Introduction

"Cloud Computing," to put it simply, means "Internet Computing." The Internet is commonly visualized as clouds; hence the term cloud computing for computation done through the Internet. With Cloud Computing users can access database resources via the Internet from anywhere, for as long as they need, without worrying about any maintenance or management of actual resources. Besides, databases in cloud are very dynamic and scalable. Cloud computing is unlike grid computing, utility computing, or autonomic computing. In fact, it is a very independent platform in terms of computing. The best example of cloud computing is Google Apps where any application can be accessed using a browser and it can be deployed on thousands of computer through the Internet.

Key Characteristics
Cloud computing is cost-effective. Here, cost is greatly reduced as initial expense and recurring expenses are much lower than traditional computing. Maintenance cost is reduced as a third party maintains everything from running the cloud to storing data. Cloud is characterized by features such as platform, location and device independency, which make it easily adoptable for all sizes of businesses, in particular small and midsized. However, owing to redundancy of computer system networks and storage system cloud may not be reliable for data, but it scores well as far as security is concerned. In cloud computing, security is tremendously improved because of a superior technology security system, which is now easily available and affordable. Yet another important characteristic of cloud is scalability, which is achieved through server virtualization. In a nutshell, cloud computing means getting the best performing system with the best value for money.

Cloud Computing Architecture

Cloud computing architecture, just like any other system, is categorized into two main sections: Front End and Back End. Front End can be end user or client or any application (i.e. web browser etc.) which is using cloud services. Back End is the network of servers with any computer program and data storage system. It is usually assumed that cloud contains infinite storage capacity for any software available in market. Cloud has different applications that are hosted on their own dedicated server farms. Cloud has centralized server administration system. Centralized server administers the system, balances client supply, adjusts demands, monitors traffic and avoids congestion. This server follows protocols, commonly known as middleware. Middleware controls the communication of cloud network among them. Cloud Architecture runs on a very important assumption, which is mostly true. The assumption is that the demand for resources is not always consistent from client to cloud. Because of this reason the servers of cloud are unable to run at their full capacity. To avoid this scenario, server virtualization technique is applied. In sever virtualization, all physical servers are virtualized and they run multiple servers with either same or different application. As one physical server acts as multiple physical servers, it curtails the need for more physical machines.

As a matter of fact, data is the most important part of cloud computing; thus, data security is the top most priority in all the data operations of cloud. Here, all the data are backed up at multiple locations. This astoundingly increases the data storage to multiple times in cloud compared with a regular system. Redundancy of data is crucial, which is a must-have attribute of cloud computing.

Different forms of Cloud Computing

Google Apps., Salesforce.com, Zoho Office and various other online applications use cloud computing as Software-As-Service (SAAS) model. These applications are delivered through browser, and multiple customers can access it from various locations. This model has become the most common form of cloud computing because it is beneficial and practical for both the customers and the services providers. For customers, there is no upfront investment and they can Pay-As-They-Go and Pay-As-They-Grow. On the other hand, the service providers, can grow easily as their customer base grows. Aamzon.com, Sun and IBM offer on-demand storage and computing resources. Web service and APIs enable developers to use all the cloud from internet and allow them to create large-scale, full-featured application. Cloud is not simply limited to providing data storage or computing resources, it can also provide managed services or specific application services through web.

Cloud Computing Concerns

Security of confidential data (e.g., SSN or Credit Card Numbers) is a very important area of concern as it can make way for very big problems if unauthorized users get access to it. Misuse of data can create big issues; hence, in cloud computing it is very important to be aware of data administrators and their extent of data access rights. Large organizations dealing with sensitive data often have well laid out regulatory compliance policies. However, these polices should be verified prior to engaging them in cloud computing. There is a possibility that in cloud computing network, sometimes the network utilizes resources from another country or they might not be fully protected; hence, the need arises for appropriate regulatory compliance policies. In cloud computing, it is very common to store data of multiple customers at one common location. Cloud computing should have proper techniques where data is segregated properly for data security and confidentiality. Care must be taken to ensure that one customers data does not affect another customers data. In addition, Cloud computing providers must be equipped with proper disaster recovery policies to deal with any unfortunate event.

