Big Data, Databases and Ownership Rights in the Cloud

In this review of Big Data, Databases and Ownership Rights in the Cloud, the author examines a pressing legal and commercial gap for organizations that depend on cloud computing and big data services. The book is aimed at legal practitioners, technology managers and contract negotiators who need a framework to reduce transaction costs caused by unclear ownership claims in cloud agreements. Its single biggest reason to read is the proposed contractual model that seeks to restore negotiation capacity to cloud customers and clarify ownership of data and databases.

Key Features

• New contractual model: Presents a practical alternative to click-through agreements that empowers cloud customers to negotiate ownership terms.
• Focus on ownership rights: Explores legal uncertainty around who owns data and databases when services are hosted in the cloud, helping readers spot hidden risks.
• Interdisciplinary perspective: Combines legal, business and innovation viewpoints to show how ownership rules affect market efficiency and transaction costs.
• Practical implications: Analyzes how current take-it-or-leave-it contracts limit negotiation and offers concrete suggestions for drafting better agreements.
• Market impact analysis: Argues that clearer ownership rights can accelerate Internet market growth by reducing legal friction for data-driven services.

Who It's For

This book is best for corporate counsel, procurement leads and IT managers who negotiate cloud and big data contracts and need a structured way to argue for clearer ownership terms. It is also useful for academics and policy makers interested in how contract design shapes market incentives.

Readers seeking a technical manual on database implementation or a step-by-step drafting checklist should look elsewhere; the book is more conceptual and legal in focus than a template-driven practitioner guide.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Directly addresses a common legal blind spot by proposing an alternative to unilateral click-through agreements.
• Useful cross-disciplinary framing that links legal rights to business and innovation outcomes.
• Helps readers understand how ownership uncertainty creates transaction costs and slows market development.

Cons

• The material is primarily conceptual and may not replace detailed contract drafting work for practitioners seeking instant templates.

Specifications

Our Verdict

For professionals who confront cloud contracts and worry about who legally owns data and databases, this book provides a thoughtful, interdisciplinary argument and a practical contractual direction. It is good value for readers who need conceptual clarity and persuasive tools to influence contract terms, though it is less useful as a drafting template.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the book offer sample contract language?
The book focuses on a contractual model and negotiation framework rather than providing extensive sample clauses or a template pack.

Who benefits most from reading this book?
Corporate counsel, procurement and IT leaders negotiating cloud arrangements will get the most practical value from the ideas and market analysis.

Is the content technical or legal in nature?
The approach is legal and conceptual with business and innovation context, not a technical manual on database engineering.