An Overview of Cloud Computing

Documented by: Manasa.S &

Indraja.S (III/IV B.Tech)

Date written: 23rd December 2010

Target Readers: From ALL

Backgrounds.
ABSTRACT easily accessed from any resource by an
authorized user.
Keywords:
Cloud Computing can be easily correlated

Cloud Computing, Cloud Storage, Public with a system of an electric power station

Cloud, Private Cloud, Hybrid Cloud, which supplies electricity to homes or

Software-as-a-Service, Platform-as-a- industrial units through different electric

Service, Infrastructure-as-a-Service etc.
Purpose of the Document:
The purpose of this document is to
provide an overview of Cloud Computing, its
architecture/working, types, and services
offered, benefits, drawbacks etc.
AN INTRODUCTION
lines. The Bill for electricity is charged from
the users according to the units consumed
by each of them. In a similar fashion,
common software business applications are
deployed on a central server and shared on
a network typically an internet which can be
accessed by different clients through a web
browser. The users are being charged only
for resources being used by them.

Cloud Computing is a new terminology WHAT IS A CLOUD?

in the IT world. The definition of the cloud
A Cloud can both be software as well
computing varies from an expert to expert.
as infrastructure. It is an application which
In simple words, Cloud is another term
can be accessed via a web or a server.
used for INTERNET and cloud computing
Cloud Computing is the ability or technique
refers to the usage of various applications
to use the applications on the Internet.
over the Internet. Cloud computing is a
concept that involves many software It is the technology that can lease
resources (for example business many servers and run modeling application
applications) operating or working together on the most powerful systems available
in a network to be shared by many users in across. This technology is used to store and
the network. secure enormous amount of data that is
accessible by authorized users only
In Traditional Computing, all the data
(Individuals, Organizations or Non-
is being stored on the user’s PC which
Commercial corporations etc.). It is
cannot be accessed from any source outside
supported by a cloud provider which
the network. Whereas in Cloud
establishes the platform including an OS, a
Computing, the focus remains on the
Database, PERL and PHP (helps to scale the
required document and not on the PC on
response towards workloads). To hold an
which it is stored. This document can be
application, business and personal data,
storage cloud is being used. Using this
technique of Cloud Computing, we can
invent, develop, deploy, maintain, scale and
update the application over the Internet.
Cloud Computing is mounted over two
prime layers:
1. Cloud Middle Ware: This layer
mainly deals with the provisioning of
Storage, Operating System, Network,
Services and other user activities carried
on the Internet.
2. Resources: This layer deals with the
availability of the resources
includes the Services, Storage, Network
amount of investment in terms of money.
and the Operating System. Since the
users connect to the systems in the
network, the resources availability
becomes an important task.
HOW CLOUD COMPUTING WORKS /
CLOUD ARCHITECTURE
To understand the working of Cloud
Computing, we shall consider a scenario in
a software organization. The organization
needs to ensure that all the employees get
the right hardware and software for their
work. Apart from providing computers to
all the employees, the organization also
needs to purchase the software or software
licenses for the tools used by
employees. As the number of employee
To cope up with this, the organization
can follow an approach. Instead of installing
software on each system, the organization
loads just one application which allows the
employees to log into a web-based service
hosting all the programs the employees
would need for their work. The remote
machines owned by another organization
would perform the entire task including e-
mail, word processing and data analysis etc.
This is the Cloud Computing.
In a Cloud Computing system, there is
a constant shift in the workload. The local
which
systems are not required to carry on with
heavy tasks or running applications. Instead
network of computers making a cloud
handles the bulk.This results in decrease
in the hardware and software requirements
on the user’s side.The only thing required
grows, there is need for more software or
licenses. This may be end up in huge
at the user’s end is the Cloud Computing
system Interface Software (which can be
a simple Web Browser) and the cloud
network takes care of the rest.
The central theme behind working of
Cloud Computing is the offering of huge
information and storage by a network of
computers and servers. It’s a big
the
association of several computers. An end
user connects to the cloud by Internet. The
cloud appears as a single point from where
any information or data can be easily
accessed.

Cloud Storage:

The entire information in Cloud

Computing is stored on different servers
rather than on one for a purpose. It
appears that the data is stored at a
particular location but in reality it doesn’t
happen. In reality, the user’s data may be
stored on any of the computers that make
the cloud.

