Google Cloud Services

Google Cloud is one of the most used platforms for the purposes of cloud computing and serverless data management and use. It has had an impressive journey since its inception in 2008, and has made many changes and improvements to its model to be able to garner the clientele and projected revenue as it does. Despite this, there is a need to keep an eye to the challenges of the future, most of which revolve around security and the privacy of data that is put on these cloud softwares. This essay details and analyzes the development, current practices and future challenges of Google Cloud services.

I. Google Cloud Services

Google Cloud Services is a platform that provides tools and services for users to build additional infrastructure (Forrest). It is the third largest revenue generating platform out there, and started in 2008 with the Google App Engine, after which is added a number of tools which collectively became known as the Google Cloud Platform (Zhang, Vheng and Boutaba 2010, p. 11). Since releasing all this and building a base for its users, Google has been adding tools such as Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), which has helped it increase its market share over as well (Forrest).

II. Information Management Strategy

Strategic alignment

Strategic alignment is when a company aligns its business processes and staff briefings with the overall strategy of a why the company was created in the first place. In terms of Google Cloud, it functions as a server-free base for the development and execution of cloud infrastructure, and so strategic alignment for Google Cloud means the alignment of its business process to facilitating the infrastructure (Demirkan and Delen 2013, p. 413).

Google's successful alignment

To differentiate itself from others in the market, Google has become one of the largest contributor to open source software, and has over 2000 of such projects, including Angular and Chromium and Go (MSV 2017). Additionally, Google devotes time and money to integrating client and server side technologies and has around 2 billion users on Android and more than 1 billion on Chrome (Chris 2017). This is a majorly different step from others in the market, which is displayed by the fact that only 38% of executives integrate their services despite the fact that 95% have a cloud strategy ("Tips to align cloud computing strategies with clients' business goals").

Barriers to implementing strategy

There are a number of barriers to implementing strategy, one of the most important ones of which is the fast pace at which business is conducted, which often prevents executives from being able to focus on integration and strategy (Waits 2015). Another one of these issues is that strategizing tactics are often too impractical and executive-focused to actually be carried out, and this eventually detracts from the focus on them (Waits 2015).

III. Data Analytics

Using analytics

Using analytics means to process data sets and decipher what information they give, and then use that information to improve the revenues and efficiency of any organization (Cegielski 2012, p. 187). Using data analytics helps to improve the understanding of market trends, which can eventually help a company rise above competition and differentiate itself in the marketplace as a company that takes user feedback and client demands into account when developing a future strategy ("What is data analytics?").

How did Google cloud improve by using analytics

Google Cloud uses the analytics and trends provided by Google Trends into consideration when deciding on strategies for the future. For example, Google Trends showcases how interest about platform has risen in the last few years, and how by 2020 cloud traffic will be 92% of all data network traffic (Jackson 2018). Using such information, Google has developed practices and adapted its services to international standards so that it can organize the best possible data plan and sync its data services to the demands and wants of the final customer ("Digital Information Management").

IV. Information Governance and Security

Importance of data governance and advantages

Data governance is the management of data and the insurance of its availability, user friendliness and security, all of which help the organization gain control over its data ad control the behavior associated with the management of that data ("What is Data Governance?"). By having data governance, a company can ensure that its clients have the assurance of quality control and security, and for this reason it is often dedicated an entire governing body with a detailed set of procedures ("What is data governance?").

Challenges of data governance

The first challenge of data governance is the fact that there is so much data out there, and that it is growing at an increasing rate constantly. A lot of this data can also be redundant, creating a huge backlog and time delay in dealing with the issues (Wang et al. 2010, p. 139). Additionally, there is a need in data management, which is made much more acute due to the lack of structured infrastructure and greater degree of employee autonomy, of ensuring employee compliance with the data management plans

Data governance cycle

The first step in governing data is to establish the owners of the data that is being governed and discussed, which is known as data stewardship (Sultan 2011, p. 273). After this has been done, the strategies for the storage and protection of data must be decided upon by the formation of processes that will perform these tasks ("What is data governance?"). Additionally, controls are made so that data can be used across users and organizations consistently and without any breakup due to differing policies and regulations (Mishra et al. 2010, p. 36). As more data is added to the system, the entire process is repeated again due to the absolutely essential need to govern any data that is added onto a system. As needs evolve, a cloud platform should be able to respond to the newer data with more efficiency, lesser costs and an improved architecture ("Data Management for Google Cloud Platform").

Threats to Google cloud data

One of the biggest threats to Google cloud data is the security and privacy aspect of the data that is put on the software, and in this regard it is important to keep in mind competitors like Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Azure (Mell and Grance 2009, p. 306).  These services have been using and developing serverless software with much more traction and ease of use than Google Cloud, which can become a threat to the platform in the future ("Is Serverless Computing becoming a threat to Google Cloud?").