Selection of Provider
A good service provider is the key to good service. So, it is imperative to select the right service provider. One must make sure that the provider is reliable, well-reputed for their customer service and should have a proven track record in IT- related ventures. The Cloud Computing Incidents Database (CCID) records and monitors verifiable, noteworthy events that impact cloud computing providers. Visit the following Wikipedia link to obtain the list all such events. http://wiki.cloudcommunity.org/wiki/CCID

Relational Database and Cloud Computing

Comparison has often been drawn between Relational Database and Cloud Computing. They are related for sure but they should not be confused for being the same thing. In actual fact, they are not really competing with each other. There are some unique requirements of applications when they do not call for any advance query techniques but rather need fast access to database. In such scenarios cloud computing should be used. In cloud, data is stored across myriad geographic locations, and processing data from different geographic database leads to delay in receiving data. In case of applications where there is the need of processing huge database using complex queries, traditional relational database is best suited. Cloud has its limitations. As for now, it only supports distributed computing; transactional operations are not currently supported in cloud computing. SummaryCloud Computing is the next big thing in the arena of computing and storage. There are some concerns about security and its availability. However, different service providers are coming up with various solutions and suggestions in response to customers concerns. In any case, cloud is getting bigger and better, and as long as they are available through web services, without capital infrastructure investment at reasonable price, it is for sure going to proliferate and create robust demand in times to come.

Advantages & Disadvantages of Cloud Computing

Once a term only used by governments, cloud hosting is making its way to businesses both large and small. According to Wikipedia, cloud computing "is a style of computing in which dynamically scalable and often virtualized resources are provided as a service over the internet." Image a multitude of servers that are connected through networks to create a cloud where companies are able to store data. Essentially, this cloud acts as an outsourcing agent for server and storage needs. Just because cloud hosting is becoming a new buzzword, adoption may or may not be the best choice for your company. Read over these pros and cons to learn more about your options with cloud computing. The Benefits Hosting your information on an outsourced system (that is maintained by a third-party) can really free up space and cut costs. With cloud hosting, you can Access your data at all times not just while in the office A physical storage center is no longer needed Most have a pay structure that only calls for payment only when used Relieves burden on IT Professionals and frees up their time in the office Easily scalable so companies can add or subtract storage based on their own needs The Negatives If you are going to move all of your information to data centers situated outside your company, then security should be of utmost importance. Lost control comes with handing over your data and information Depending on third-party to ensure the security and confidentiality of data and information If your cloud host disappears, where does your information go? If you are a small business, or even a Fortune 500 company, cloud computing can take a large expense and make it work for your budget. Funding the servers, software, and information technology professionals can be a real burden and finding cost-efficient means through cloud hosting can be very beneficial. With Amazon moving into the cloud computing environment, everyone has access to what could be a major change in business intelligence. Amazons Elastic Compute Cloud is a dedicated, high performance, analytic database cluster that is open to businesses, on a pay-per-use scale, for a monthly fee. This sounds like an excellent business deal, if you are prepared to hand over your personal data and information.

Cloud Computing Advantages There are many advantages a company would have if they would consider cloud computing as part of their business plan. Among them is ease of operations. Every employee will be able to have access to the system wherever they are. A traveling salesman could easily update their database so that the company will be informed immediately about their performance.
Another advantage is the ease of troubleshooting. A specific software installed in the local gadget would need to have a repair from the companys tech group. But when the company uses cloud computing, any bugs, user problems or error in function could be immediately looked into by its developers. There is no need for every user to wait for their turn to have their application fixed. There is also the monetary consideration in cloud computing. There will be eventual savings the company would experience through cloud computing. Instead of tedious work with local connections and additional infrastructure, a company would just consider a cloud computing vendor which will ensure uptime of the processes.

Disadvantages of Cloud Computing On the other hand, there are disadvantages the company would have when they opt to use cloud computing. The biggest of them all is security. Since cloud computing uses the power of online connectivity to handle processing requests, the data could be available for everyone and could be used for malicious purposes.
There is also the challenge of the end-user connectivity. Cloud computing will only be possible if there is a strong internet connection. Cloud computing might not work in areas where internet connection is weak. Although there are applications that might be work with simple dial-up connectivity, the application could easily go down especially when there is too many data to be processed.

