Paper Title:
Authors:
Dr Dimiter Velev is an Associate Professor in the Department of Information Technologies and Communications at the University of National and World Economy, Sofia, Bulgaria.
Dr Plamena Zlateva is currently an Associate Professor at the Institute of System Engineering and Robotics at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria.
Published at the International Journal of Innovation, Management and Technology, Vol. 3, No. 2
Published on April 2012
Summary of the paper Content
The paper speaks about how to utilise the facilities and capabilities of the Cloud and benefit from its various working modalities so that we, as the humanitarian aid worker on the ground, can ensure a rapid service upscale in affected areas and ensure that aid is given to people who need it the most in time.
The absence of an information system contributed to a delayed humanitarian response.
Cloud computing is practical because it can scale when the need dramatically increases. The Cloud is dynamic regarding expansion as it can cater to the demand increase on short notice or without prior notification. With cloud computing, if one has access to the Internet through a cell phone or a computer, they can connect with the Cloud and eventually perform their duties as required.
The Quality of the Research
Is the research question or objective clearly stated?
Yes, it addresses the potential of using cloud services in different ways and how to respond during an emergency, either natural or man-made.
Is the research question interesting and important?
Since the early 2000s, information systems and technology have been key factors. They evolved throughout the emergencies we encountered from Darfur 2003, Lebanon 2006, Haiti 2010, Ebola 2014, ISIS 2016, Rohingya refugees 2017, Covid in 2019 and lately in Ukraine 2022.
Is the work original?
However, the topic of cloud computing was addressed more than once, and in this paper, the author researched 21 references that explained the different aspects of cloud computing and how to make the most of it. So yes, I think it's an original way of approaching it as it puts all the elements together in one place.
Is the background research detailed and relevant?
Two keywords were in mind and were used as a guideline
Cloud computing
How utilise it in Disaster?
The paper was constructed around it, appearing along the paper sections and references section.
Are there any ethical problems?
There are no ethical concerns to the research paper.
The Research Method
Summarise the research method
The paper had a clear pathway. The research was well explained to a non-technical person reading it for an initial engagement.
Comparing the recent disasters and disasters that occurred in the mid-'90s, the game changer was the ability to communicate between the teams and access data to enhance the response.
Does the research method seem appropriate for the research question?
Yes, it is appropriate for the research question as it only provides an overview of the benefits, types, backup plans, what it can be used for and what can happen without this technology.
Are the methods adequately described?
In my opinion, this paper was created with a self-explanatory approach in mind. Both authors have more than 150 publications combined and have been associated with the Bulgarian Academy of Science since 2011.
Were the analyses done correctly?
The analysis part is well presented if we only consider the technical part of cloud computing. However, other aspects of implementing a cloud computing project in real life exist.
Are the conclusions supported by the data?
As the paper was explanatory and well written, unfortunately, it was not supported by data or real-life examples that readers can refer to.
Quality of Presentation
Is the work well presented?
The paper was well structured, but I would have appreciated it if some infographics were included, such as response time before and after using the Cloud, integration of cloud computing, and acceptance of the idea worldwide. This would have been nice.
Is the paper well structured?
The paper checked all the boxes, in my opinion, starting with an abstract, Introduction, in-depth explanation of the topic and having all the common questions addressed, acknowledgement, and conclusion then, followed by a list of references.
Are symbols, terms, and concepts adequately defined?
The authors made sure that the paper was clear until the end. For example, in section II, instead of just writing IaaS, they illustrated by doing "Infrastructure as Service (IaaS)
Which is very important to keep the reader engaged throughout the article.
Would additional tables and figures help to clarify the work?
It will surely help to have more infographics to understand and grasp the concept.
Additional Notes
This section is to record additional notes on the paper. In particular, you should identify links to other topics and papers from the module.
The paper discussion was focused on all the technical challenges. However, there are other pillars that it did not address or cover
The political acceptance from the hosting government to use the technology; some countries are against the data being stored in the Cloud and are pushing to have it stored within the country border, which contradicts the idea of the Cloud.
The data protection of the affected communities violates personal data privacy as some governments will ask for the records to be shared.
Cyber security
References
Alazawi, Z., Altowaijri, S., Mehmood, R., & Abdljabar, M. B. (2011). Intelligent disaster management system based on cloud-enabled vehicular networks. In 11th International Conference on ITS Telecommunications (ITST), 23 Aug - 25 Aug 2011, Park Inn Pulkovskaya St. Petersburg, Russia. (pp. 361-368).
Baker, D., & Refsgaard, K. (2007). Institutional development and scale matching in disaster response management. Ecological Economics, 63(2), 331-343.
Banipal, K. (2006). Strategic approach to disaster management: lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina. Disaster Prevention and Management, 15(3), 484-494.
Bharosa, N., Lee, J., & Janssen, M. (2010). Challenges and obstacles in sharing and coordinating information during multi-agency disaster response: Propositions from field exercises. Information Systems Frontiers, 12(1), 49-65.
Comfort, L. K. (2002). Managing intergovernmental responses to terrorism and other extreme events. Publius: The Journal of Federalism, 32(4), 29-50.
Velev, D. and Zlateva, P., 2012. A Feasibility Analysis of Emergency Management with Cloud Computing Integration. [online] www.Ijimt.org. Available at: <http://ijimt.org/papers/218-N00035.pdf> [Accessed 30 July 2022].
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