Cloud Computing
Overview
Cloud computing is defined by NIST as “a model for enabling convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications, and services) that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or service provider interaction”. Most companies and individuals rely on this definition to have common understanding about the clouds.
Cloud computing is one of the disruptive computing paradigms nowadays and many companies rely on cloud platforms for most of their businesses. Moreover, consumers prefer cloud computing for unpredictable and demand bursts. This is true with many companies involve in different sectors. In fact, this will continue to be the case even in the foreseeable future. We can acquire cloud infrastructures from the providers or develop our own. There are open source and vendor-specific cloud computing products and services. There are tones of training and certification programs in the industry.
In this short port, we are going to briefly discuss characteristics of cloud, deployment models, and service models.
Characteristics of Cloud Computing
Cloud computing delivers services in anytime and anywhere fashion. Furthermore, it may affect organizations operational and capital expenditures (CAPEX/OPEX). It may expensive endeavor and demands good planning and estimation techniques. Cloud computing may have many characteristics and the following are the most agreed upon ones:
- On-demand self-services: A consumer can unilaterally provision computing capabilities as needed automatically without requiring human interaction with each service provider.
- Broad Network Access: Capabilities are available over the network and accessed through standard mechanisms that promote use by heterogeneous thin or thick client platforms (e.g., mobile phones, tablets, laptops, and workstations).
- Measured Services: Cloud systems automatically control and optimize resource use by leveraging a metering capability.
- Pooled Resources: The providers serve multiple consumers using a multi-tenant model.
- Rapid Elasticity: Capabilities can be elastically provisioned and released to scale rapidly outward and inward commensurate with demand.
Cloud Computing Deployment Models
Organizations and individuals alike can establish cloud platforms on premise or off premise manner. This will depend on the requirement of the business. Furthermore, the selection of the deployment models may depend on many criteria. Understanding the deployment architectures will help organization plat their investments and strategy. Because, organizations demand some return on their investments.
Organizations can deploy their cloud infrastructure using one or more of the following models.
- Public Cloud: Organizations may use cloud services from providers. Besides, there may be cases where companies may want to focus on their business delegating infrastructures management endeavors. Consumers simply subscribe to computing platform owned by third party. This deployment model is open and available for all the general public.
- Private Cloud: Companies may sometimes have compelling reason to deploy services within their premises. Moreover, this is ideal fit for organizations whose services possess some sort of privacy and security issues. Additionally, organizations develop and own private cloud in their datacenter.
- Hybrid Cloud: This cloud infrastructure is a composition of two or more clouds (private, community, or public) that remain unique entities but are bound together by standardized or proprietary technology that enables data and application portability.
- Community Cloud: several organizations share cloud infrastructure and supports a specific community that has shared concerns.
Cloud Computing Service Delivery Models
It is impossible to find someone who has not ever used cloud service. One typical example can be the case when we check our emails, social media feeds, and other services through cloud platforms deployed somewhere in the datacenter of the providers. In this arrangement, people may assume that they management their data even though the cloud providers maintain every services on behave of the users. Individuals and companies should adopt this services very cautiously as their actions may have privacy concerns.
Cloud computing services can be available in different models. And individuals and organizations can consume cloud services in one or more of the following service delivery models:
- IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service): Organizations employ this service when they need computing servers, storage facility and networking infrastructures. IaaS is used in technical IT community.
- PaaS (Platform as a Service): Organizations or individuals use this model whose purpose is to develop applications without worrying about development environment configuration and management.
- SaaS (Software as a Service): individuals or organizations whose sole purpose is to use service prefer this model of service delivery. Furthermore, beneficiaries do not worry about infrastructure and platform situations. They consume services on subscription basis.