Community Cloud Computing

TL;DR

Community Cloud Computing (C3) proposes a decentralized cloud model leveraging networked personal computers to address privacy, resilience, and sustainability concerns inherent in traditional vendor-centric cloud services.

Contribution

The paper introduces a novel architecture for community-based clouds combining principles from Grid Computing, Digital Ecosystems, and Green Computing.

Findings

Addresses distributed computing challenges like heterogeneity and security.

Highlights potential for increased privacy and environmental sustainability.

Proposes feasible technical solutions for decentralized cloud infrastructure.

Abstract

Cloud Computing is rising fast, with its data centres growing at an unprecedented rate. However, this has come with concerns over privacy, efficiency at the expense of resilience, and environmental sustainability, because of the dependence on Cloud vendors such as Google, Amazon and Microsoft. Our response is an alternative model for the Cloud conceptualisation, providing a paradigm for Clouds in the community, utilising networked personal computers for liberation from the centralised vendor model. Community Cloud Computing (C3) offers an alternative architecture, created by combing the Cloud with paradigms from Grid Computing, principles from Digital Ecosystems, and sustainability from Green Computing, while remaining true to the original vision of the Internet. It is more technically challenging than Cloud Computing, having to deal with distributed computing issues, including heterogeneous nodes, varying quality of service, and additional security constraints. However, these are not insurmountable challenges, and with the need to retain control over our digital lives and the potential environmental consequences, it is a challenge we must pursue.