Question

Computer power is moving into the “cloud”—networks of data centres that use the Internet to supply all kinds of services, from e-mail and social networks to data storage and analysis.

The rise of cloud computing is rapid and causing huge changes in the tech industry. The old guard is suffering: this week’s $67 billion merger (合并) between Dell and EMC, makers of computers and storage devices respectively (分别), was a marriage forced by the rise of the cloud. Disruptive (捣乱的) newcomers are blooming: if Amazon’s cloud-computing unit were a stand-alone public company, it would probably be worth almost as much as Dell and EMC combined.

The gains for customers have been equally dramatic. Compared with older IT systems, cloud computing is often much cheaper. It adds tremendous flexibility: firms that need more computing capacity no longer have to spend weeks adding new servers and installing software. In the cloud they can get hold of it in minutes. Their applications can be updated continually, rather than just every few months. Individual users can reach their e-mails, files and photos from any device. And cloud services also tend to be more secure, since providers know better than their customers how to protect their computing systems against hackers.

But cloud computing makes one problem worse. In the old IT world, once a firm or a consumer had decided on an operating system or database, it was difficult and costly to switch to another. In the cloud this “lock-in” is even worse. Cloud providers go to great lengths to make it easy to upload data. They accumulate huge amounts of complex information, which cannot easily be moved to an alternative provider.

Cloud firms also create a world of interconnected services, software and devices, which is convenient but only for as long as you don’t venture (冒险) outside their universe. Being locked in to a provider is risky. Firms can start to tighten the screws by increasing prices. If a cloud provider goes bust (崩溃), its customers may have trouble getting back their data.

These risks have already caused a debate about whether the cloud needs stricter regulation. Some European politicians want to force cloud providers to ensure that data can be moved between them. That is too heavy-handed, because strict rules will inhibit (阻碍) innovation in what is still a young industry. The history of computing suggests that common standards may well appear naturally in response to customers’ demands—just as in personal computers, where it is now much easier to use the same files on different systems.

In the meantime, a few commonsense measures can reduce the risk of lock-in. Firms that use more than one cloud provider to host their data are less affected. So are those that keep their most important information in their own data centres. Consumers can take precautions, too. Some services are better than others at enabling users to move data between providers (Google does well on this score). Cloud computing promises its users many benefits, but don’t mistake it for some sort of digital heaven.

1.The author takes “the merger between Dell and EMC” for example to show ________.

A. the influence of cloud computing on computer and storage device makers

B. the miserable sufferings of old computer companies

C. the rapid development of new computer companies

D. the interaction between old companies and newcomers

2.With wide applications of cloud computing customers can ________.

A. pay less for the older IT systems

B. gain more computing capacity quickly

C. know better about defeating the hackers

D. install software within weeks

3.The problem of “lock-in” can be dangerous because ________.

A. it should ensure data can easily be moved to another provider

B. it can create a network of services connected with devices

C. it may make it difficult for customers to recover their data

D. it will discourage an argument about stricter rules

4.It can be inferred from the last two paragraphs that ________.

A. the European politicians’ advice is perfect

B. customers’ demands play a role in setting standards

C. lock-in is caused by firms’ storing information in their own centres

D. Google enables users to provide services and move data

5.Which of the following sayings can best express the main idea of the passage?

A. Everything has its time and that time must be watched.

B. The grass looks greener on the other side of the fence.

C. A candle lights others and consumes itself.

D. Every white has its black, and every sweet has its sour.

Answer 1