Survey Paper

Running head: CLOUD COMPUTING SERVICES 1

CLOUD COMPUTING SERVICES 10

Cloud Computing Services

Name

Institution

Cloud Computing Services

Introduction

Cloud computing enables the use of the computer system without an active user managing it. They are a wide range of data centers readily available over the internet. The usage of cloud services is predominant in the modern world, and many functions can be distributed to various locations from a central server. The cloud could be owned by one organization that we term as enterprise clouds or be availed to many firms known as public clouds. The aim of using clouds is to enhance resource sharing, which enables the achievement of the economics of scale. Cloud computing also saves the costs that firms incur by acquiring IT infrastructure.

Applications in an organization can be easily installed. Cloud computing enhances the manageability and requires less maintenance (Sultan, 2010). It also provides higher computing power and can be compatible with the systems that are used in an organization. Some of the factors that have aided the growth of cloud computing include low costs of storage devices and computers, utility computing, high-capacity networks, hardware virtualization, and autonomic. Linux was the dominant operating system last year, together with its Microsoft offerings. On their part, cloud service providers (CSP) gather data, screen and keep up information on intrusion identification, firewalls, information stream, and action frameworks inside the system.

Cloud Computing

The cloud computing user can benefit from the technology despite not having expertise or in-depth knowledge about it. Clouds reduce costs and help users to focus on their businesses without the interruption of IT obstacles. Cloud computation relies on virtualization technology. This virtualization technology separates the computing device and sets up several virtual machines that can easily control computing tasks. The connection of multiple computing devices enables easy management of available computing resources. It offers the necessary agility to reduce costs and improve the speed of IT operations through increased infrastructure utilization. Autonomic computing is used to automate processes enabling resource provision based on their demand (Sultan, 2010).

Cloud computing reduces user involvement, thus reducing the cost of labor, speed the process, and reduce errors. It uses utility concepts of computing to give metrics of the services that are used. That way, cloud computing addresses the issue of quality of service (QoS) and problems on reliability associated with grid computing models.

Characteristics of Cloud Computing

Cloud computing enables organizations to enhance the flexibility of the users through addition, re-provision, and expansion of infrastructure in technological resources. Cloud service providers also assure organizations of cost reduction. Usage of cloud computing reduces capital expenses invested in IT operations. The barrier to entry is lowered since a third party provides infrastructure compared to where they are purchased by the organization for computational tasks. Usage-based pricing reduces the cost and requires fewer projects of implementation of projects. Cost reduction depends on the activities supported and infrastructure available (Bradshaw, Millard & Walden, 2011).

The system users can access the network through web browsers using their computing device at any location. The infrastructure is provided by service providers situated outside the site and can be accessed over the internet. Thus, computer users can access these services anywhere. The maintenance cost is also low since the cloud is not installed on a particular computer and is located at any location. Cloud service enable sharing of resources among many users through the centralization of infrastructure, which lowers the cost. Peak-load is increased, and efficiency is improved. IT experts can also monitor the performance based on the service provider. The web services are used to provide consistent infrastructure in the system interface.

Where many users work on the data simultaneously, the productivity will be enhanced. Time is also saved through quick delivery of information, and the users are not supposed to install these applications on their computers. Having multiple sites in cloud computing is appropriate for business continuity and data recovery when disaster occurs. The security of stored data is also improved through centralization as compared to traditional servers. However, there is a risk over sensitive data that is shared due to a lack of security over these stored kernels. The advantage of cloud computing is that the providers can give security resources that organizations may not afford. Public clouds are mainly hazardous due to the large number of users that are involved. In private clouds, organizations can retain control over their infrastructure and secure information shared or stored.

Service Models

Cloud computing service providers use a service-oriented architecture to offer them according to the model required. There are three models as provided in the national institute of standards and technology (NIST) which are infrastructure as a service (IaaS), platform as a service (PaaS) and software as a service (SaaS). The abstraction associated with these models increases from infrastructure, a platform to software, but they are not necessarily related.

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

The online service is used to dereference network infrastructure by the cloud service provider through data partitioning, computing devices, location, scaling, data security, and back up. The virtual devices are operated by a hypervisor within the cloud systems and can support a large number of machines. It also enables scaling up and down, depending on the requirements by the users of the cloud. The capacity of auto-scales is also managed to ensure that the users can perform their tasks efficiently form any location. IaaS clouds also provide additional storage for files and data that they may require in their operations. Computer users can also install and run the software, such as applications and operating systems (Gonzales et al. 2015).

Although the user has no control over the infrastructure, they can control the storage, applications, and operating systems from their computing devices. Control over networking components like firewalls is the responsibility of the providers. The cloud providers use equipment in their data centers to manage the operations from a wide range of users. They also have OS images and software on the cloud infrastructure to deploy various applications. Users can use carrier clouds or the internet to enhance connectivity from any location. Maintenance of applications and patching is the responsibility of the users (Gonzales et al. 2015). Billing in IaaS is utility based, meaning the cost reflects the resource allocation and consumption.

Platform as a Service (PaaS)

The users can organize software on cloud infrastructure using tools, libraries, and services and computing languages supported by the providers. However, they have no control over the storage, network servers, operating system, and other underlying cloud infrastructure. The consumers can control applications and configure the settings based on the environment in which they are operating (Lin et al. 2013). The providers guide application developers on the necessary considerations to enable a full range of usage in different situations. They set the standards for development and offer means for payment and distribution. Once developed, the software is run over a cloud platform as opposed to where the users buy and manage them with their underlying layers. In some cases, the resources are matched with the demand among the cloud users rather than allocating them manually (Lin et al. 2013).

Some data management and integration providers may use specialized applications for data delivery. These enable the users to manage, govern, and execute integration flow for the information they share. Consumers can oversee the deployment and development of integration without having to install any hardware on their computers. Platform as a service providers manage the execution and evolution of programs by providing the users with data applications.