TYPES OF CLOUD COMPUTING

Cloud Services:
There are three models of Cloud
Any Internet based application which
Computing. These are:
is provided by Cloud Computing is known
as Cloud Services. The end user opens the Public Cloud:
internet and runs an application. The
browser uses the cloud which in turn opens In a Public Cloud, the service provider
an instance of the application for the user creates resources such as applications and
on his system. storage which are available to the general
public (anyone) on Internet. Public Cloud
A typical Cloud Computing system is shown
services may be free or offered on a pay-
in the figure below:
per-usage model basis. The Public Cloud
exists beyond any firewall and are entirely
hosted and managed by the vendor.
Public clouds comprise of those
applications that are from different clients.
These are bundled on the cloud’s server,
the storage systems and the networks
which are run by the third parties. These
are hosted away from the client’s location
and they provide multiple ways to reduce
overall risk and cost involved.
A public cloud is one, where a service
provider makes resources, such
applications and storage, available to the
general public over Internet. Public cloud
services may be free or offered on a pay-
per-usage model (rental).
accountability is e-commerce based.
Few examples of public clouds are:
1. Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2),
2. IBM's Blue Cloud Sun Cloud,
3. Google App Engine and
4. Windows Azure Services Platform.
Private Cloud:
In Private Cloud, the usage is limited
to a particular client. This provides them
with maximum control over data, enhanced
security and quality of service. The Private
Cloud exists within the firewall of the
organization.
The organization owns everything:
Infrastructure as well as Applications in
case of Private Cloud. This involves a
Proprietary network or a data center which
provides hosted services to limited users
only. The overall operation costs
reduced since these are managed by the
organization.
The Hybrid Cloud is a combination of
both Private and Public Clouds. These are
used for collaborating Private Clouds with
as the Public Clouds in order to maintain the
variations in the workload. They help in
providing and meeting on-demand
business. The advantage of Hybrid Cloud is
The that peak workload can be handled easily
using this.
Hybrid Clouds have the complexity to
find out how applications are distributed
across both Public and Private Clouds.
When the data set is small, then a Hybrid
Cloud can be much more successful than
during the larger data set. In Hybrid Cloud,
there are multiple internal or external
service providers involved.
The three models of Cloud Computing are
shown in the figure below:
are

Hybrid Cloud:

SERVICES OFFERED BY CLOUD
COMPUTING:
There are three kinds of service being
offered by Cloud Computing, which are:
Software-as-a-Service:
This service model of Cloud Computing
deals with delivering the software over the
Internet. The applications are hosted and
delivered as services on the web. Instead
of installing and maintain the software, the
end user simply accesses it using the
Internet.
In Software-as-a-Service (S-a-a-S)
model, the software licenses are delivered
to the users for the respective applications
as a service on demand, thereby
permitting an access to the software. This
helps thousands of customers to an extent
since they need not spend capital on
purchasing the applications and the
resources.
In the beginning, the end user shall
purchase the license from the provider and
then run the software after installing it.
This has lot of advantages since it provides
easy administration, easy collaboration and
easy accessibility. The most widely used S-
a-a-S is ‘Google Docs’ which allows the
developers to support many customers
with a single version of product.
Platform-as-a-Service:
In this service model of Cloud
Computing, the computing platform and
solution stack are delivered as a service.
This comprises of a set of product
development tools to be hosted on the
provider’s infrastructure.
P-a-a-S service model supports the
whole lifecycle of building and delivering
the web applications and services. The cost
is considerably reduced and there is no
requirement of buying and managing the
underlying hardware and software. It helps
in providing an integral solution over the
web using the Internet. In this service
model, the software tool is hosted in the
cloud and is accessed using a browser.
P-a-a-S is generally used during
different phases of software development.
This is also known as ‘Cloud ware’ since
resources from privately owned computers
are moved in to the cloud. One of the main
advantages of P-a-a-S is that various
teams distributed across the world can
work on the software development.
Besides this, other advantages include
increased productivity, free access and
centralized management.
Infrastructure-as-a-Service:
This is one of main methods of Cloud
Computing. This is done by delivering
computer infrastructure as a service. A
central infrastructure is being shared
between many enterprises.
 o The organizations do not have to bear
Infrastructure-as-a-Service provides the huge software costs since most of the
storage and computational capabilities over Cloud Computing applications are free.
the network. Resources such as the
o The software updates take place
servers, storage systems, switches, routers
automatically and the end
and other systems are shared. I-a-a-S can
user/organization need not worry to
handle workloads ranging from application
download the upgrade.
components to high performance
computing applications. In this model of
Cloud Computing, an organization
outsources the resources and the o The end user/organization can store

infrastructure used to support services. In unlimited data in the cloud.

this, the service provider owns the

infrastructure and is responsible for its
maintenance. o During the event of a system crash, the
data loss shall not be there since it
exists in a cloud, thus increasing the
BENEFITS OF CLOUD COMPUTING
overall reliability.

