Cloud Computing Chapter 2

Evolution of Cloud Computing

• 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 Terminal and Client-Server Computing

• 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.

Network of PCs and Peer-to-Peer Computing

• 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.

Fast Network Communication and Distributed Computing

• 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.

Cluster Computing and Resource Pool

• 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 and Decentralization of Control

• 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 and Dynamic Computing System

• 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.

Advancement in Web Services and Collaboration

• 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 and Flexible Application Architecture

• 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 and Measured Service

• 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 and Intelligent Infrastructure

• 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 Emergence

• 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.