Cloud computing

Cloud computing is the use of the internet as a carrier for all the computing services and resources that are required by a client or customer, such as applications or data centers (Marston et al. 2011, p. 179). These mostly function on a pay per use system, which allows for the users to fully customize their cloud usage by scaling the resources purchased up and down easily, and by creating a metered service which means you only pay for exactly what you use ("What is cloud computing?").

Information security and cyber crime

Cyber crime is one of the most common threats to information and data that is kept on cloud services, and due to the improvement of hacking and crime by the criminals themselves, is only becoming more expensive with time (Graham 2017). Cases of cyber crime can include data theft, more traditional hacking and ransomware, although cloud computing is hit with these attacks less than the traditional computing infrastructure systems (Graham 2017).

Google's approach to secure its data

Google Cloud uses the information it has garnered from over one billion users from six global businesses to protect its data, and does so by focusing very specifically on phishing emails, which are at the start of almost 91% of all cyber attacks and the Denial of Service attacks, which make applications unavailable and cost almost $40,000 an hour ("Security Scenarios & Solutions"). By trying to eradicate these and other such instances of cyber attack, the commonality of which can be estimated from the fact that every 40 seconds, another company is hit with a ransomware attack, Google Cloud attempts to secure any data stored on it ("Security Scenarios & Solutions").

V. Information Quality of Google Cloud Services

Intrinsic information quality

Cloud computing has an intrinsic connection with other primary trends in technological innovation, as it enables advanced processing of data, application deployment, and storage. Specifically, its utilization is progressing as people, companies, and the Internet of Things devices are providing information at a rising degree and the Cloud is allowing for an analysis to be carried out (Sheth 2017). Within that contextual framework, Cloud computing can be described as the primary element that brings together mobile computing, Big Data, and the Internet of Things. Companies are now widely making use of public Cloud services as a means of processing, storing, and analyzing information, incorporating via an increasing range of Machine Learning tools and artificial intelligence.

Contextual information quality

With a device that supports Google Cloud and mobility strategies, companies can collect contextual data via that device and implement analytical adjustments to make choices that are well-informed and smart. Moreover, the chances of any business’ team showing efficiency are increased if more and more employees make use of devices such as Android phones and Chromebooks for collaborating and safely accessing documents (Sheth 2017). Quite a few devices are now supporting such a strategic move within which data remains secure.

In other instances, Cloud is a supporter of newer forms of technology with completely new approaches, insights and services created by a third party to enhances the computer process and increase the chances of better results (Manuel 2015, p. 287). A primary aspect that requires illustration lies in the imaging of the services, where machine learning tools and artificial intelligence are fast being utilized for the creation of newer opportunities to diagnose a variety of severe illnesses and such. Such tools could be utilized within other contextual frameworks to bring about greater insight from speech or text information.

There lies a lot of potential, albeit a lot of such technological innovations are in a state that renders advantage proof of a quantitative nature very restricted. Newer initiatives that are utilizing the Cloud system for analyzing healthcare information so as to give newer insights are being made by prominent international sellers, and academic research has confirmed the likelihood of algorithm-centric answers, for instance the identification of possible heart disease from retina pictures (Manuel 2015, p. 288).

Representation information quality

Consumers are in agreement that products not subjected to Google services cannot be endorsed, created or owned by Google, while Google has no warranty or representation of such products up-to-date, complete and accurate display, description, listing etc. (Webb and Webb 2004, p. 432). Google is not responsible for monitoring, controlling, or being liable for products and has no responsibility in the nature, accuracy and quality of products like that or the security exercises or general policies on privacy.

Accessibility information quality

Quality information is made available to consumers through Cloud that is easily accessible through their application on phones and tablets and on laptops and PCs as well. 

VI. Information Management Challenges

One of the first challenges of information management is the lack of time and funds allocated to this challenge by companies, and this is especially the case among smaller firms. According to an online survey, only 21% of small to medium companies in America wanted to devote as many resources to security as the presented challenge requires (Graham 2017). Additionally, the ever changing nature and huge cost of any downtime caused by information mismanagement presents an additional challenge that highlights the dire need to improve information management.

VII. Future of Digital Information Management

The future of digital information management revolves around an improved and much more efficient cloud computing system, which allows for people to conduct their processes online while protecting the safety of their information and the data that they have put into their cloud software (Silva, Costa and Oliviera 2012, p. 351). Additionally, owing to the large amounts of new users projected to join cloud computing in the next few years, the successful information management will be that which is fast, quickly updated and adapts to additional information and added demands from customers. Finally, a successful management system will be one that has integrated the vision of furthering cloud computing into its business processes and devoting time, money and a trained set of minds to data governance.

VII. Conclusion

Google Cloud is a service used by millions of users everyday all across the world. Since its inception, the Platform has improved significantly in regards to services offered and infrastructure development allowed, and despite challenges relating to data security and governance, has also managed to become a prominent player in the serverless computing arena. With additional development and improvement of offered services, Google Cloud is projected to become an even more prominent force in this field.

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