Cloud Computing Overview

Cloud Computing Overview

Definition:

                Cloud computing is 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.

How It Works:

ü  Utilizes the network as a means to connect user end point to resources that are centralized in a data center.

ü  The data center may be accessed via the internet or a intranet, or both.

ü  Allows access from a variety of end points such as a mobile phone, a PC or a tablet.

ü  Cloud services may be designed to be vendor agnostic, working equally well with Linux, Mac and PC platforms.

ü  Allows access from any internet connected location, allowing Telecommuting, and Outsourcing.

ü  A user endpoint with minimal software requirements may submit a task for processing. The service provider may pool the processing power of multiple remote computers in "the cloud" to achieve the task, such as data warehousing of hundreds of terabytes, managing and synchronizing multiple documents online, or computationally intensive work.

Types of Cloud

There are three types of the cloud:

l  Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

l  Platform as a Service (PaaS)

l  Software as a Service (SaaS)

Layers

Why to use Cloud Computing

ü  Website traffic fluctuates.

ü  Visitors expect steady, fast performance regardless.

ü  An infrastructure able to handle peak traffic requires capital investment.

ü  No matter how big you build it, it still may not be enough.

ü  Having to choose between overspending or under-provisioning is a classic dilemma.

         

          By deploying your web application in the cloud, you can avoid this dilemma. You can eliminate the upfront fixed investment, and still gain access to compute resources to meet peak loads with on demand scalability, while still paying only for the compute time you actually use.