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There is now a CONTENT FREEZE for Mercury while we switch to a new platform. It began on Friday, March 10 at 6pm and will end on Wednesday, March 15 at noon. No new content can be created during this time, but all material in the system as of the beginning of the freeze will be migrated to the new platform, including users and groups. Functionally the new site is identical to the old one. webteam@gatech.edu
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Atlanta, GA | Posted: April 15, 2013
Recently, more and more people have started saving documents to something called “the cloud.” But do you know that you could be commiting a FERPA violation or putting your patent rights at risk by using this technology at work?
Welcome to The Whistle’s crash course on the cloud, courtesy of Jimmy Lummis, information security policy and compliance manager in the Office of Information Technology (OIT). Read on to find out what you need to know about this technology — especially when it comes to using it for work.
Q: So what is “the cloud?”
A: This term is a new buzzword for the Internet. Cloud services are software, storage, or servers that are run by a third party and are made available to customers via the Internet.
Q: When would I use it?
A: The most common way of using the cloud is for software on the Internet. For example, these services might include email services such as Gmail or Hotmail, or document-sharing services such as DropBox and Google Docs.
Q: If I’m a faculty member and am storing class information (about students) using cloud technology such as Dropbox or Google, are there FERPA concerns?
A: Yes, there are. Georgia Tech hasn’t entered into a contract with Dropbox or Google Docs. This means we have not negotiated the right to retain sole license over our data that is stored on or that crosses over their systems. So the provider retains full rights to all data stored on their systems, per end user license agreements (EULA). This means that storing FERPA data on their systems is a privacy violation.
Q: Are there any concerns about storing research?
A: Storing research with a cloud service provider under an EULA will, at a minimum, mean the researcher could lose patent rights. It could also represent much larger issues for Tech if the research is sponsored, and we lose patent rights for some other organization that is paying us to do the research. This is especially true for classified research, such as Department of Defense-sponsored research.
Q: What are a few things to remember when using cloud technology?
Q: Why doesn’t Georgia Tech develop its own cloud technology?
A: Tech-specific cloud resources are currently under development. For more information on the risks of cloud technology and how they can be resolved, contact Lummis.
