经济学人33:云计算的发轫之困

 　　Cloud computing¹'s growing pains

　　云计算的发轫之困

　　Break-ins and breakdowns³

　　侵入和故障

　　The lessons from Sony's big security lapse⁴ and Amazon's cloud-computing outage

　　从索尼的巨大安全漏洞和亚马逊的云计算中断中汲取的教训

　　IT COULD turn out to be the biggest breach⁵ of data privacy since the advent⁶ of the internet. Sony admitted this week that hackers⁷ had stolen personal information, possibly including credit-card details, of many of the 77m-plus users of its online-gaming and entertainment networks. The Japanese company did not admit the full extent of the potential risks to its customers until nearly a week after it had taken its PlayStation Network off air, though it insisted that it had done so as soon as it realised how serious the intrusion into its systems had been.

　　这可能是互联网出现以来最大一宗违反数据保密的事件了。本周，索尼承认，黑客们盗走其在线游戏和娱乐网络中超过7700万用户的个人信息——很可能包括信用卡资料。在将PlayStation网络关闭近一周之后，索尼才向它的客户承认其潜在风险。尽管如此，索尼坚称，在它意识到系统被侵的严重性之后，它便做出了反应。

　　Amazon, an American online retailer⁸ and provider of "cloud computing" services, has also suffered a lengthy⁹ breakdown² at one of the giant server farms whose storage and processing facilities it rents to other companies. The two lapses¹⁰, though unconnected and different in nature, have raised the question of whether customers can really trust the basic idea behind the cloud-that you can buy computing services from the internet, just like gas or water from a utility.

　　美国网上零售商以及“云计算”服务的供应商亚马逊的其中一个巨型服务器场也经历了漫长的故障。这一服务器场的存储器和处理设备被用来租借给其它公司。尽管两起事故并无关联且本质不同，但人们不禁要问，我们能真的能相信“云”背后的基本理念吗？——我们从互联网购买计算服务就像从公用事业单位购买煤气或水那样？

　　Sony's security breach is particularly embarrassing because it wants to position its PlayStation console as an entertainment hub capable of delivering films and music over the internet, in addition to video games. An entertainment one-stop-shop of this nature will appeal to consumers only if it is secure and reliable; a DVD, after all, does not suddenly refuse to play for a week. Sony also failed to encrypt some of the personal details of its customers-an elementary error for a company that prides itself on its technological¹¹ prowess. In Amazon's case, the problems were caused by a glitch¹² that took longer than expected to resolve, affecting the operations of several internet firms (including Reddit, Quora, HootSuite and Foursquare) that use its services, and denting¹³ the reputations of all concerned-as well as that of the cloud itself.

　　安全漏洞让索尼陷入相当尴尬的境地——因为索尼希望将PlayStation游戏机定位为能够通过互联网提供电影和音乐的娱乐中心，而不仅仅是电子游戏。只有足够安全且值得信赖，这种性质的一站式娱乐才能吸引用户。毕竟，仅仅是DVD的话，不会突然被关闭一周。在加密其用户个人资料方面索尼也是失败的——对于一个标榜其技术实力的公司而言，这是一个基本的失误。在亚马逊的案例中，问题是由一个小故障造成的，解决这一问题耗时比预期要长，影响了一些互联网公司（包括使用其服务的Reddit, Quora, HootSuite 和 Foursquare）的运营，对所有相关方的名誉都产生了不利影响——“云”本身也概莫能外。

　　But building a totally secure and reliable cloud-based system, or indeed any other kind of computer system, is impossible. More break-ins and breakdowns are inevitable¹⁴. What matters is that service-providers, consumers and corporate¹⁵ clients all learn the right lessons from the events of the past week.

　　不过，建立一个完全安全、值得信赖的基于“云”的系统或者实际上其它类型的计算机系统是不可能的。更多的侵入与故障不可避免。重要的是，服务供应商、用户、企业用户从上周的事件当中汲取正确的教训。

　　Cloud-cuckoo-land

　　太虚幻境

　　For providers of online services, the main lesson, beyond the obvious need to adhere to basic principles of computer security, is the importance of being open with customers when things go wrong. This seems to be something that is particularly difficult for Japanese firms, with their consensus-based decision-making and a reluctance¹⁶ to tell superiors when problems arise. Sony remained tight-lipped when it should have been forthcoming. Amazon has also been criticised for providing only a small amount of rather vague information about the outage. One user gave the company an "F" for communication this week; another complained that its updates seemed to have been written by its lawyers rather than its engineers.

　　对网络服务供应商而言，最大的教训除了明显需要坚持计算机安全基本原则以外，就是出了问题要及时向用户公开信息。对日本公司而言，这似乎相当困难。日本公司以共识为基础进行决策，当出现问题时不愿向上级反映。索尼本应透露一些信息的，但是它守口如瓶。亚马逊也因在中断服务后只提供了少量语焉不详的信息而遭批评。本周，一位用户向亚马逊传达的信息是F___，另一位抱怨说，亚马逊的程序更新似乎是它的律师——而非工程师——编写的。

　　Consumers, meanwhile, should ensure that they do not use the same passwords on multiple online systems, which exposes them to the danger that a compromise in one system will enable the same credentials¹⁷ to be used to access another. Being able to manage passwords and spot "phishing" e-mails that try to trick recipients¹⁸ into revealing bank details and other information are now important life skills, like it or not.

　　与此同时，用户们应当确保在多个联机系统上不要使用同样的密码，那很危险：对一个系统的妥协，会在进入另外一个系统时使用相同的凭据。不管你喜欢不喜欢，能够管理密码、识别意欲欺骗收信人透漏银行或其它信息现在都是重要的生活技能。

　　The lesson for companies let down by Amazon's outage is that they need to be aware of the risks of being too reliant on a single supplier, with cloud computing as with anything else. Firms that use cloud-based systems should be looking at ways to distribute work across multiple providers. Although the cloud has many benefits and is generally quite reliable, it is clearly bound to produce the odd thunderstorm.

