Characteristics of Cloud Computing
Discuss about the Cloud Computing and Construction.
In the recent past, cloud computing has been a buzzword in the technology sector. Not only is the technology used in the technology industry, it is also applied in many other industries including manufacturing, production, education, health and more (Rossi, 2015). Additionally, cloud computing is also being implemented in the construction industry to help manage construction projects (Prasanna & Raja, 2014). It allows organizations to reduce costs by eradicating the need to acquire physical and logical IT infrastructures (Coles, 2018). It greatly reduces the need to purchase advanced hardware and also does away with the need for companies to have physical space to enable servers and databases storage (Salesforce, 2015). As such, it eliminates local machines and workers workloads by shifting it to cloud computing providers. Typically, cloud computing is the access of computing resources such as storage, applications and development frameworks over the Internet (Rao, et al., 2009). Such services are delivered via web interfaces for users who pay for on-demand subscription either per hour, minute or monthly. Cloud services are thus elastic so that users can use as little or as much as they choose and the services managed fully by the provider. Companies that provide cloud services include Microsoft, Amazon, IBM, Salesforce, SAP, Google, Yahoo and more (Evans, 2017). Cloud computing infrastructure is overlaid on the Internet (Singh & Hemalatha, 2012). According to recent research, cloud computing technology cost has been estimated to grow from over 60 billion to 167 billion by 2020 (Columbus, 2017). Among the Industries that are increasingly adopting cloud computing is the construction industry.
Cloud computing features the following characteristics
- Facilitates on-demand service for end-users
- Broad network access
- Collaboration and coordination
- Pooling of resources
- Accessible in any location
- Rapid scalability and elasticity
Users can access cloud computing in form of three main services which include Infrastructure as a Service, Software as a Service and Platform as a Service (Kumar & Goudar, 2012). Infrastructure services are used to provide rented storage structures such as servers, processing, networks and user defined storage. Platform services provide software development APIs which users can use to design and create customized applications. Lastly, software cloud services allows cloud providers to offer software applications for end users who use web interfaces to access office and work applications such as Google Calendar and Google Docs (Satyanarayana, 2012).
Cloud computing can be deployed using several models consisting of a service provider on one hand and end users on the other end. When organizations, governments or construction industries make a choice to adopt cloud resources, they can select from various models used for cloud deployment (Partners, 2018). In the first instance, users can deploy a public cloud where they get shared cloud space with other users from cloud providers. Secondly, they can also deploy a private cloud where they pay for an exclusive cloud space that is not shared with other users. They can utilize both a public and private cloud by deploying a hybrid cloud. Finally, they can implement a community cloud where two or more organizations share the same cloud space if they have a similar mission or objectives. The service side provides end users with the ability to choose from various cloud services (Mahmood, 2011). Clients are usually presented with a web interface after they enter correct credentials where they have the ability to access and use the services provided by the provider. User side may be accessed through the use of devices including desktop, laptops, smart phones, tablets and other computers. The cloud provider side consists of service’s including service platforms, application servers, development environments, datacenters and more. One of the responsibility of cloud providers is to always keep user data and information secure. Service-Level Agreements (SLA) between users and cloud providers specifies details of the cloud services including maintaining 99.9 percent service uptime
Deployment Models
Although the construction industry has been very slow to adopt cloud computing, currently, cloud technology is being implemented for construction projects. Construction projects are usually managed by some officials including project managers, contractors, architects, builders and technicians (Prasanna & Raja, 2014). For project success, construction teams require great coordination and collaboration in order to communicate project details and progress effectively. Effective communication and coordination is critical to reduce costs and enable quality standards. Project efficiency in construction largely depends on how the project manager communicates, assesses, estimates and clarifies the feedback to the project team in every construction phase the project lifecycle (Kumar, 2009). Implementing cloud in the construction industry is thus very advantageous as construction projects are constantly faced by field works, new construction sites and change of workers. When workers are in the field, it is important for them to be able to access company data and information on time as well as update their job tasks for the office to see. Old-fashioned client/server architectures only allow construction workers to do this only in office settings which limits operations, schedules and general productivity. However, cloud computing technology allows new innovations and possibilities that enable instant connections for all participants in a project team. Cloud technology makes possible for construction project teams to connect to office and report field work progress from any location with internet access in a secure way. Construction businesses are thus set to benefit from cloud technologies including access to greater freedom and easy to access data and information anytime, anywhere from cable offices, construction sites or customer field locations across the world.
