AWS said a significant number of EC2 instances and EBS volumes within its Sydney region were impacted by connectivity issues.

While many cloud outages fly under the radar, because of the size and scope of AWS and its high-profile clients, AWS outages – regardless of length – can have a big impact. Last year, an AWS outage in North Virginia impacted the services of Heroku and Netflix.

A number of businesses in Australia were impacted by the AWS outage, including Domino’s Pizza, and TV streaming services Foxtel Play and Stan.

All AWS services in Australia were operating as normal on Monday, including Amazon CloudSearch, Amazon CloudWatch, and Amazon EC2 Container Service.

Source: TheWHIR

“For five years now we’ve helped our customers manage and optimize their clouds at an insane pace. Collectively, our customers have spent nearly $4B on cloud services,” Ellis said. “Early adopters such as GE, Uber and Atlassian have demonstrated conclusively that new tools and processes are needed to optimize cloud spending and avoid waste. And an agile and decentralized approach to cloud management raises the speed limit for innovation inside their organizations.”

Earlier this year, Cloudability acquired self-service cloud business intelligence platform DataHero, gaining a San Francisco office in the process. Cloudability is headquartered in Portland, Oregon, where it was recently named one of Oregon’s top 100 best companies to work for in 2016.

Last August, Cloudability acquired RipFog to bring big data analytics capabilities into its portfolio.

Source: TheWHIR

READ MORE: Understanding Cloud Backup and Disaster Recovery

Consider this, Ponemon Institute and Emerson Network Power have just released the results of the latest Cost of Data Center Outages study. Previously published in 2010 and 2013, the purpose of this third study is to continue to analyze the cost behavior of unplanned data center outages. According to the new study, the average cost of a data center outage has steadily increased from $505,502 in 2010 to $740,357 today (or a 38 percent net change). With this in mind – working with a good cloud backup provider not only helps mitigate this outage risk and associated costs; it also allows you to be a lot more flexible with our cloud-based data.

And so, when it comes to cloud backup and planning, it’s important to know and understand which product and vendor to work with. Remember, every environment is unique so the requirements of each organization will certainly differ. Still, there are some important considerations which must be made:

• System compatibility. When working with a cloud backup solution, it’s important to take the time and verify that all systems being backed up are compatible. For example, if snapshots are being taken of a virtual environment – can those snapshots be then used to revert or recover the VM? Can they scale into other cloud systems or even an on premise data center? Will the snapshot only take an image of the VM’s storage and nothing else? Using the same concept, we can apply compatibility with other systems within an organization as well – databases, file servers, applications, and others as well. During the planning process, IT teams will need to work with the cloud backup vendor to ensure that their systems are compatible and are capable of being backed up to the functionality desired. Remember, the goal isn’t only to back up the data. One of the biggest benefits of a modern cloud-based backup solution is the fast turnaround of data recovery. So, administrators must be sure that their data is not only backed up, but is capable of quick and effective recovery.
• Ease of use and training. When working with a cloud backup solution, it’s important to ensure a relative ease of use for the product. Administrators must be able to perform daily tasks to make sure that their data is being backed up safely and normally. There will be times when training is involved to further entrench the technologies within the organization. This is necessary for a smooth backup process since data backup and recovery are vital parts of an IT environment.
• Management tools and feature considerations. Depending on the cloud platform chosen, there will be many feature considerations involved with the product. As mentioned earlier, data deduplication/compression, encryption, compliance support, VM compatibility, and archiving are just a few examples. Others may include direct virtual environment integration, or even cloud-ready disk-based backup solutions. When selecting the right technology and vendor, it’s important for the organization to establish the business case and need for a given product and its features. Once that is established, the other important task is to familiarize the management tool set. Although native tools offered within the product are powerful, there may be a need for 3^rd party offerings as well. Since cloud is a distributed ecosystem, it’s important to consider multi-site deployments. When working with numerous sites and environments, management tools can go a long way in ensuring that data is being backed up normally and efficiently. That means proper data usage, minimal waste within resources, and direct visibility into the cloud backup environment.

