Report: Apple’s iCloud May Be Running on Windows Azure
As Apple continues to unify its ecosystem with iOS-style innovations and iCloud integration, the question has been raised regarding just how safe data is on Apple’s cloud. Ars Technica decided to take a deep dive and investigate the situation. Turns out, your data is pretty safe. But Apple isn’t using OS X Server (or a *nix variant) to host iCloud — it might actually be using Microsoft Windows Azure. Say what?!
First, a tip of the hat to Ars Technica for its investigative deep dive. According to its research, Apple provides a decent level of encryption and security for the majority of your data living in iCloud, but Apple refused to disclose what kind of technology it uses, other than “industry standard.”
There’s also a small caveat: E-mail and notes are not encrypted. Ars explains thusly:
… no common IMAP providers [typically] encrypt messages on disk for consumer e-mail services … [but] most providers offer support for S/MIME encrypted messages, which requires encrypting messages sent by your e-mail client and relying on the receiver’s client to decrypt using a key you provide. Doing so is the only way to ensure end-to-end encryption of message contents.
Notes are unencrypted for the same reason, since they are currently synced using IMAP protocols. Ars speculates that OS X Mountain Lion with Notes app integration could change this.
But Ars continued digging, and its sources said Apple may be using Windows Azure to host its data back end. There wasn’t any discussion or explanation, but if it’s true, it’s telling. In fact, if Apple is leveraging Microsoft cloud-based software, it means Apple may be abandoning the professional server space altogether. That’s not surprising, especially since Xserve is dead, XSAN hasn’t been updated for almost a year, and the Mac Pro is getting painfully long in the tooth. Level-headed Apple enthusiasts may see the situation simply as Apple using the best tool for the job — which just happens to be from Microsoft. Besides, Apple’s claim to fame has never been building back-end products, it’s innovation on a consumer level. But more paranoid aficionados might think this is the beginning of the end for the Apple they once knew.
The design of OS X Mountain Lion shows a clear step toward unifying iOS and OS X. With that, Apple may be focusing all its energy on iPads and MacBooks, abandoning the pro-sumer market it once deeply cared about. Because of my adoration for Apple, there’s a part of me that wishes the company would continue focusing on that pro-sumer market, but realistically, with cloud technology taking off so fast, Apple’s continued growth won’t be found in selling data center technology.
Spock voice “curious.”
Unicorn: Or…
2. “fascinating”
3. “illogical”
-TVG
“Apple using the best tool for the job — which just happens to be from Microsoft”
Best tool for the job, as long as it’s not a leap year.