EAI Endorsed Transactions on Cloud Systems
SPECIAL ISSUE CALL-FOR-PAPERS

SPECIAL ISSUE ON: Covid-19 and the Cloud


SCOPE: Our Covid-19 pandemic continues to have life changing circumstances for everyone. One priority for each of us has been maintaining our health. For many, this has meant avoiding our normal human network and restricting the introduction of others into our breathing space. Achieving this effectively has been supported by the telecommunication network infrastructure, and the resource capacity made available by the cloud. Cloud technology brings the benefits of scalability and elasticity, and fast reaction to change in resource demand. In times of crisis, the cloud provides a particularly useful backbone, moving society away from centralised and populated areas towards more physically isolated, yet as connected, environments. The Covid-19 pandemic has driven our human need to digitise quickly and in an effective way to allow us to remain competitive.

The objective of this Special Issue is to gather case study experiences of the use of cloud technology during the Covid-19 pandemic, and to discuss the way in which our cloud use has evolved during this period. We are interested in understanding the fundamental role which the cloud continues to provide in our lives. Proposals for new operational models, protocols, management approaches, and resource deployments relevant for the cloud landscape will be also welcomed. It is the aim that the SI will present a snapshot of everything related to cloud at this point in time, specific to and with a focus on the Covid-19 pandemic.


TOPICS: Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
• Lessons learnt from moving business operations to the cloud
• The cloud computing landscape in 2021 as a consequence of reactions to Covid-19
• SaaS deployment made during Covid-19
• Cloud use to support the effort of managing and overcoming Covid-19, including vaccine development
• Challenges of providing the front-line service of an online connection to cloud during times of crisis
• Cloud supporting the propagation of misinformation, or fake news relating to Covid-19
• Regions in need, yet restricted in their use of cloud
• Supporting and managing technologically marginalised groups during times of crisis
• The mental impact of not being connected during times of crisis
• Effective billing models to provide fair service during a crisis


IMPORTANT DATES:
Manuscript submission deadline: 2020-10-30
Notification of acceptance: 2020-12-18
Submission of final revised paper: 2021-01-25
Publication of special issue (tentative): 2021-02-15


LEAD GUEST EDITOR: Dr Cathryn Peoples (cathryn.j.peoples@ieee.org)