What is cloud-native?
Cloud computing is changing the way we all go about our daily lives. Whether this is at home with Netflix, or with devices such as Amazon Echo or Google Home, or at work, with cloud-based services like YouTube, Vimeo, Office365, Google, school administration systems, and numerous other specialist enterprise applications. In school libraries, cloud computing is an enabler; it creates strategic change in the way schools of all sizes work with technology. In short, a real cloud-native service is easier, more efficient, and less expensive than both in-school software and cloud-hosted offerings.
With all the benefits and hype that has come along with the word ‘cloud’, many companies claim to have ‘cloud solutions’ when in fact they are merely hosted software services. How can you be sure that you will receive all the benefits of cloud computing, such as lower cost of ownership, zero maintenance, frequent product updates, endless and elastic computing power, and more?
It’s important to know the difference…
It’s important to know the difference between real, designed for the cloud applications, usually called ‘cloud-native’, versus quick fix migrations of legacy code that are called ‘cloud-hosted’. In the rush to ensure applications remained applicable and relevant in the new cloud-era many suppliers and developers skipped the hard work of re-building their applications and simply created crude web front-ends attached to legacy application architectures.
Our colleagues at Concord has invested heavily over the last few years to build a truly cloud-native library management system in Infiniti. Infiniti was designed for the cloud and built in the cloud to take advantage of new software architectures and hardware devices that make it easier and more efficient to manage a modern school library.
In other words, there is no easy short cut to making a real cloud-native system. It takes time and costs money, but the benefits to schools, and to you, are worth it.
The “7 wonders of cloud-native library management systems”
So, what are questions to ask to find out if a library management system is the real deal when it comes to the cloud?
The answer should be one. Why? Because with a cloud-native library management system there can only be one version of the software stored on a cloud server and used by every school simultaneously. It is impossible to have schools on different versions.
The answer should be no. Why? Because a cloud-native library management system can only be installed on a cloud server.
The answer should be a multi-tenant service. Why? Because only cloud-native can operate as a multi-tenant service. If it is not a multi-tenant service, it’s not a cloud-native service so you will not get the benefits you are looking for and it will be more expensive.
Hopefully, this is a yes. Why? Because an elastic cloud will allow your library management system to use more computing power whenever it recognises the need without human intervention – so it will never “go slow” or, worse still, just stop!
This time you want to hear no. Why? Because a cloud-native library management system is an app and it is naturally device independent – it’s natively responsive. One of the great advantages of a cloud-native library management system is that all modules of the library management system work on all devices all the time – without an app (they’re app-less!!).
The answer should be many. Why? Because a modern school library’s operational environment is highly dynamic, and therefore the software used to manage it must be equally dynamic. The beauty of a cloud-native library management system is that you get frequent updates – hopefully at least six a year. And updates happen to all schools worldwide at once – there are no special versions, and no school is left behind.
You need a big YES. Why? It may sound counter-intuitive, but a cloud-native library management system is more secure than traditional in-school library management system and certainly more secure than cloud-hosted LMS offerings. Why is this? At worst, application and data security is not part of the development process with traditional software, and at best it is not ‘battle hardened’ for the cloud. Security is something that is added to cloud-hosted solutions after the application has been built (like adding a burglar alarm to a house).
What next?
While there are other important areas to uncover, these seven questions will help you to tell the difference between a cloud-native library management system that is the future and that comes with many benefits, and cloud-hosted imposters that come with many of the issues of legacy in-school software.
In the end, it is less to do with the functionality of the service and more about the underlying technology. Will the technology help you achieve your strategic goals or will it bog you down in endless complexity and disappointment?
If you’re interested to find out more about or cloud-native library management system, we’d love to show you what we mean! Please either leave us a message on our contact page, or you can give us a call directly – you can reach us on 01473 745375. Alternatively, read more about our library management solutions.