Cloud Computing-

 

Before you go through this article, make sure that you have gone through the previous article on Basics of Cloud Computing.

 

We have discussed-

• Cloud computing is a general term for the delivery of computing services such as servers, storage, databases etc over the internet.
• Companies offering these computing services are called cloud providers and typically charge for cloud computing services based on usage.

 

In this article, we will discuss types of cloud computing.

 

Types of Cloud Computing-

 

Cloud computing is classified either on the basis of cloud location or on the service that the cloud is offering.

 

I) Based on a cloud location (Cloud Deployment Models):

 

On the basis of a cloud location, we can classify it as-

 

1. Public cloud:

 

• Public cloud means that the whole computing infrastructure is located on the premises of a cloud computing company that offers the cloud service and the resources are shared among many customers.
• As public clouds use shared resources, they are most vulnerable to various attacks.

 

2. Private cloud:

 

• Private cloud means that the whole computing infrastructure is used solely by one customer or organization.
• The security and control level is highest while using a private network.

 

3. Hybrid cloud:

 

• Hybrid cloud means using both public and private clouds depending on their purpose.
• For example- public cloud can be used to interact with customers while keeping their data secured through a private cloud.

 

4. Community cloud:

 

• A community cloud can be a public cloud, private cloud or Hybrid cloud.
• A community cloud is designed to meet the needs of a community.Such communities involve people or organizations that have shared interests.

 

II) Based on a service that the cloud is offering / Types of cloud service development:

 

On the basis of a service that the cloud is offering, we can classify it as-

 

1. Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS):

 

• Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) is a model in which the vendors make available resources such as server space, network equipment’s, storage space etc for the clients which can be scaled up and down depending on the needs of the clients.
• The clients simply for the service as subscription fees on contractual basis instead of owing such IT infrastructure.
• Examples are- Amazon, Rackspace etc.

 

2. Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS):

 

• Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) is a model in which the vendors offers a development platform which includes operating system, programming language execution environment, database , web server etc for the clients to build applications on the web and the clients need not download or install such software on their PCs.
• Examples are- Google App Engine, Microsoft Azzure etc.

 

3. Software-as-a-Service (SaaS):

 

• Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) is a model in which the vendors host the applications on the internet and users can access those applications on a pay-per-use basis.
• Examples of such services include widely used Gmail or Google Docs.

 

Get more notes and other study material of Cloud Computing.

Watch video lectures by visiting our YouTube channel LearnVidFun.

Cloud Computing-

 

Before you go through this article, make sure that you have gone through the previous article on Basics of Cloud Computing.

 

We have discussed-

• Cloud computing is a general term for the delivery of computing services such as servers, storage, databases etc over the internet.
• Companies offering these computing services are called cloud providers and typically charge for cloud computing services based on usage.

 

In this article, we will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of cloud computing.

 

Advantages of Cloud Computing-

 

Some of the advantages of cloud computing are as follows-

 

1. Cost efficient-

 

Cloud computing is probably the most cost efficient method to use, maintain and upgrade. Traditional desktop software costs companies a lot in terms of finance. On the other hand, the cloud is available at much cheaper rates and hence significantly lowers the company’s IT expenses.

 

2. Unlimited Storage-

 

Storing information in the cloud gives you almost unlimited storage capacity. Hence, you need not worry about running out of storage space.

 

3. Backup and Recovery-

 

Since all your data is stored in the cloud, backing it up and restoring the same is relatively much easier than storing the same on a physical device. Furthermore, most cloud service providers are usually competent enough to handle recovery of information. This makes the entire process of backup and recovery much simpler than other traditional methods of data storage.

 

4. Easy access to information-

 

Once you register yourself in the cloud, you can access the information from anywhere, where there is an Internet connection. This convenient feature lets you move beyond time zone and geographic location issues.

 

5. Quick deployment-

 

Cloud computing gives you the advantage of quick deployment. Once you opt for this method of functioning, your entire system can be fully functional in a matter of a few minutes.

 

Disadvantages of Cloud Computing-

 

Some of the most important challenges of cloud computing are-

 

1. Security and Privacy-

 

The main challenge to cloud computing is how it addresses the security and privacy concerns of businesses thinking of adopting it. Hacking and various attacks to cloud infrastructure would affect multiple clients even if only one site is attacked.

 

2. Reliability and Availability-

 

Cloud providers still lack round-the-clock service which results in frequent outages. It is important to monitor the service being provided using internal or third-party tools.

 

3. Vendor Lock-in-

 

Businesses should have the leverage of migrating in and out of the cloud and switching service providers freely whenever they want and there should be no lock-in period.

 

4. Lack of executive support-

 

In one way or another, a lack of support generally comes down to fear, uncertainty and doubt.

 

5. Lack of skills, knowledge and expertise-

 

Many IT organizations may not have the necessary tools or resources to implement, monitor and manage cloud solutions.

 

6. Performance and bandwidth cost-

 

Businesses can save money on hardware but they have to spend more for the bandwidth. This can be a low cost for smaller applications but can be significantly high for the data intensive applications. Because of this, many businesses are waiting for a reduced cost before switching to the cloud.

 

7. Service Quality-

 

Service quality is one of the biggest factors for the enterprises not moving their business applications to cloud. They feel that the SLAs provided by the cloud providers today are not sufficient to guarantee the requirements for running production applications on cloud especially related to the performance, availability and scalability.

 

Next Article- Types of Cloud Computing

 

Get more notes and other study material of Cloud Computing.

Watch video lectures by visiting our YouTube channel LearnVidFun.

Cloud Computing-

 

Cloud computing is a general term for the delivery of computing services such as servers, storage, databases etc over the internet.

Companies offering these computing services are called cloud providers and typically charge for cloud computing services based on usage.

 

Example-

 

Google hosts a cloud that consists of both smallish PCs and larger servers. Google’s cloud is a private one (that is, Google owns it) that is publicly accessible by Google’s users.

 

Feature of Cloud Computing-

 

Cloud computing is-

• user-centric
• task-centric
• powerful
• accessible
• intelligent
• programmable

 

1. Cloud Computing Is User-Centric:

 

Once you as a user are connected to the cloud, whatever is stored there, be it documents, messages, images, applications, whatever becomes yours. In addition, you can also share it with others.

 

2. Cloud Computing Is Task-Centric:

 

Instead of focusing on the application and what it can do, the focus is on what you need done and how the application can do it for you.

 

3. Cloud Computing Is Powerful:

 

Connecting hundreds or thousands of computers together in a cloud creates a wealth of computing power that is impossible with a single desktop PC.

 

4. Cloud Computing Is Accessible:

 

Because data is stored in the cloud, users can instantly retrieve more information from multiple repositories. You’re not limited to a single source of data as you are with a desktop PC.

 

5. Cloud Computing Is Intelligent:

 

With all the various data stored on the computers in a cloud, data mining and analysis are necessary to access that information in an intelligent manner.

 

6. Cloud Computing Is Programmable:

 

Many of the tasks necessary with cloud computing must be automated.

 

For example, to protect the integrity of the data, information stored on a single computer in the cloud must be replicated on other computers in the cloud. If that one computer goes offline, the cloud’s programming automatically redistributes that computer’s data to a new computer in the cloud.

 

Next Article- Advantages and Disadvantages of Cloud Computing

 

Get more notes and other study material of Cloud Computing.

Watch video lectures by visiting our YouTube channel LearnVidFun.