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Ric_NYC
October 12th, 2009, 04:38 PM
Microsoft (NSDQ:MSFT) and T-Mobile have egg on their faces and it's another dark day for cloud-based services following word from T-Mobile that users of Sidekick -- the T-Mobile smartphone that gets software and online services through Microsoft's Danger subsidiary -- would not be able to recover personal data following a week's worth of Sidekick service outages.
T-Mobile confirmed over the weekend that user data such as contacts, stored photos and other information is probably gone forever, due to a technical glitch with Microsoft's servers. In a message posted to its Web site Saturday, T-Mobile admitted that any data not stored locally on users' Sidekicks has "almost certainly" been lost.

"Our teams continue to work around the clock in hopes of discovering some way to recover this information," wrote T-Mobile in the statement. "However, the likelihood of a successful outcome is extremely low."

T-Mobile didn't confirm how many of the 1 million or so Sidekick users have lost data in the outage. A T-Mobile spokesman told The Wall Street Journal that "we don't think it's a majority of the customers." A Microsoft spokeswoman further told the newspaper that it is an "extraordinary situation" and that Microsoft and T-Mobile "understand that and are working to do everything they can for customers."

Microsoft has more public face to lose than T-Mobile following the Sidekick glitch and will now face continued criticism that its mobile services -- particularly as they relate to the cloud -- aren't up to snuff with rivals like Google and Apple (NSDQ:AAPL). More broadly, however, the glitch lends more ammunition to those who question the stability of cloud services.

Google (NSDQ:GOOG)'s services, for example, have been called into question following multiple Gmail outages in recent weeks. Google itself admitted in a 10-Q filing that its cloud is "not fully redundant."

http://www.crn.com/mobile/220600251;jsessionid=NRPHQ5FLVXX4NQE1GHPSKH4ATMY32 JVN

markbuntu
October 13th, 2009, 09:58 PM
The cloud will save you the bother of losing your data and do it for you automatically.

A nifty exclusive feature of cloud computing.

Grant A.
October 13th, 2009, 10:09 PM
...Is this really surprising...?

The owner of Danger is Microsoft.

Although that's an argumentum ad hominem attack based on the Xbox 360 failure rates in 2005 and, well, Windows, I find that it really holds true.

Plus, I really wouldn't count this as a fail for cloud computing, since both Microsoft and T-Mobile have been known to have very bad services. I personally think that, if implemented properly, and with Open Source tools, Cloud Computing could be quite useful.

TombKing
October 13th, 2009, 10:11 PM
Sounds like poor data center management.
No backups? None stored offsite?
This is not a 'cloud' problem as much as a complete failure in disaster recovery planning.

t0p
October 13th, 2009, 10:17 PM
Sounds like poor data center management.
No backups? None stored offsite?
This is not a 'cloud' problem as much as a complete failure in disaster recovery planning.

If we can't trust Danger/Microsoft to look after our data, why should we trust Google or Ubuntu One or any of the other cloud operators?

Maybe I'm a Luddite. But I feel much more confident looking after my own data. At least I know that backups have been made, because I do it myself.

Daveski
October 13th, 2009, 10:21 PM
"Danger" - great name.

Grant A.
October 13th, 2009, 10:24 PM
"Danger" - great name.

It's better than Experts' Exchange's old URL.

...or Pen Island's...

tom66
October 13th, 2009, 10:34 PM
Wait, what kind of server failure causes you to lose ALL data? Is there no such thing as a backup??

markbuntu
October 13th, 2009, 11:20 PM
Massive database failure. Due to faulty protocol backup data was sent to /dev/null from database inception.

It happens...

gletob
October 14th, 2009, 12:37 AM
Ok blame must be placed on Microsoft for not having a bauckup in the first place BUT.. It's really Hitachi's fault for moving outsourced data and not backing it up first.