Cloud Computing Chapter 2

Study Notes

Cloud computing is not an isolated development, but rather a culmination of decades of research in parallel and distributed computing.
The concept of cloud computing can be traced back to the 1960s, when remote access to time-shared computing systems became a reality.
Technologists designed smaller, cheaper computing devices called intelligent terminals (later known as client systems), which could participate in partial execution of programs along with servers.

Intelligent terminals replaced dumb terminals, promoting offline processing and execution of programs along with servers.
This concept led to the emergence of client-server computing, where each computer could play the role of a client and a server.

The invention of LAN (Local Area Network) and WAN (Wide Area Network) enabled productive insight into network communication.
This led to the development of peer-to-peer (P2P) computing, where each computer could connect to another without hitting the server.

The invention of parallel processing changed the idea of computing, where multiple processors worked together to solve a single computational task.
Distributed computing took parallel processing a step forward, forming a powerful computing system by combining multiple computing systems.

The concept of clustering emerged as the next step in the evolution of computing, creating a resource pool of multiple nodes connected via a network.
Each node in a cluster performed similar tasks, and execution of a task could be distributed and executed in parallel across multiple machines.

Grid computing introduced the concept of decentralization of control in distributed computing environments.
Grid computing made it possible to deal with computing resources on a large scale, with geographical distribution, heterogeneity, resource coordination, and pervasive access.

Hardware virtualization created a layer of software that simulated a whole physical system environment, enabling true essence in scaling capability.
Virtualization brought the ability to shift loads to other resources without disrupting service, providing real-time system scaling.

Web services enabled collaboration, allowing users from different geographic locations to work together on a common task.
Web 2.0 technology enabled collaboration by allowing sharing of user-generated content, and mashup enabled combining data from multiple web sources into a single interface.

Service-oriented architecture (SOA) is a methodology that relies on developing application components as software services.
SOA makes systems flexible to adapt to changes as per business requirements.

Utility computing is the packaging and delivery of computing resources, similar to traditional public utilities.
Utility computing follows a pay-per-use mode of payment and on-demand service facility.

Autonomic computing refers to the ability of an intelligent computing system to manage itself without human intervention.
Autonomic computing includes self-configuration, self-healing, self-optimization, and self-protection.

Cloud computing emerged from the convergence of technologies, including grid computing, utility computing, autonomic computing, and service-oriented architecture.
Cloud computing enables the delivery of distributed computing power based on a utility service model, with resources that can be added in real-time to meet demand.