Cloud Computing

Cloud Computing
Whats in the Cloud?
To put it simply, cloud computing means storing and accessing data and
programs over the Internet instead of your computer's hard drive.
So does the term Cloud actually refers to the Internet? Actually Yes, its
conceptually the same thing Cloud could be though of as an useful way to
apply the Internet to make the job of storing and retrieving data easier (more
on that later).
Storing data on, and running applications from the hard drive, is more
popularly called local storage and computing. The User in this case is
physically close to the computer, which makes accessing the data fast and
easy.
Having your own dedicated hardware server, or storing data on a home or
office network does not typically count as being on the cloud. To be called true
Cloud Computing, you should at least have to access your data and/or
programs over the Internet.
To put it another way, cloud computing provides a variety of computing
resources , from servers and storage to enterprise applications such as email,
security, backup/DR, voice, all delivered over the Internet.
 Whats in the Cloud?
The reasons for the emergence of cloud computing become quite clear if we
understand the basic premise for its existence it provides a solution for what
IT always needs: a way to increase capacity or add capabilities on the fly
without investing in new infrastructure, training new personnel, or licensing
new software.
Its the difference between buying and renting, or, to look at it differently, a
way to convert capital expense into operating expense.
 Types of Cloud

Software as a Service (SaaS)

This type of cloud computing delivers a single application through the browser
to thousands of customers using a multitenant architecture. On the customer
side, it means no upfront investment in servers or software licensing; on the
provider side, with just one app to maintain, costs are low compared to
conventional hosting.
Platform as a Service (PaaS)
This form of cloud computing delivers development environments as a service.
Developers can build their own applications that run on the provider's
infrastructure and are delivered to end users via the Internet from the
provider's servers.
PaaS provides all of the facilities required to support the complete life cycle of
building and delivering web applications and services entirely from the
Internet.
 Types of Cloud

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

IaaS is the delivery of technology infrastructure as an on demand scalable
service. (its like renting computing power for a period of time). It allows
existing applications to be run on a cloud suppliers hardware. Cloud providers
offer computers as physical or more often as virtual machines raw storage,
firewalls, load balancers, and networks.
 White Clouds Arguments For the
Cloud
Cloud services let companies quickly shift capacity up AND down to match
business needs. Most cloud computing services are offered by the month or
based on the consumption of resources. This is a good option for some
industries, such as retail and financial services, which are subject to boom
times and low times in their normal business cycles.
Cloud computing gives organisations the ability to renew an aging
infrastructure without incurring CAPEX costs. This is particularly critical for
companies that are trying to accommodate new technologies. Cloud computing
gives these companies a way to do this without having to buy new servers.
Cloud computing providers often offer infrastructure as well as management
services, allowing organisations to pass on these tasks to the provider, thus
freeing up IT staff to work on other projects that may be more critical to
business success.
The ability to mix and match the right solutions for the business without having
to purchase hardware and software is an important advantage that cloud
computing provides. This helps to contain volatility, reduce operational costs,
increase IT effectiveness, and create customer-facing systems quickly.
 White Clouds Arguments For the
Cloud
There are many other advantages on a smaller scale, such as:

