IBM patent lets enterprises choose the location of their cloud data

IBM has developed a technique that should help enterprise firms manage where their cloud data is stored.

The technology could help businesses to comply with regional legislation regarding cloud content.

According to US patent no. 8,676,593, called "Geographic governance of data over clouds," the service enables companies to choose or change the location of cloud data, allowing them to more easily obey local regulations.

IBM said the invention should help companies overcome the challenge of managing and governing cloud content in accordance with the law in different countries.

The patent's abstract described the service as a, "method implemented in a computer infrastructure including a combination of hardware and software includes: receiving a request from a local computing device to save data on a network including a plurality of data storage locations in a plurality of different geographic regions".

The technology allows businesses to control where their cloud data is stored by acting as a smart routing device. Firms can mark or tag their data and store files in the appropriate location easily.

Sandeep Ramesh, co-inventor of the cloud data location patent, said that the new technology showed how far cloud computing had progressed. "During the early years of cloud computing, it was evident that storing and accessing business data across geographically dispersed cloud computing environments could present logistical and regulatory challenges. Our team of inventors designed a system that will allow businesses to efficiently manage and move data in the cloud, while meeting required compliance mandates in different countries".

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