The construction industry like other industries has come to the realization that adopting cloud computing technology can be very beneficial (Brandt & Moyers, 2013). Cloud computing applications enable construction stakeholders to access real-time data from anywhere at any time using devices including mobile devices even on the go which fosters more efficiency and integration with software’s used by contractors.
Several studies have been carried out regarding cloud computing implementation in the construction industry. According to a survey conducted in 2017, more than 80 percent of contractors in construction industry plan to use or use cloud-based solutions (Sage, 2018). A similar survey done in 2012 showed that only 16 percent believed that cloud computing was important. The study covered about 1300 firms who were analyzed for collaboration processes by Sage and General Contractors America (Sage, 2018). Currently, there are a number of SaaS tools and applications for the construction industry provided by HCSS, Unearth, Plangrid, and Procore (Unearth, 2018). One company that has successfully adopted cloud services id True Value Homes. True Value Homes is a construction company that has implemented a cloud based web system for its workers (Tech Brief, 2018). Before adopting the web based cloud interface to coordinate workers, the company was doing a lot of paperwork and run 17 operational sites. Workers only processed the paper documents while on the physical office premises. After the cloud web interface implementation, workers can now work from anywhere including in the field and home. They only need to login into the application using secure login credentials. The company had 100 computers and only 100 workers could access them. With the cloud application, approximately 500 workers can now access the system using mobile devices and complete their tasks which has increased productivity and saves a lot of time (Tech Brief, 2018). In Australia, another construction company is already enjoying the benefits of high level processes collaboration through cloud applications. Built, which one of the largest privately owned Construction Company in the country implemented Dropbox, a cloud based application to allow file sharing between stakeholders, contractors and partners (Corner, 2017). They have been able to streamline the company’s construction operations and are now able to share project schedules, blueprints, design changes, up to date architectural drawings within offices and construction sites. The file sharing software has improved efficiency and helped accelerate their construction projects. Construction companies that have adopted cloud computing are able to streamline and balance their operation between workers working in sites located in different locations and the main office. Workers are able to update their tasks even when they are in the field through remote access (Tech Brief, 2018).
Cloud Computing in Construction
In today’s world, cloud computing is playing an important role especially in construction industry. It is therefore able to bring various benefits to the industry (Xue & Xin, 2016). Cloud computing is able to provide value-added new capabilities that traditional working methodologies cannot provide. Thus, there are many specific construction benefits to cloud computing like the following:
Stakeholder Collaboration
One of the greatest benefit that adopting cloud solutions provides for construction companies is collaboration between project leaders, contractors and clients (Tech Brief, 2018). According to a survey done by Jasper (2012), embracing cloud services not only allows coordination and collaboration between one construction team, it also allows collaboration between varied project teams across the globe. The survey notes, “today’s construction professional also needs to be highly collaborative”. Cloud applications also facilitate high levels of accountability and transparency for all participants which allows diversity of thought hence enhancing construction. As such, general workers, subcontractors and clients should look to the cloud at individual levels in order to leverage capabilities offered by cloud applications to enhance coordination among them.
