Cloud Computing in a Nutshell

Cloud Computing

Cloud computing is a general term for anything that involves delivering hosted services over the Internet.

Wikipedia says “Cloud computing is the use of computing resources (hardware and software) that are delivered as a service over a network (typically the Internet). The name comes from the common use of a cloud-shaped symbol as an abstraction for the complex infrastructure it contains in system diagrams. Cloud computing entrusts remote services with a user's data, software and computation.”

Cloud Benefits

• Pay as you go
• Focus on business rather than IT
• Elasticity - Scale up and down based on business need

Cloud Models

• Deployment Models :  Public Cloud, Private Cloud, Hybrid Cloud, Community Cloud
• Service Models : SaaS, PaaS, IaaS

Essential Characteristics

• On Demand Self-Service: Allows for provisioning of computing resources automatically as needed.
• Broad Network Access: Access to cloud resources is over the network using standard mechanisms provided through multi-channels.
• Resource Pooling: The vendors’ resources are capable of being pooled to serve multiple clients using a multi-tenant model, with different physical and virtual resources in a dynamic way.
• Example of resources include; computation capabilities, storage and memory.
• Rapid Elasticity: Allows for rapid capability provisioning, for quick scaling out and scaling in of capabilities. The capability available for provisioning to the client seems to be unlimited and that it can be purchased as demanded.
• Measured Service: Allows monitoring, control and reporting of usage. It also allows for transparent between the provider and the client.