Lower computer costs: Users do not need a high-powered and high-priced computer to run
cloud computing's web-based applications. Since applications run in the cloud, not on the
desktop PC, the PC does not need the processing power or hard disk space demanded by
traditional desktop software.
Improved computer performance: With few large programs hogging the computer's
memory, Users tend to get better performance from their PCs
Instant software updates: Another advantage to cloud computing is that the User is no
longer faced with choosing between obsolete software and high upgrade costs. When the
application is web-based, updates happen automatically.
Unlimited storage capacity: Cloud computing offers virtually limitless storage.
Increased data reliability: Unlike desktop computing, in which a hard disk can crash and
potentially destroy all the data, a computer crashing in the cloud does not normally affect
the storage of data. (This is because the cloud computing provider will have built in
processes, and the resources, to automatically backup data on multiple storage devices in
multiple physical locations).
Universal document access
Easier group collaboration
Device independence: The User is no longer tethered to a single computer or network.
Changes to computers, applications and documents follow the User through the cloud
(including moving to a portable device).
 Dark Clouds Arguments Against the
Cloud
To put it quite simply, Cloud computing is impossible if you cannot connect to
the Internet. In areas where Internet connections are few or inherently
unreliable, this could be a show stopper.
Riding the Cloud means being prepared to lose some control over the way you
use your data or applications. The ISPs, telecoms, and media companies
control your access. You are, in a way, placing all your trust in the fact that
these service providers will continue to provide you high quality, unrestricted
access. Either this may not always be possible, or, even if it does, you may
have to pay a lot more for this unfettered access that you had bargained for.
(Companies are constantly looking for ways to make you pay more.)
There is also the issue of the potential for crashes. When there are problems
at a company like Amazon, which provides cloud services to mega names like
Netflix (as it happened in the summer of 2012)*, a lot of services can get
disrupted very fast. As Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak said, .I think it's
going to be horrendous. I think there are going to be a lot of horrible problems
in the next five years.
* http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2406577,00.asp
 Dark Clouds Arguments Against the
Cloud
There's no central body governing use of the cloud for storage and services. This brings
up the issue of intellectual property rights. Who owns the data I store online? Is it me or
the company storing it? Ownership is a relevant factor to be concerned about. The
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) is trying to establish standards for
use, especially for the business sector.
In all:
Security is an important issue, and currently requires specialised expertise.
Much of the technology is proprietary, and thus can cause lock-in.
You are dependent on the cloud computing provider for your IT resources, thus you
could be exposed around outages and other service interruptions.
Using the Internet can cause network latency with some (many) cloud applications.
You are not necessarily in control of costs - subscription prices can go up in the
future.
Integration between on-premise and cloud-based systems can be problematic.
Compliance issues could raise the risks of using cloud computing.
Data privacy issues could arise, if your cloud provider seeks to monetise the data in
their system.
M&A activity around cloud providers, could mean constantly adjusting and
readjusting your cloud computing solutions.
 Dark Clouds with Silver Lining

Some myths about the cloud dispelled (?)

It is said, as an argument against the cloud, that cloud is inflexible you may
have the convenience of offloading all your troubles on someone else, but you
lose control over the way you manage / control your data, in the process.
(The argument is similar to using public transport vs. private transport). This is
increasingly untrue as the cloud today is no less flexible than having your own
infrastructure to manage your data.
Another major argument against the cloud is that of security. True, it can be
appreciated that keeping information internal to the organisation is by its
nature more secure. On the other hand, it can also be said that cloud providers
whose very business model depends on guaranteeing a secure
environmentshould be better skilled at security and compliance issues than
any individual organisation (its what they do for a living they should, over
time, become very good at it).
Organisations should take advantage of this ready expertise instead of trying
to develop their own.
 Beware of the Dark Clouds
(Who should worry?)
The type of organisations that probably will not favour cloud over their own
setup would include those for whom the following are critical:
- Security of data
Any organisation that is dealing with, or thinks it is dealing with, high security
data wouldnt want to use the cloud. Defense organisations and Govt.
organisations are a good example. Others might include companies like say
Boeing or Airbus who wouldnt want their future plans to be available with
anyone other than themselves.
- Speed of transactions
Certain financial service companies, particularly companies involved with
trading, would like to have their computers located physically nearby a stock
exchanges (or other exchanges) computers. In a business where milliseconds
or less make a difference, the physical location of ones data as well as
everything else about managing that data is critical. (The closer a computer
is physically to the computer with which it is conducting a transaction, the less
latency there will be when completing that transaction.)
 Living in the Cloud

My organisations move to the Cloud consists of transferring the E-mail system from own
servers to that of Microsoft by migrating to Microsofts Office 365 system. This is a
subscription based system that lets you use Microsofts severs (and application) with your own
domain name, to manage your e-mail system. The subscription comes with (virtually)
unlimited storage space both for individual mail boxes and for the organisation.
Upside:
- Freed of having to manage our own mail server
- No concerns about upgrading the server for more storage
- No concerns about upgrading the server for more users
- No concerns about managing the anti-virus systems
- No concerns about potential downtime
Downside:
- Uncertainty about pricing cloud provider may increase the costs, abnormally, at any time
(you can always migrate to another service provider in this case, but that itself comes with
some disruptions and concerns)
- Microsoft is an American company. Any political combat between India and US has the
potential to cause a disruption of our system (its a remote possibility in an economically
wired world of today, but not impossible)
- Uncertainty about continuity of service in the extended future in the world of technology,
even giants can fail at any time. Our system stability is dependent entirely on Microsofts
continued existence, and on their ability to continue servicing the contract.
 References

Five Basic Things You Should Know About Cloud Computing;

www.forbes.com
What Is Cloud Computing?; www.pcmag.com
http://www.ebizq.net/blogs/cloudsoa/
http://www.wired.com/2013/05/to-cloud-or-not-to-cloud-where-does-your-
data-warehouse-belong/
8 Reasons to Fear Cloud Computing; http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/
http://www.infoworld.com/d/cloud-computing/what-cloud-computing-really-
means/