U.S. Scientists Given Free Access to Cloud Computing; Here’s how you could do something similar, but in your own community- with your own server.
Yesterday, there was a big announcement by The National Science Foundation and Microsoft Corporation where they agreed to offer American scientific researchers free access to the company’s new cloud computing service.
No, I am not proposing you offer free space on your servers to the National Science Foundation.
Rather, this an opportunity for you to do good in your community with the hosted or managed server or cloud service you are using. Call social server meets social good.
Surely, in the community where you live, there’s a school science project or maybe a kid that needs some space to store and manage a class project, or maybe an idea for a budding business they want to prototype.
Or maybe there’s a homeless shelter, a church, synagogue or mosque that needs a bit of wiggle room to expand their membership database or create a new application that will help them grow and sustain.
Your role? Donate a portion of your service, or slice in the cloud to a non-profit or educational institution in your community. Help them configure, manage and new things for their organization in a way that they could not have done before.
Where to start?
Make a list.
Ask your kids.
Ask your religious and community leaders.
Find a cause, or something you are passionate about and help them out. You’ve got the room and the power to give in a new and compelling way.
Thoughts?
Photo (c) Bob Jagendorf / via Flickr
Mel Indyk was the former Vice President of Information Technology Enterprise Collaboration at Lucent Technologies. Read his insights and predictions for the hosting industry in 2010...
