Networks
57
Thinking Highways Vol 4 No 2
www.thinkinghighways.com
Networks
Vol 4 No 2 Thinking Highways
56
www.thinkinghighways.com
Keeping pace with the ever-evolving state of infor-
mation technologies can be a challenging endeavor
for any public transportation agency.
The dynamic nature of information technologies gen-
erates a perpetual stream of assessment and evaluation
requirements, particularly for those agencies looking to
benefit from the intrinsic values associated with lead-
ing-edge technologies. The latest phase in the evolu-
tion of network computing centers around a relatively
new concept known as “cloud computing”.
A recent paradigm shift from client-side or enterprise-
based computing to a web-based (or in the “clouds”)
computing model represents a significant reshaping of
mainstream networking philosophy. This reshaping in
turn presents network practitioners with yet another
technological alternative to consider. Not only does this
new networking scheme represent a new networking
architecture, it also establishes a potential new business
model for agencies to consider.
Although the digital world is largely undecided as to
the depth and breadth of the impact and real-world
value of cloud computing, it is clear that certain ele-
ments of the cloud-computing model are already being
embraced. What is the potential impact of this form of
networking architecture on Intelligent Transportation
Systems (ITS)? To what degree will this new paradigm
be engaged by the ITS community? This article will
examine some of the potential benefits and likely barri-
ers and challenges for those looking to migrate to a
cloud-computing platform and assess the current via-
bility of cloud-computing technologies for ITS.
Cloud Computing
The “cloud” symbol is generally accepted as the net-
work industry standard metaphor (icon) for the Inter-
net, deriving from the use of cloud symbology to depict
the Internet in networking diagrams. It is this graphical
representation that gives name t