Cloud Computing Overview

Cloud Computing Overview

Cloud Computing provides the means of accessing the software as services over the Internet. It allows us to create, install, and customize the applications online.

What is Cloud Computing

The term cloud refers to a network or the internet. It is a technology that uses remote servers on the internet to store , manage, and access data online rather than local drives. The data may be things like images, photographs, documents, audio, photo, etc ..

The activities we would perform use cloud computing are as follows:

• Developing new applications and services
• Storage, back up, and recovery of data
• Hosting blogs and websites
• Delivery of software on demand
• Analysis of data
• Streaming videos and audios

Why Cloud Computing?

Small as well as big IT businesses, follow the conventional methods to include the IT services. Which implies with every IT business, we require a Server Room which is the fundamental requirement of IT businesses.

A database server, mail server, networking, firewalls , routers, modem, switches, QPS (Query Per Second indicates how many requests or loads the computer can handle), configurable system, fast network capacity, and repair engineers will be in the server room.

Basic Concepts

Many systems and frameworks work behind the curtain to render the cloud computing viable and available to end users. And there are the cloud computing operating models:

• Deployment Models
• Service Models

Deployment Models

Deployment models describe the form of cloud access, i.e. how is the server positioned? Cloud may provide links to any of the four types: public, private, hybrid, and community.

Public Cloud

The public cloud allows systems and services to be easily accessible to the general public. Thanks to their transparency, the public cloud may be less safe.

Private Cloud

The private cloud allows the accessibility of systems and services within an organization. Because of its private character it is more stable.

Community Cloud

The collaborative cloud enables systems and services to be available through a collective of organizations.

Hybrid Cloud

The hybrid cloud is a combination between private and public cloud, where essential operations are undertaken using private cloud and non - critical tasks are undertaken using public cloud.

Service Models

Cloud computing is dependent on type of service.

These are divided into three simple models of service which are-

• Infrastructure-as–a-Service (IaaS)
• Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS)
• Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)

Anything-as-a-Service ( XaaS) is yet another type of service which includes Network-as-a-Service, Business-as-a-Service, Identity-as-a-Service, Database-as-a-Service or Strategy-as-a-Service.

The most essential type of operation, Infrastructure-as-a-Service ( IaaS). Each of the service models inherits the underlying security and management mechanism.

Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS)

IaaS provides access to essential services including physical machines, virtual machines , virtual servers, and so on.

Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS)

PaaS includes the program runtime environment, development and installation tools etc.

Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)

The SaaS model helps end-users to use automated programs as a service.

History of Cloud Computing

The idea of cloud computing came into existence in the year 1950 when mainframe computers were introduced, accessible through thin / static clients. Cloud computing has now developed from static to dynamic clients, and from applications to utilities. The example below describes how cloud computing evolves:

Benefits

Cloud computing provides multiple opportunities. A few are mentioned below-

• One will, over the Internet, access software as utilities.
• The software can be modified and installed online anytime.
• It doesn't involve installing a cloud computing program to view or manipulate.
• Cloud Computing provides web creation and deployment tools, via PaaS platform, programming runtime ecosystems.
• Cloud resources are available over the network in such a way as to provide independent platform access to any type of client.
• On-demand cloud computing provides self-service. Cloud service provider can use the resources without interaction.
• Cloud computing is extremely cost-effective because it runs with optimum use at high performance. All it takes is an Internet connection
• Cloud computing offers load balancing and makes it efficient.

Risks related to Cloud Computing

Although cloud computing is a exciting advancement of differing advantages in the computing world, it does entail risks. Below are several of them discussed:

Security and Privacy

Cloud computing is the greatest concern. Because data processing and infrastructure maintenance is supported by other entities in the cloud, there is often a possibility of handing the sensitive information over to cloud service providers.

Although cloud computing vendors maintain highly safe password protected accounts, any indicators of lack of security can result in loss of customers and businesses.

Lock In

The moving from one cloud service provider ( CSP) to another is very challenging for the customers. This results in service dependency on a given CSP.

Isolation Failure

This risk includes the failure of the isolation mechanism that distinguishes the various tenants from the storage, memory and routing.

Management Interface Compromise

The customer management systems are available over the Internet in the case of a public cloud provider.

Insecure or Incomplete Data Deletion

This might not be true whether the data demanded for deletion is deleted. This is because of one of the following explanations

• Extra copies of the data are preserved but not accessible at deletion time
• Hard drives which store multiple tenant data are destroyed.

Characteristics of Cloud Computing

On Demand Self Service

Cloud computing lets users use on-demand web services and resources. Someone can log in to and access a website at any time.

Broad Network Access

Because cloud computing is fully web-based, it can be accessed from everywhere, at any time.

Resource Pooling

Cloud computing lets multiple tenants share a resource pool. One can share a single physical hardware case, database, and basic infrastructure.

Rapid Elasticity

Scale up the resources vertically or horizontally at any time is really simple. Resource Scaling implies resource capacity to cope with rising or decreasing demand.

The services utilized by the customers are automatically monitored at every given point in time.

Measured Service

Within this service cloud provider all facets of cloud service are managed and monitored. It depends on increasing efficiencies, billing, and capacity planning etc.