Cloud Computing

• In simplest terms, cloud computing means storing and accessing data and programs over the Internet instead of your computer's hard drive. The cloud is just a metaphor for the Internet. Cloud computing refers to the delivery of on-demand computing services -- from applications to storage and processing power -- typically over the internet and on a pay-as-you-go basis.
• Cloud computing can be seen as a re-branded technology instead of a completely new one. It can be seen as mainframe computers and their terminals brought into the modern age. Now any computer in the world can be a terminal via the Internet and similarly any "mainframe" (server farms) in the world can be joined via the Internet (cloud) to provide computing power to the terminals (web browsers). Some features of cloud computing are:
  • Resources Pooling :It means that the Cloud provider pulled the computing resources to provide services to multiple customers with the help of a multi-tenant model.
  • On-Demand Self-Service : It is one of the important and valuable features of Cloud Computing as the user can continuously monitor the server uptime, capabilities, and allotted network storage.
  • Automatic System : Cloud computing automatically analyzes the data needed and supports a metering capability at some level of services. We can monitor, control, and report the usage.
• The three major cloud service models are:
  • Saas(Software as a service): Software as a Service offers applications that are accessed over the web and are not managed by your company, but by the software provider.
  • Iaas(Infrastructure as a service): Iaas offers a standardized way of acquiring computing capabilities on demand and over the web. Such resources include storage facilities, networks, processing power, and virtual private servers.
  • Paas (Platform as a service): Paas is halfway between Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and Software as a Service (SaaS). It offers access to a cloud-based environment in which users can build and deliver applications without the need of installing and working with IDEs (Integrated Development Environments.
• Some real world examples of cloud computing are:
  • Chatbots : The computing power and capacity of the cloud enables the storage of information about user preferences. This helps to provide customized solutions, products and messages based on the behaviors of the users.
  • Backup and Recovery: When you choose cloud backup over your own personal hardware, the responsibility of your information lies with the service provider. The cloud computing providers responsible for storing your data while meeting legal and compliance requirements.
  • Test and Development: Cloud computing is the easiest and the most cost-effective way to launch an app faster in the market. Developers can use the cloud to set up and dismantle test for their applications on the cloud rather than physical environments.
• Cloud computing economics depends on four customer population metrics:
  • Number of Unique Customer Sets
  • Customer Set Duty Cycles
  • Relative Duty Cycle Displacement
  • Customer Set Load
  The selection for implementing the private, public, community or hybrid cloud solely depends on the customer's specification for applications they want to use, the performance they need, the security they want to take & compliance requirement. Proper deployment model can save monetary value as well as time in a significant manner, provide better IT services & provide a higher level of reliability.

You can visit the following websites for more information about Cloud Computing:

• Characteristics of Cloud Computing
• A beginner's guide to cloud computing
• Economics of Cloud Computing