　　对于那些受亚马逊中断影响而感到沮丧的公司而言，他们应该意识到对单一供应商——提供云计算也好，其它服务也好——过于信赖的风险。使用基于“云”系统的公司应当探究将鸡蛋在不同的篮子里面。尽管“云”有许多有点，总体上相当值得信赖，但偶尔会产生“雷雨”，这也是不争的事实。

1 computing   

n.计算

参考例句：

• to work in computing 从事信息处理
• Back in the dark ages of computing, in about 1980, they started a software company. 早在计算机尚未普及的时代（约1980年），他们就创办了软件公司。

2 breakdown   

n.垮，衰竭；损坏，故障，倒塌

参考例句：

• She suffered a nervous breakdown.她患神经衰弱。
• The plane had a breakdown in the air,but it was fortunately removed by the ace pilot.飞机在空中发生了故障，但幸运的是被王牌驾驶员排除了。

3 breakdowns   

n.分解( breakdown的名词复数 )；衰竭；（车辆或机器的）损坏；统计分析

参考例句：

• Her old car was unreliable, so the trip was plagued by breakdowns. 她的旧车老不听使唤，一路上总是出故障。 来自辞典例句
• How do we prevent these continual breakdowns? 我们如何防止这些一再出现的故障？ 来自辞典例句

4 lapse   

n.过失，流逝，失效，抛弃信仰，间隔；vi.堕落，停止，失效，流逝；vt.使失效

参考例句：

• The incident was being seen as a serious security lapse.这一事故被看作是一次严重的安全疏忽。
• I had a lapse of memory.我记错了。

5 breach   

n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破

参考例句：

• We won't have any breach of discipline.我们不允许任何破坏纪律的现象。
• He was sued for breach of contract.他因不履行合同而被起诉。

6 advent   

n.(重要事件等的)到来，来临

参考例句：

• Swallows come by groups at the advent of spring. 春天来临时燕子成群飞来。
• The advent of the Euro will redefine Europe.欧元的出现将重新定义欧洲。

7 hackers   

n.计算机迷( hacker的名词复数 )；私自存取或篡改电脑资料者，电脑“黑客”

参考例句：

• They think of viruses that infect an organization from the outside.They envision hackers breaking into their information vaults. 他们考虑来自外部的感染公司的病毒，他们设想黑客侵入到信息宝库中。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Arranging a meeting with the hackers took weeks againoff-again email exchanges. 通过几星期电子邮件往来安排见面，他们最终同意了。 来自互联网

8 retailer   

n.零售商(人)

参考例句：

• What are the retailer requirements?零售商会有哪些要求呢？
• The retailer has assembled a team in Shanghai to examine the question.这家零售商在上海组建了一支团队研究这个问题。

9 lengthy   

adj.漫长的，冗长的

参考例句：

• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。
• The professor wrote a lengthy book on Napoleon.教授写了一部有关拿破仑的巨著。

10 lapses   

n.失误，过失( lapse的名词复数 )；小毛病；行为失检；偏离正道v.退步( lapse的第三人称单数 )；陷入；倒退；丧失

参考例句：

• He sometimes lapses from good behavior. 他有时行为失检。 来自辞典例句
• He could forgive attacks of nerves, panic, bad unexplainable actions, all sorts of lapses. 他可以宽恕突然发作的歇斯底里，惊慌失措，恶劣的莫名其妙的动作，各种各样的失误。 来自辞典例句

11 technological   

adj.技术的；工艺的

参考例句：

• A successful company must keep up with the pace of technological change.一家成功的公司必须得跟上技术变革的步伐。
• Today,the pace of life is increasing with technological advancements.当今， 随着科技进步，生活节奏不断增快。

12 glitch   

n.干扰；误操作，小故障

参考例句：

• There is a glitch in the computer program somewhere.这个计算机程序中的某个部分有点小问题。
• It could just be a random glitch that can be solved by restarting the machine.可能只是一个小故障，重新启动主机就能解决了。

13 denting   

v.使产生凹痕( dent的现在分词 )；损害；伤害；挫伤（信心、名誉等）

参考例句：

• Dad gave me a rocket for denting his car. 因为我撞坏了我父亲的车，为此他痛骂了我一顿。 来自互联网
• Because titanium isextremely strong, it is resistant to scratching, denting, and bending. 由于钛isextremely强，可耐刮伤，凹陷，和弯曲。 来自互联网

14 inevitable   

adj.不可避免的，必然发生的

参考例句：

• Mary was wearing her inevitable large hat.玛丽戴着她总是戴的那顶大帽子。
• The defeat had inevitable consequences for British policy.战败对英国政策不可避免地产生了影响。

15 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

16 reluctance   

n.厌恶，讨厌，勉强，不情愿

参考例句：

• The police released Andrew with reluctance.警方勉强把安德鲁放走了。
• He showed the greatest reluctance to make a reply.他表示很不愿意答复。

17 credentials   

n.证明，资格，证明书，证件

参考例句：

• He has long credentials of diplomatic service.他的外交工作资历很深。
• Both candidates for the job have excellent credentials.此项工作的两个求职者都非常符合资格。

18 recipients   

adj.接受的；受领的；容纳的；愿意接受的n.收件人；接受者；受领者；接受器

参考例句：

• The recipients of the prizes had their names printed in the paper. 获奖者的姓名登在报上。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The recipients of prizes had their names printed in the paper. 获奖者名单登在报上。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》