Whenever cloud and backup solutions are in the discussion, all infrastructure components which may be affected by the deployment must be considered. Your backup and cloud partner must understand this and be a part of the process. This means compatibility, understanding of the technology and how a backup routine may affect other parts of the infrastructure. There will be times when a backup job may require higher amounts of bandwidth or an appropriate store size – these planning points must be addressed prior to any major rollout. Remember, depending on the environment, there may be options for a pilot or POC. A small-scale rollout of a cloud backup solution may show where some weaknesses can be quickly resolved prior to a large deployment. A good cloud partner can always help there as well.

Source: TheWHIR

Discrimination and Big Data

The White House has actually been exploring this side of big data through the Obama Administration’s Big Data Working Group in hopes of creating dialogue around some of these issues. The group has released a series of reports on big data; the most recent report, released last month, looks at the assumption that big data techniques are unbiased.

“The algorithmic systems that turn data into information are not infallible—they rely on the imperfect inputs, logic, probability, and people who design them. Predictors of success can become barriers to entry; careful marketing can be rooted in stereotype. Without deliberate care, these innovations can easily hardwire discrimination, reinforce bias, and mask opportunity,” according to a blog post.

Some examples of these biases could leave underserved and low-income families out of credit and employment opportunities. The Federal Trade Commission said that to maximize the benefits and limit the harms of big data, companies should consider how representative their data set is, if their data model accounts for biases, the accuracy of their predictions based on big data, and whether their reliance on big data raises concerns around fairness.

“Ideally, data systems will contribute to removing inappropriate human bias where it has previously existed. We must pay ongoing and careful attention to ensure that the use of big data does not contribute to systematically disadvantaging certain groups,” the report said. “To avoid exacerbating biases by encoding them into technological systems, we need to develop a principle of ‘equal opportunity by design’—designing data systems that promote fairness and safeguard against discrimination from the first step of the engineering process and continuing throughout their lifespan.”

The White House report goes through several case studies and recommends that “public and private sectors continue to have collaborative conversations about how to achieve the most out of big data technologies while deliberately applying these tools to avoid—and when appropriate, address—discrimination.” The report offers 5 recommendations:

1. Support research into mitigating algorithmic discrimination, building systems that support fairness and accountability, and developing strong data ethics frameworks.
2. Encourage market participants to design the best algorithmic systems, including transparency and accountability mechanisms such as the ability for subjects to correct inaccurate data and appeal algorithmic-based decisions.
3. Promote academic research and industry development of algorithmic auditing and external testing of big data systems to ensure that people are being treated fairly.
4. Broaden participation in computer science and data science, including opportunities to improve basic fluencies and capabilities of all Americans.
5. Consider the roles of the government and private sector in setting the rules of the road for how data is used.

Big Data Algorithms Can Learn Discrimination

Algorithms learn from the external process of bias or discriminatory behavior, according to a blog post by The Ford Foundation.

“The origin of the prejudice is not necessarily embedded in the algorithm itself: Rather, it is in the models used to process massive amounts of available data and the adaptive nature of the algorithm. As an adaptive algorithm is used, it can learn societal biases it observes.”

In order to address this, policymakers must learn more about big data, and algorithms that underpin “critical systems like public education and criminal justice” must be transparent. There also needs to be updated regulation around the use of personal data, according to the report.

Data as a Liability

A report by our sister site Windows IT Pro looks at the amount of responsibility companies take on when they store big data, referencing a report by Quartz which states data companies will not own data, “they will just manage the flows of data between those that have data and those that need it.”

The conversation around discrimination and big data challenges the idea that big data will replace human decision-making. Big data algorithms can assess, sort, and analyze all sorts of data, but without a human ensuring that the data is being used properly, there could be major consequences.

In order to break it down for you, Penton Technology’s Channel brands The VAR Guy, MSPmentor, Talkin’ Cloud and The WHIR have focused this month on big data and the data deluge.

On Talkin’ Cloud, we share the 7 big data jobs that you must know about. Demand for these jobs is going to continue to grow, so gaining skills in big data is a great way to future-proof your tech career.

On The VAR Guy, Editor in Chief Kris Blackmon shares her thoughts on the coolest data tools of 2016 so far. Definitely worth scoping out if you’re in the market for some new ways to wrangle all of that data.

We’re breaking it down even further with a gallery on 7 open source big data analytics and storage tools by Christopher Tozzi, our resident open source expert.

