Introduction to Cloud

Computing
What is Cloud Computing?
● Definition: Cloud computing is the delivery of computing services via the internet.

● Main components: Storage, computing power, networking, databases, and software.

● Examples: Google Drive, AWS, Microsoft Azure, etc.

● In addition, the platform provides on demand services, that are always on, anywhere, anytime and any place.

● Pay for use and as needed, elastic scale up and down in capacity and functionalities.

● The hardware and software services are available to general public, enterprises, corporations and businesses markets

How Cloud Computing Works?

● On-demand access: Users access resources as needed.

● Remote data storage: Data is stored in data centers and can be accessed from anywhere.

● Virtualization: Resources like storage and processing power are virtualized to provide scalable solutions.
Key Characteristics of Cloud Computing

1. Shared / Pooled Resources:

•Resources are drawn from a common pool
•Common resources build economies of scale
•Common infrastructure runs at high efficiency
2. Broad Network Access:
•Open standards and APIs
•Almost always IP, HTTP, and REST
•Available from anywhere with an internet connection
Key Characteristics of Cloud Computing(Cont..)

3. On-Demand Self-Service:
● Completely automated Users abstracted from the implementation
● Near real-time delivery (seconds or minutes)
● Services accessed through a self-serve web interface

4. Scalable and Elastic:

● Resources dynamically-allocated between users
● Additional resources dynamically-released when needed
● Fully automated
Key Characteristics of Cloud Computing(Cont..)

5. Metered by Use:
● Services are metered, like a utility
● Users pay only for services used
● Services can be cancelled at any time
Deployment Models
Public cloud
● Public cloud (off-site and remote) describes cloud computing where resources are dynamically provisioned on an on-
demand, self-service basis over the Internet, via web applications/web services, open API, from a third-party provider
who bills on a utility computing basis.
Private cloud
● A private cloud environment is often the first step for a corporation prior to adopting a public cloud initiative.
Corporations have discovered the benefits of consolidating shared services on virtualized hardware deployed from a
primary datacenter to serve local and remote users.
Hybrid cloud
● A hybrid cloud environment consists of some portion of computing resources on-site (on premise) and off-site (public
cloud). By integrating public cloud services, users can leverage cloud solutions for specific functions that are too costly
to maintain on-premise such as virtual server disaster recovery, backups and test/development environments.
Community cloud
● A community cloud is formed when several organizations with similar requirements share common infrastructure.
Costs are spread over fewer users than a public cloud but more than a single tenant.
Cloud Delivery Models
1.Software as a Service (SaaS) (high level)
2.Platform as a Service (PaaS)
3.Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) (low level)
Infrastructure-as-a-Service(IaaS)
● Infrastructure is compute resources, CPU, VMs, storage, etc

● The user is able to deploy and run arbitrary software, which can include operating
systems and applications.
● The user does not manage or control the underlying Cloud infrastructure but has
control over operating systems, storage, deployed applications, and possibly limited
control of some networking components, e.g., host firewalls.
● Services offered by this delivery model include: server hosting, storage, computing
hardware, operating systems, virtual instances, load balancing, Internet access, and
bandwidth provisioning.
● Example: Amazon EC2
Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS)
● Allows a cloud user to deploy consumer-created or acquired applications using
programming languages and tools supported by the service provider.
● The user:
○ Has control over the deployed applications and, possibly, application hosting environment
configurations.
○ Does not manage or control the underlying Cloud infrastructure including network, servers,
operating systems, or storage.
● Not particularly useful when:
○ The application must be portable.
○ Proprietary programming languages are used.
○ The hardware and software must be customised to improve the performance of the application.
Examples: Google App Engine, Windows Azure
Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)
● Applications are supplied by the service provider.
● The user does not manage or control the underlying Cloud infrastructure or
individual application capabilities.
● Services offered include:
○ Enterprise services such as: workflow management, communications, digital
signature, customer relationship management (CRM), desktop software, financial
management, geo-spatial, and search.

● Not suitable for real-time applications or for those where data is not
allowed to be hosted externally.
Examples: Gmail, Salesforce
Differences between IaaS, PaaS and SaaS
A simple analogy to help remember the difference between IaaS, PaaS, SaaS, and serverless is
to think of the models like eating fresh pasta. You could make your own from scratch (on-
premises data center), where you buy all the basic ingredients to make everything like the sauce
and dough.

However, most of us generally don’t have enough time or don’t want to spend so much time and
effort to eat a bowl of pasta. Instead you might choose from the following options instead:

● IaaS: Buying pre-packed ingredients like fresh pasta and sauce made by someone else
that you use to cook at home.
● PaaS: Order takeout or delivery where your meal is prepared for you and you don’t have
to worry about the ingredients or how you’ll cook it, but you have to worry about where
you’ll eat, the utensils, and cleaning up after your meal.
● SaaS: Call ahead to the restaurant and order the exact meal you want. They prepare
everything ahead of time for you so that all you have to do is show up and eat.