Infrastructure is also a challenge for cloud computing. A company who opts to have their own server would have to ensure the infrastructure will be able to deal with consistent and massive data and processing requests. But even with these challenges, cloud computing is seen as one of the futures of the internet. It is changing the way businesses complete their transactions and it will certainly make some changes the way people look at the internet.

Cloud Computing Architecture

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The success of cloud computing is largely based on the effective implementation of its architecture. In cloud computing, architecture is not just based on how the application will work with the intended users. Cloud computing requires an intricate interaction with the hardware which is very essential to ensure uptime of the application.

These two components (hardware and application) have to work together seamlessly or else cloud computing will not be possible. If the application fails, the hardware will not be able to push the data and implement certain processes.

On the other hand, hardware failure will mean stoppage of operations. For that reason, precaution has to be done so that these components will be working as expected and necessary fixes has to be implemented immediately for prevention as well as quick resolution.
Data Centers

One of the most distinguishing characteristics of cloud computing architecture is its close dependency on the hardware components. An online application is just a simple application that could be launched in different servers but when the application is considered with cloud computing, it will require massive data centers that will ensure the processes are done as expected and timely.

Data centers for cloud computing architecture are not your run-of-the-mill data processing centers. Its composed of different servers with optimal storage capacity and processing speed. They work together to ensure that the application will be operating as expected. The area is usually in a highly controlled environment where it would be constantly monitored through various applications and manually checked for actual physical problems.

The data center could be considered as the backbone of cloud computing architecture. The destruction of it could easily mean millions of dollars in additional spending for companies. For that reason, data centers of large companies are often kept secret to avoid infiltration either by hacking or actual physical damage.

What is It and How Does It Work?

Cloud computing is becoming a buzzword. It refers to a computing system in which tasks are assigned through a combination of connections, service and software over a network. This collective of connections is known as the cloud. Computing at this level allows users to sort through a vast amount of data. For example, Google is currently the forerunner of cloud computing due to its need to produce accurate and instant results for the millions of search queries it receives every day. Other companied have developed web based operating systems that look and feel like Windows.

Advantages of Cloud Computing

One of the advantages of cloud computing is that both small and medium sized businesses can instantly obtain the benefits of the enormous infrastructure without having to implement and administer it directly. This also permits accessibility to multiple data centers anywhere on the globe. It also means that as the need for resources increases, companies can add additional service as and when needed from the cloud computing vendor without having to pay for additional hardware.

Eco-Friendly Incentives for Cloud Computing

Of course another incentive to opt for cloud computing is that it is more environmentally friendly. Reducing the number of hardware components and replacing them with cloud computing systems reduces energy costs for running hardware and cooling as well as reducing carbon dioxide emissions and conserving energy. Moving applications to the cloud can potentially reduce energy costs for running and cooling hardware. This can also work in combination with government tax incentives to go green and power companies added incentives.

How Could the Future of Cloud Computing Work for You?

In theory the process is very simple. Cloud computing could allow you to have only a small and inexpensive computer, processor and monitor in front of you. You would have no need for a hard drive or a CD/DVD drive. Instead you would need only an Internet connection, which would hook you up to a central supercomputer that would host all your programs and files. This presents and advantage to both storage and security issues.

Read more: http://www.brighthub.com/environment/greencomputing/articles/10026.aspx#ixzz0eaFVjFSz

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Cloud Computing

Published August 17, 2009 by:

Mike Galarneau
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Cloud computing has become a major business trend in 2009. When trying to find the meaning of the term, you may come across many different definitions. Quite simply, cloud computing refers to the storage of data on servers instead of on individual hard drives. One example would be sharing your photos on flickr.com. Since your pictures are stored on their servers, you would still have access to them if your hard drive crashed for some reason. Similarly, businesses can pay a storage provider, such as Amazon, who currently offers its simple storage service (S3) for a monthly fee, to securely store some of its data. Several businesses are already taking advantage of the benefits that cloud computing has to offer. One reason why companies like the idea of storing their information in "the cloud" is that they are able to reduce expenses. In the past, companies would sometimes buy costly servers before they knew how much space they would need. Now businesses can save money by paying companies, such as Amazon, for storage, and they only need to pay for the storage that they use.

