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Cloud Computing

Cloud computing is the delivery of computing services over the internet, allowing users to access servers, storage, and applications on demand. Major providers include Google and Microsoft, offering various services like IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS, with deployment models such as private, public, and hybrid clouds. Benefits include cost savings, scalability, and improved performance, while challenges involve security, lack of standards, and evolving user needs.

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3 views

Cloud Computing

Cloud computing is the delivery of computing services over the internet, allowing users to access servers, storage, and applications on demand. Major providers include Google and Microsoft, offering various services like IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS, with deployment models such as private, public, and hybrid clouds. Benefits include cost savings, scalability, and improved performance, while challenges involve security, lack of standards, and evolving user needs.

Uploaded by

ssemwogerere.ashiraf
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Introduction to cloud computing

Cloud computing is internet based computing. Cloud computing was coined for what happens
when applications and services are moved into the internet “cloud.” Simply put, it is the delivery
of computing services (servers, storage, networking, software e.t.c.) over the internet. Companies
offering these computing services are called cloud providers and typically charge for cloud
computing services based on usage, similar to how you are billed for using airtime.

Many companies are delivering services from the cloud. Some notable examples include:

 Google – Has a private cloud that it uses for delivering Google docs and many other services
to its users, including e-mail access, document applications, maps e.t.c.
 Microsoft – Has “Microsoft office 365” online service that allows for content and business
intelligence tools to be moved into the cloud, and Microsoft currently makes its office
applications available in the cloud.
 Others include Yahoo, salesforce.com e.t.c.

Uses of cloud computing


Currently, everyone uses cloud computing, even if we don’t realize it. If you ever use an online
service to send email, edit documents, watch movies or TV, listen to music, play games e.t.c., it
is likely that cloud computing is making it possible behind the scenes.

 Create new applications and programs


 Store, backup and recover data
 Host websites and blogs
 Stream audio and video
 Deliver software on demand
 Analyze data for patterns and make predictions

Characteristics of cloud computing

 Shared infrastructure: Uses a virtualized software model, enabling the sharing of physical
services, storage, and networking capabilities. The cloud infrastructure, regardless of
deployment mode, seeks to make the most of the available infrastructure across a number of
users.
 Dynamic provisioning: Allows for the provision of services based on current demand
requirements. This is done automatically using software automation, enabling the expansion

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and contraction of service capability, as needed. This dynamic scaling needs to be done in
maintaining high levels of reliability and security.
 Network access: Needs to be accessed across the internet from a broad range of devices such
as PCs, laptops, and mobile devices. Deployments of services in the cloud include every
thing from using business applications to the latest application on the newest smart phones.
 Managed metering: Uses metering for managing and optimizing the service and to provide
reporting and billing information. In this way, consumers are billed for services according to
how much they have actually used during the billing period.

Cloud service models


These are sometimes called the cloud computing stack because they build on top of one another.

Infrastructure as a service (IaaS)


This is the most basic category of cloud computing services. With IaaS, you rent IT
infrastructure (servers and virtual machines, storage, networks, operating systems) from a cloud
provider on a pay as you go basis.

Platform as a service (PaaS)


Platform as a Service refers to cloud computing services that supply an on-demand environment
for developing, testing, delivering and managing software applications. PaaS is designed to make
it easier for developers to quickly create web or mobile applications without worrying about
setting up or managing the underlying infrastructure of servers, storage, network and databases
needed for development.

Software as a service (SaaS)


This is a method for delivering software applications over the internet, on demand and typically
on a subscription basis. With SaaS, cloud providers host and manage the software application
and underlying infrastructure and handle any maintenance, like software upgrades and security
patching. Users connect to the applications over the internet, usually with a web browser on their
phone, tablet or PC.

Cloud Deployment models


1. Private cloud: This cloud infrastructure has been deployed and is maintained and operated
for a specific organization. The operation may be in-house or with a third party on the
premises; and cloud computing resources are used exclusively by that organization.

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2. Community cloud: The cloud infrastructure is shared among a number of organizations with
similar interests and requirements. This may help the capital expenditure costs for its
establishment as the costs are shared among the organizations.
3. Public cloud: The cloud infrastructure is available to the public on a commercial basis by a
cloud service provider. This enables a consumer to develop and deploy a service in the cloud
with very little financial outlay compared to the capital expenditure requirements normally
associated with other deployment options.
4. Hybrid cloud: The cloud infrastructure consists of a number of clouds of any type, but the
clouds have the ability through their interfaces to allow data and/or applications to be moved
from one cloud to the other. This gives businesses greater flexibility and more deployment
options.

Benefits of cloud computing


1. Cost saving: cloud computing eliminates the capital expenses of buying hardware and
software and setting up, and running on-site data centers – the racks of servers, and the IT
experts for managing the infrastructure
2. Speed: Most cloud computing services are provided self service on demand, so even vast or
big amounts of computing resources can be provided in minutes, typically with just a few
mouse clicks. This gives businesses a lot of flexibility.
3. Global scale: The benefits of cloud computing services include the ability to scale elasticity
that is delivering the right amount of IT resources e.g. more or less computing power,
storage, bandwidth as soon as it is needed.
4. Productivity: On-site data centers typically require a lot of racking and stacking meaning
hardware setup, software installation and other time consuming IT management chores.
Cloud computing eliminates the need for many of these tasks, so the IT teams can spend time
on achieving more important business goals.
5. Performance: The biggest cloud computing services are run on a world wide network of
secure data centers which are regularly upgraded to the latest generation of fast and efficient
computing hardware. This offers several benefits over a single corporate data center,
including reduced network latency for applications and greater economies of scale.
6. Reliability: Cloud computing makes data backup, disaster recovery and business continuity
easier and less expensive, because data can be mirrored at multiple redundant sites on the
cloud provider’s network

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7. Scalability/flexibility: Companies can start with a small deployment and grow to a large
deployment fairly rapidly, and then scale back if necessary. Also, the flexibility of cloud
computing allows companies to use extra resources at peak times, enabling them to satisfy
consumer demands.
8. Maintenance: Cloud service providers do system maintenance, and access is through APIs
that do not require application installations onto PCs, thus further reducing maintenance
requirements.
9. Mobile accessible: Mobile workers have increased productivity due to systems accessible in
an infrastructure which is available anywhere.

Challenges faced with cloud computing


1. Security and privacy: The most crucial issues surrounding cloud computing relate to storing
and securing data, and monitoring the use of the cloud by the service providers. Some times
there is lack of data confidentiality because forexample over a public network, some one’z
accounts can be easily hacked into.
2. Lack of standards: Clouds have documented interfaces; however, no standards are
associated with these, and thus it is unlikely that most clouds will be interoperable
3. Continuously evolving: User requirements are continuously evolving, as are the
requirements for interfaces, networking and storage. This means that a cloud especially a
public one does not remain static and it is continuously evolving.

Factors to consider when choosing a cloud service provider


Security

 Find out how the service measures security for your files, its data centers and servers
 Find out how they handle potential security breaches
 Look for features that could be helpful e.g. encryption, password protection and real time
backups

Service provision

 Look into their customer service, what kinds of services do they provide, how quickly do
they respond to emails in case of a problem e.t.c.
 Cloud providers should provide solutions for all O.Ss
 You should not pay for more space than you need

Reliability

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 If you are able, ask someone you know about their experience with the service i.e. do the
servers ever go down? Does data ever get lost? E.t.c.

Reputation

 Look at the company’s reputation with in the industry and the users.

Innovation

 Make sure they are up to date on the latest technologies and they can continue to update their
services as technologies change.

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