infrastructure, which is notably absent from the counties most in need; until connectivity is addressed Cloud computing will remain a dream in these economies. The UN is part of the problem, not the answer IMHO. Mike
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