Software as a Service

The users can use applications from providers that are run on cloud infrastructure. Consumers can use the software over the internet or using a program interface. As in the other models, the user does not have control over underlying infrastructure, although they can make some configuration settings. In software as a service model, the users can access the databases and application software from their computing devices. Cloud service providers, on the other hand, manage platforms and infrastructure that enable the running of these applications. Pricing in this model is based on the demand and usage where the users are required to make a subscription (Kuo, 2011).

Cloud users can access the software without installing them on their computers. They save support and maintenance costs in the process. The scalability of these applications enables the providers to meet the varying demand by the users at all times. Work is distributed to the connected virtual machines in the cloud by using load balancers. The process is very secure since the user can only see their specified access point. Cloud applications are multitenant, meaning many users can be served from one machine that is managed by the service providers.

The pricing is adjustable and scalable since it depends on the number of users who pay annual or monthly fees for connection. Thus, the cloud provider can monitor the pricing when the users increase or during the period. In some cases, the service may also be offered free based on the relationship between the providers and the organization (Kuo, 2011). Using the software as service businesses reduce their expenses on IT operation.

Maintenance and support of software and hardware are subcontracted to a cloud service provider. These funds could be used in other projects that can be beneficial to the business. Besides, the applications on the cloud are easily updated since the users are not required to install any updates. However, there is a security issue concerning data storage on cloud applications. The information can be susceptible to unauthorized access. Data security is paramount to any business organization, and any platform chosen should enable them to secure their data from other users.

Apart from these three models discussed above, there are other forms of cloud computing which include:

Server-less Computing

It is a code for cloud computing where the providers manage virtual machines to serve various requests by the users. The application is charged based on the required resources but not the number of connected users or the number of hours spent in solving a particular problem. The name may suggest that the codes are run without servers, which is never the case. It is named so since people or businesses that own these systems are not required to obtain servers or virtual machines for code run.

Function as a Service (FaaS)

FaaS enables deployment of features in the cloud that are required to respond to different events. It is a remote procedure that allows serverless computing. It is a form of cloud computing that does not require the users to have servers since a third-party service provider offers a platform of operation.

Cloud Deployment Models

There are two models of cloud deployment, which are public and private clouds. The two models vary on the mode of operation and the control by the users, as discussed below.

Public Cloud

The services are provided over a network that is accessible to the public. The clouds may require the users to pay, or they can access them free in some cases. The cloud architecture is technically the same in both private and public clouds. However, security provisions may vary for the storage, applications, software, or other resources provided to the general users. Non-trusted networks may affect communication between service providers and consumers.

In most cases, the service providers of public clouds operate and own the data center infrastructure. The users access the cloud over the internet, which gives the providers control over the operations they can perform on the platform. These connections also require the consumer to lease or purchase a private link to any access point as a provider by the provider (Sultan, 2011).

Private Cloud

It is operated or managed by a particular firm with either an internal or external host location. Before embarking on the project, it is essential to virtualize the operations and re-evaluate the resources available in the organization. It is a way of improving the profitability of the business, but realizing these benefits may require huge investments. Every step in the execution of the plan is coupled with security concerns that have to be adequately addressed before continuing. Failure to secure the whole process could result in data vulnerability to an unauthorized user. Private clouds also require environmental control, hardware, and space, which may be a challenge to many organizations. Besides, further investments may be necessary for the future, leading to more operational expenses. These high costs of operation have been criticized by many since they overshadow the purported benefits. Any business venture is a profit-seeking investment and, therefore, can only invest in activities that can be beneficial to them (Bradshaw, Millard & Walden, 2011).

The challenges associated with each cloud can be mitigated by using them concurrently in what is called a hybrid cloud. It is composed of both the private and public cloud computing features. A hybrid cloud allows integration, aggregation, and customization of more than one cloud service by the user. Organizations may decide to store sensitive data on private cloud and interconnect other software in a public network cloud. Installation depends on the level of control required, data security, compliance, and type of applications used in an organization. A hybrid cloud eliminates the problems associated with other cloud networks (Lin et al. 2011). Benefits realized include improved runtime and effective network processing.

Conclusion

Cloud computing has overtaken the traditional methods that were previously used. The driving factor for this widespread change is the need to mitigate risks associated with internal outages and hardware complexity. Besides, business organizations have a wide range of users and data that should be managed and controlled. Thus, since they can centrally perform all these operations through cloud computing, it has become prevalent in many firms. The user can access the applications on cloud platforms using their computing device from any location using the internet. One of the challenges that should be addressed is the issue of privacy and security associated with cloud services. The service providers should have agreed on terms with the users on how they will secure the data shared on the cloud. That way, organizations can reap the benefits of this technological advancement.

References

Bradshaw, S., Millard, C., & Walden, I. (2011). Contracts for clouds: Comparison and analysis of the terms and conditions of cloud computing services. International Journal of Law and Information Technology, 19(3), 187-223.

Gonzales, D., Kaplan, J. M., Saltzman, E., Winkelman, Z., & Woods, D. (2015). Cloud-trust—A security assessment model for infrastructure as a service (IaaS) clouds. IEEE Transactions on Cloud Computing, 5(3), 523-536.

Kuo, M. H. (2011). Opportunities and challenges of cloud computing to improve health care services. Journal of medical Internet research, 13(3), e67.

Lin, C., Su, W. B., Meng, K., Liu, Q., & Liu, W. D. (2013). Cloud computing security: architecture, mechanism, and modeling. Chinese journal of computers, 36(9), 1765-1784.

Sultan, N. (2010). Cloud computing for education: A new dawn? International Journal of Information Management, 30(2), 109-116.