Mobility
According to a report by (Jasper, 2012), contractors are always doing their work operations outside the office since over 90 percent of their work is done in the field. Cloud allows them to use their own devices to enforce job tasks at anytime from anywhere (Sage Construction and Real Estate , 2012). The survey also reported that construction companies are able to follow on field workers in real time including project scheduling, management and progress. The smartphone is the most commonly used device carried by workers to construction sites. It is small in size, portable and can be used even under the ground where larger devices cannot be sued. Laptops come in second and then tablets (Jasper, 2012). With the growth in technology, it is imperative that modern construction enterprises adopt new innovations for more efficiency growth and productivity. With scattered job sites and decentralized offices, lot of travelling jobs and project tasks in construction, cloud services is the only innovation that can streamline operations either locally or internationally. Cloud offers remote access to workers for continued consistency and success in construction (Tech Brief, 2018).
Advanced Analytics
When construction data is stored in the cloud, it becomes simple to access from any location, compare plans or take dimensions of any of your devices. Also, many point cloud file capacities go beyond 10 GBs. When working with consistent aerial imagery, point clouds can occupy a lot of storage space and consume hundreds GB of storage devices. Cloud computing makes it very easy to have data in one place for construction companies where it can be analyzed using advanced cloud applications for insights. Without implementing a SaaS service, it is impossible to perform such advanced analysis on construction data.
Benefits of Cloud Computing in Construction
Easy Data Sharing
Construction projects are done by big teams consisting of many stakeholders. As a result, data sharing across all the persons is remarkably time consuming. Implementing SaaS construction tools and applications for construction companies make information sharing easy by offering communication and collaboration in real-time (Sage Construction and Real Estate, 2015).
Efficient Data Storage
It is crucial to document every detail of a construction project in order to meet contractual requirements. When construction data is stored physically, it is liable to theft, loss or damage. Additionally, it needs huge physical servers and cannot be accessed with such hardware. Storing data in the cloud makes sure it is secure and accessible from anywhere at any time.
Powerful Data Processing
Cloud storage enables powerful data processing and so storing construction data in the cloud is the only concrete way to obtain powerful construction insights. For example, drones are used to fly over construction sites taking hundreds of pictures using detailed GPS data and coordinates. Cloud storage makes it easy to use an orthography to create such images which typical applications cannot be able to process.
As discussed above, cloud computing comprises of three parties which are the user or cloud client, cloud provider and the cloud network (Turab, et al., 2013). Since cloud systems run on the Internet, they are faced with numerous security threats at the different levels. There are security threats that target cloud provider level, the user level and network level (Palmer, 2015). As a consequence, such threats need to be eliminated to ensure that clouds for organizations are consistently up and running. This section contains different threats to construction cloud applications at different cloud architecture levels as well as measures to reduce and deal with them.
Cloud computing benefits outweigh challenges by far. Following are few studied disadvantages that could result as a result of implementing cloud computing for construction:
Hacking Attacks
Cloud computing provides plentiful of advantages. Therefore it draws a lot of attention to many people including hackers (Violino, 2018). Hackers employ many attacks such wrapping attacks, social engineering attacks, malware injection, XML signature, account hijacking, data manipulation, Distributed Denial of Service(DDoS) attacks, wireless local area network attacks, traffic flooding and more which pose threats to the security construction cloud computing applications (Violino, 2018). There are millions of hacking attacks where company data have been hacked into and their data compromised. In one instance in 2014, the police arrested a hacker who was suspected to have participated in a hack activist group that propagated a DDoS attack against a children hospital in Boston (Miliard, 2016). Denial of Service attacks are one of major attacks targeting security for cloud computing models and can be used to target cloud applications for the construction industry (Masdari & Marzie, 2016).
Successful Cloud Implementation Cases in Construction
Data Security
Cloud computing systems are always faced with insecurity from all angles. If it is not hackers who can target construction data stored in the cloud, it could be human errors or natural disasters such as fires, floods or hurricanes (Monjur & Mohammad, 2014). Thus, storing construction data in the cloud increases its insecurity through either loss, theft, loss or destruction as a result of disasters (Cloud Security Alliance, 2010). The existing contemporary cloud based services have been found to suffer from susceptibility issues with the existence of probable security gaps that could be abused by hackers. Security concerns are thus very critical for all cloud computing tools, applications and mechanisms (Bisong & Rahman, 2011).