Another benefit of cloud computing is it allows businesses to use less money and other resources on their information technology departments. One example of a way that costs can be lowered is cutting back on staff. Normally a company would need IT experts to set up and monitor their computer systems to ensure everything was working sufficiently and the all data was secure. If they chose to use a cloud storage provider, those tasks would be taken care of. Also a company could use the staff it had remaining concentrating on other aspects of the business, such as research and development.

Cloud Computing Basic Components

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Successful implementation of cloud computing requires proper implementation of certain components. Without any of these components, cloud computing will not be possible. These components cant be easily implemented by one person alone.

Cloud Computing will require persons with different expertise, experiences and backgrounds. As it will require more people in the industry, its no wonder why cloud computing is a very expensive venture. But even with the expenses that the company would often have to spend, the advantages provided by cloud computing is far more than the initial spending.

Some would resort to a cloud computing vendor because of the lack of resources while others have the resources to build their cloud computing applications, platforms and hardware. But either way, components have to be implemented with the expectation of optimal performance.
The Client The End User

Everything ends with the client. The hardware components, the application and everything else developed for cloud computing will be used in the client. Without the client, nothing will be possible.

The client could come in two forms: the hardware component or the combination of software and hardware components. Although its a common conception that cloud computing solely relies on the cloud (internet), there are certain systems that requires preinstalled applications to ensure smooth transition. The hardware on the other hand will be the platform where everything has to be launched.

Optimization is based on two fronts: the local hardware capacity and the software security. Through optimized hardware with security, the application will launch seamlessly.
The Service the Functions in Cloud Computing

Cloud computing always has a purpose. One of the main reasons cloud computing become popular is due to the adoption of businesses as the easier way to implement business processes. Cloud computing is all about processes and the services launched through cloud computing always has to deal with processes with an expected output.

The optimization on services is based on two things: the proper development of the application and the end user. Sometimes, the service could be used by the user wherein their experience is greatly affected by their gadget.

Cloud Computing Applications

Who's Who in Cloud Computing

Some of the companies researching cloud computing are big names in the computer industry. Microsoft, IBM and Google are investing millions of dollars into research. Some people think Apple might investigate the possibility of producing interface hardware for cloud computing systems.
The applications of cloud computing are practically limitless. With the right middleware, a cloud computing system could execute all the programs a normal computer could run. Potentially, everything from generic word processing software to customized computer programs designed for a specific company could work on a cloud computing system. Why would anyone want to rely on another computer system to run programs and store data? Here are just a few reasons:

Clients would be able to access their applications and data from anywhere at any time. They could access the cloud computing system using any computer linked to the Internet. Data wouldn't be confined to a hard drive on one user's computer or even a corporation's internal network. It could bring hardware costs down. Cloud computing systems would reduce the need for advanced hardware on the client side. You wouldn't need to buy the fastest computer with the most memory, because the cloud system would take care of those needs for you. Instead, you could buy an inexpensive computer terminal. The terminal could include a monitor, input devices like a keyboard and mouse and just enough processing power to run the middleware necessary to connect to the cloud system. You wouldn't need a large hard drive because you'd store all your information on a remote computer. Corporations that rely on computers have to make sure they have the right software in place to achieve goals. Cloud computing systems give these organizations company-wide access to computer applications. The companies don't have to buy a set of software or software licenses for every employee. Instead, the company could pay a metered fee to a cloud computing company. Servers and digital storage devices take up space. Some companies rent physical space to store servers and databases because they don't have it available on site. Cloud computing gives these companies the option of storing data on someone else's hardware, removing the need for physical space on the front end. Corporations might save money on IT support. Streamlined hardware would, in theory, have fewer problems than a network of heterogeneous machines and operating systems. If the cloud computing system's back end is a grid computing system, then the client could take advantage of the entire network's processing power. Often, scientists and researchers work with calculations so complex that it would take years for individual computers to complete them. On a grid computing system, the client could send the calculation to the cloud for processing. The cloud system would tap into the processing power of all available computers on the back end, significantly speeding up the calculation.