I heard Brad Smith (Microsoft) give a talk on the issues standing between Europe and its cloud computing destiny. Much has been written on the benefits of the Cloud, but Brad’s talk got to the heart of the challenges facing European policy makers, if Europe is not to be left out of the party. Apart from the more predictable issues of data privacy and security, Brad highlighted the less familiar theme of broadband connectivity. Without pervasive and robust connectivity, the Cloud won’t be able to deliver its full benefits. This leads nicely into what has become a favourite theme for the Lark – namely the TV white spaces. These spectrum gaps left between terrestrial TV stations are a delicacy which is ripe for converting into wireless capacity – whether to convey HD content between devices in your home or to allow rural folks the opportunity to enjoy the level of broadband that town dwellers are more used to. … Take a look for yourself at a recording of Brad’s talk, on ….. www.microsoft.eu
Brad gave an example of how server centre energy requirements are going down – MS’s latest centre in Dublin consumes only 50% of the power of predecessors. A fair proportion of this is apparently down to Ireland’s temperate clime. Taken to a logical extreme, this might see data migrating North each year with our feathered cousins, as the summer heat arrives.