Downtime
One other risk that cloud applications in the construction industry could suffer from is cloud systems downtime where rented cloud systems become inaccessible. Although rare, sometimes data centers and servers can go down. Luckily, such a challenge only exists temporary, and application outages only last for a short time (Parann-Nissany, 2014). If downtime occurs for construction companies, it need to be rectified within the shortest time possible. Otherwise, it can pause operations if allowed to continue for longer periods.
Migrating Your Data
One of the greatest challenges with cloud systems is data migration. Conflicts and challenges in adopting SaaS application for construction companies can cause process inconsistency causing conflicts within clients and project teams (Jain, 2012). Attempting to migrate data from one application to another can be a huge challenge for construction based cloud applications. Data migration is so much a huge issue as sometimes companies are unable to move on past this stage if complications occur.
Cost
Another limitation with adopting cloud applications for construction companies is deployment costs. Implementing cloud technologies is costly for companies. Construction companies thus need to invest in a lot of money which can deplete company resources. The benefit of utilizing cloud technology also takes time before materializing. However, proper implementation pays off after some time. Additionally, the is no longer need to build and maintain physical IT infrastructures since cloud allows their access through the Internet and it belongs to solely to the providers.
Lack of Internet Access
Constructions cannot be able to implement cloud applications without a strong network backbone. As such, adopting cloud solutions can be limited by lack of Internet access. None of the cloud services can be accessed without Internet access. Some software’s allow workers to download files and use them while offline but some files depend on Internet access 100 percent. Additionally, when a construction site is located in a very remote area without Internet access, workers have no way of accessing cloud applications.
Since the cloud platform is faced by a lot of threats, there is a great need to implement advanced secure policies, procedures and technologies that provide security to cloud services. There are a number of ways that construction companies can implement to protect against threats that face cloud based tools and applications (Jain, 2012).
Allow only authorized workers to access cloud systems
Construction companies need to implement secure login procedures and credentials for all their users in order to protect their cloud applications.
Security check events
Companies should also ensure that cloud providers give them adequate details about service agreements including how to go about implementation and how to handle downtime as well how their applications are secured from the provider side. These terms should show responsibility and actions to be taken between the user and the cloud solutions provider.
Control the consumer access devices
With the growth of mobile computer devices, workers can use unsecured nodes through their devices to cloud networks creating attack loopholes. It is therefore important for construction companies who adopt cloud services to ensure access devices are secured sufficiently (Ashktorab & Taghizadeh, 2012). Workers using their own devices to do office work should be monitored and their devices secured from malware and installed with advanced authentication features including encryption mechanisms.
Monitor the Data Access
Cloud providers should be able to constantly monitor cloud access so as to detect unauthorized logins. They should be keen on who, when and where data was accessed form and for what reason (Pestle Analysis, 2015). By so doing, both users and providers can detect illegal attempts to applications before the threat is done which enhances security.
Set policies and procedures for data access, sharing and modification
There should be verified procedures on hoe to access, modify or delete data. This is to ensure that important data is not modified or deleted by unauthorized people. Construction companies should ensure proper policies and procedures that guide data access, sharing and modification. Additionally, they can implement biometric systems as well as two factor authentication to ensure that only authorized people can work with company data.
Conclusion
Cloud technology is transforming many industries across the globe. It has changed the way work, communicate and do work. It is slowly but progressively transforming the construction industry. Since many construction projects are usually dispersed in different locations, cloud applications help the industry streamline its operations to a good balance. Construction teams also require to collaborate in order to be at par with project and become successful. Many companies have adopted cloud technologies in order to streamline operations in the office and field construction sites such as Built. It is thus important for other construction to adopt cloud technologies for all the benefits they provide. However, cloud technologies are also faced with many threats and risks. Construction should be wary of those by adopting secure mechanisms to be able to guard their applications and information online.
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