Also on The VAR Guy, we test your knowledge of big data with an interactive quiz. (We’re sure that by the time you’ve read our entire editorial package on big data, you’ll be on your way to expert status.)

On the WHIR, Clarity Channel Advisors Chief Advisor and HostingCon Evangelist Jim Lippie describes how business analytics, business intelligence and big data intersect to bring you real business insights – regardless of the size of your business.

By 2020, the total amount of data around the world will reach 44 zettabytes. That’s a lot of data to go around. Our hope is that with this editorial package, you will walk away with the knowledge to use big data to bring success to your organization.

Source: TheWHIR

That’s why one of the sessions in the Marketing Track of HostingCon Global is “How Service Providers Can Take Advantage of the Booming E-Commerce Market.” Wilfried Beeck, CEO of ePages, will lead an exploration of the role of web hosts, ISPs, and service providers in ecommerce, particularly for SMBs. Competition among ecommerce companies grows constantly, but few of them deal directly, let alone effectively with SMBs.

Beeck founded ePages in 1983, after studying Mathematics and Computer Sciences. He also co-founded Intershop Communications GmbH, and managed its IPO in 1998. He is currently involved with a number of other high-tech companies as an investor and board member.

His expertise will be highly valuable to many hosts, and just may be the start of a big break for your web hosting company at HostingCon Global 2016. Register by June 10 to save $100 with the Early Bird rate.

Source: TheWHIR

A study from Catalyst.org, a known authority on women in business, cites four qualities of being an inclusive leader: empowerment, accountability, courage, and humility. Being an inclusive leader means you create a workplace culture where employees feel connected and supported. Inclusive leaders foster innovation and creativity, and an opportunity for everyone to advance and thrive within the organization. Are you an Inclusive Leader? Here are the attributes:

Are you an Inclusive Leader? Here are the attributes:

Empowerment – Inclusive leaders encourage team members to solve problems, not just do a job. They want their team to have new ideas and develop skills that will empower them to be a better resource for the whole organization.

Accountability – Inclusive leaders are confident in their team. They don’t micro-manage but, instead, hold them responsible for their performance. They let them own the responsibilities and have control over the outcomes.

Humility – Inclusive leaders are open to input and feedback. They can admit mistakes and learn from them. They will know their own limitations and seek assistance from others to overcome and be successful.

Courage – Inclusive leaders will put aside their personal interests to achieve what needs to be done. They are not afraid to do what is right, and will often take some risks to ensure the correct outcome.

An inclusive leader will foster a workplace where diversity is valued, and where women can find a balanced organization. However, a single inclusive leader can’t change an entire organization. There needs to be top-down sponsorship at the senior level in organizations to really drive and sustain a culture of inclusion and a balanced workforce.

Organizations need to build a culture in teams that celebrates the collective brilliance of the organization. Successes and failures should be celebrated. Cultures that embrace innovation, experiment with pilots and new ideas and improve along the way will create an atmosphere for success.

There are several things specific things any organization can do to build a culture of inclusion.

Attract Female Candidates – One of the simplest things you can do is targeted recruitment programs to have more women candidates for open roles in the organization. Being deliberate in the organization about hiring positions that can have inclusion benefits is important.

Identify Internal Talent – Be on the lookout for women to mentor into roles with additional responsibility and cross functional training. Identifying talent early and developing them inside the organization will greatly benefit your efforts of inclusion.

Enable Women into the Executive and Board level – Building women into management roles, hiring at least 2 executives into your C-suite, and ensuring your corporate or advisory board has at least 2 women are all techniques to enable an inclusive and ultimately more successful organization.

Here are a few resources to enable the success of tech men and women together in the workplace:

Global cause for social good at http://heforshe.org/en

The authoritative agency on women: http://www.catalyst.org

The 20 by 2020 initiative – 20% women in America on public company corporate boards https://www.2020wob.com

Training for women executives, women in business, mentoring forums: www.ccle.org

Growing program to teach middle school girls to like and value technology (when they learn and love it at this age, they are more likely to enter the field later) : www.techgirlz.org

Inclusion is a trait to be valued throughout an entire organization. Being an inclusive leader and taking proactive steps to be inclusive as an organization are great ways to help promote women in tech. Done well, any organization can find its way to increased success and higher profitability by employing these techniques.

Source: TheWHIR