The data is stored on the server which in

turn reduces the usage of local machines,
thereby saving hardware equipment. Also, o Using the Internet, the end user can
the need for a physical data center does access the application or the document
not exist. in the cloud from anywhere in the
world, thereby providing the
o The local systems do not have a large
universality.
amount on them (as the data is present
on the shared servers) so the
performance of the system is far better
o Ease of use: It does not require users
since memory consumption is lesser.
to be present in front of his computer
machine to work or use. Cloud
computing can prove very effective for
o The enterprise can save their
organizations where Sales is a major
infrastructure and maintenance costs
criteria for monthly targets. A
using Cloud Computing since the data
Travelling sales person can enter the
is outsourced.
details of the transactions done by him
or her anywhere he/she is present.
 The Data retrieving speed is also a
o Using the ‘Pay as you go’ feature, the major concern since the data is retrieved at
end users shall only be charged for the times from the servers kept at remote
amount of traffic, memory and locations across the globe (there may be a
bandwidth used during the course of large distance between the server and the
service. accessing point).

The end user may have to wait longer

o Since the cloud is maintained by
to fetch the data at times, since Cloud
different organizations, the end user
Computing involves a huge network of
need not pay for its maintenance.
computers and servers across.

o The dependency on the network is

o The Cloud Computing also helps in
to a great extent since the end user
launching the Emerging Web
can’t access the cloud when the
applications and also makes the
network is down. Also, when traffic is
application scaling possible.
heavy, the computing tends to be
slower.

o Cloud Computing is also being used by

a few organizations for innovation
o The changes in the application are
purposes since these work to cultivate
made without the end user’s knowledge
highly skilled, technically sound
since the cloud is not being maintained
workforce.
by him/her.

DRAWBACKS OF CLOUD COMPUTING:

‘DATA SECURITY’ is the biggest o The stored data in the cloud tends
concern with regard to the Cloud to be lost at times, thereby causing
Computing since the data which is in cloud issues to the end user.
is being shared among various
organizations.

o The freedom of the end user is

Cloud Computing is only possible in
limited since he/she is dependent on
the places which have the Internet access.
the cloud computing provider.
Without Internet connection, a cloud can’t
be accessed.
 o Lack of interoperability: Two professors and researchers etc.)
different cloud providers cannot working on the same. Cloud Computing
interoperate, i.e. the end user can’t can prove to be a ‘Budgeted
access the data from ‘Cloud A’ using an Technology Training’ in the future.
application deployed in ‘Cloud B’.

 For Personal Usage: Using the Cloud

o There may be situations when the
different datacenters are detained from
operation due to legal issues arising
out, resulting in issues to all the end
users of that application.
Computing concepts, the end user is
not required to take a back up of his
files and documents on his system.
He/she can keep his system free from
all kinds of data backups.

MAJOR CLOUD COMPUTING PROVIDERS

o Various applications can’t be There are few organizations/companies

customized based on the needs of which are actively involved in Cloud

different users. Computing. These are:

Amazon – Amazon EC2,

FUTURE OF CLOUD COMPUTING Amazon S3

 Cloud Computing is being used by Google – Google Apps,

the organizations dealing in smaller

Microsoft – MS Azure
projects. For large organizations,
Security is the biggest concern. There TIBCO – TIBCO Silver
are few crucial details like license,
Sun – Sun Grid
security, privacy that needs to be
worked upon soon. CONCLUSION:

There are huge expectations from

Cloud Computing in future strictly based on
 Educational Purposes: Cloud
the economics involved with this technique.
Computing can be used for expanding
The Cloud Computing infrastructure market
the education in the entire world. This
is expected to grow up to $42 Billion by
is possible by sharing an important
2012. The IT services are spread across
information, article or project details
the globe so Cloud Computing shall play a
with all the stakeholders (like students,
meaningful role for the large organizations
involved since the Total Cost of Ownership
(TCO) is considerably reduced. Also the
organizations shall have to pay as per the
usage; it would also reduce their overall
costs in infrastructure and services.
Despite being criticized politically, the
benefits of Cloud Computing outweigh its
drawbacks. This technology allows the
organizations and end users to access the
applications and documents from any part
of the globe.

REFERENCES:

http://www.infoworld.com/d/cloud-
computing/what-cloud-computing-really-
means-031

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_comput
ing

http://www.betadaily.com/2008/04/14/cle
aring-the-clouds-over-cloud-computing

http://www.exforsys.com/tutorials/cloud-
computing/cloud-computing-
architecture.html