Cloud Computing Operations Research

This paper argues that the cloud computing industry faces many decision problems where operations research (OR) could add tremendous value. To this end, we provide an OR perspective on cloud computing in three ways. First, we compare the cloud computing process with the traditional pull supply chain and introduce the cloud IT supply chain as the system of moving information from suppliers to consumers through the cloud network. Second, based on this analogy, we organize the cloud computing decision space by identifying the problems that need to be solved by each player in the supply chain–namely, (1) cloud providers, (2) cloud consumers, and (3) cloud brokers. We list the OR problems of interest from each player's perspective and discuss the tools that may need to be developed to solve them. Third, we survey past and current research in this space and discuss future research opportunities in cloud computing operations research.