Cloud Computing Concepts Quiz

Evolution of Cloud Computing

• Cloud computing, a term invented in the 1950s, referred to internet-based services. Its roots trace back to the 1960s, when John McCarthy envisioned computation as a public utility.
• With the rise of the internet in the 1990s, organizations started to utilize online hosting for applications and data.
• The early 2000s saw a significant advancement with platforms like Amazon Web Services (AWS), offering scalable, on-demand computing resources.

Agenda

• The Evolution of Cloud Computing
• A Layered Model of Cloud Computing
• Virtualization in Cloud Computing
• Virtualization Techniques
• Automation in Cloud Computing
• Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery (CI/CD)

Mainframe Computing

• Mainframes, introduced in the 1950s, are powerful machines designed for large-scale data processing.
• They handle extensive input-output tasks and bulk operations, like online transaction processing.
• Mainframes are known for their minimal downtime and high fault tolerance.
• However, they are very expensive.
• Cluster computing emerged later as a cost-effective alternative, providing similar computational capabilities.

Cluster Computing

• Cluster computing emerged in the 1980s as a more affordable solution to mainframes, linking multiple machines through high-bandwidth networks.
• Clusters are less expensive than mainframes and can handle substantial computational tasks.
• The easy addition of new nodes further enhances the computational capacity of a cluster.

Grid Computing

• Introduced in the 1990s, grid computing connects systems across various geographic locations via the internet.
• The interconnected grid can handle various organizational-size workloads.
• Overcoming geographical limitations became a primary goal, leading to grid computing.
• Networks and connectivity are key challenges in grid environments

Virtualization

• Virtualization, introduced nearly four decades ago, creates a virtual layer over hardware.
• It allows multiple instances to run concurrently on a single physical hardware.
• It facilitates efficient resource allocation and isolation.
• Important virtualization technologies are Amazon EC2, VMware vCloud, and OpenStack.

Web 2.0

• Web 2.0 represents a significant shift in how users interact with the internet, making it more interactive and dynamic.
• Flexible and rich web applications became more popular, and data sharing among users became increasingly easy.
• Web 2.0 significantly boosted social media platforms that emerged around 2004, with Google Maps, Facebook, and Twitter as prominent examples

Service Orientation

• A service-oriented approach to cloud computing emphasizes flexible, cost-effective, and scalable applications.
• Two important concepts are Quality of Service (QoS) with Service Level Agreements(SLAs), and Software as a Service (SaaS).
• This model focuses on delivering tailored services to meet individual needs.

Utility Computing

• Utility computing provides services (e.g., compute power, storage) with a pay-per-use structure.
• It's a cost-effective approach, much like subscribing to electricity.
• Resources are dynamically allocated, and users pay only for what they consume.
• The model is foundational to cloud computing.

Cloud Computing

• Cloud computing enables data and application storage and access over the internet, rather than on physical machines.
• Commonly used resources are computing power, storage, and software applications.
• This change drastically reduced the complexity for individuals and organizations in their interaction with technology.
• Key features are flexibility, scalability (adjusting resources as needed), and cost-effectiveness.
• Services hosted on remote secure platforms provide a variety of functions

Layered Model of Cloud Computing

• Cloud computing builds upon existing concepts like distributed computing, grid computing, virtualization, and SaaS.
• The cloud software environment layer encompasses operating systems, application software, APIs.
• Managing the underlying infrastructure is a primary function of this platform layer, aiming to simplify deployment to virtual machines.

Cloud Application Layer

• The visible layer for end-users, accessing web portals, houses cloud applications.
• This layer manages the communication availability, and cloud resources for data transfer.
• Protocols like Telnet, FTP, HTTP, and HTTPS facilitate application cooperation.

Cloud Software Environment Layer – Platform

• Platform Layer integrates different components to enable application development within the cloud.
• Operating systems, application software, and APIs form the environment.
• Critical tasks include scalability, dependability, and security.
• Developers can create, test, and monitor applications and processes.
• Simplifies application deployment to VMs

Cloud Software Infrastructure Layer

• Foundational layer in cloud computing using virtualization.
• Transforming physical resources into virtual pools of computation, storage, and network.
• Supports automated resource allocation, facilitating adaptable and scalable resources for varied user needs.
• Infrastructure-as-a-Service (laaS) and Container-as-a-Service (CaaS) are integral components:
• laaS provides virtualized computing resources.
• CaaS enables users to manage, scale, deploy containerized applications.
• Data Storage-as-a-Service (DaaS) offers flexible, remote storage.

Cloud Software Hardware Layer

• The core layer that physically supports the cloud, including servers, switches, routers, power supplies, and cooling.
• Manages physical resources, which ensures availability and efficient operations to deliver services to users.
• Reducing service interdependencies and supporting varied use cases using data layers, rather than single databases, allows for independent deployments and service modifications.

Virtualization in Cloud Computing

• Abstracting physical components into logical objects is the basis for virtualization.
• Enables multiple operating systems and applications to run concurrently on the same hardware.
• Virtualization significantly improves hardware utilization and offers greater flexibility.
• Enables the sharing of the same physical instance between several customers or organizations through logical assignment.

Virtualization – Characteristics

• Enhanced security allows managing the execution of guest programs in a secure manner.
• Key virtualization features include: sharing, aggregation, emulation, and isolation.
• Crucial aspects include: enhanced security, managed execution, sharing (creating multiple computing environments on a single host), and aggregation (combining resources).

Virtualization – Types

• Hardware virtualization installs VMM directly on the hardware for greater control over the processor and memory allocation.
• Operating System (OS) virtualization installs VMM within the host OS.
• Server virtualization implements VMM on servers themselves to divide into multiple servers.
• Storage virtualization combines physical storage from multiple devices into a single unified unit.
• Network virtualization enables the operation of several separate virtual networks on a single physical network.

Virtualization – Benefits and Drawbacks

• Benefits: flexible/efficient resource allocation, improved development productivity, reduced IT costs, rapid scalability, high availability, disaster recovery, and multi-system support.
• Drawbacks: initial investment for cloud adoption, skilled workforce for transition, and potential data vulnerability to cyberattacks or data breaches.

Hypervisor in Cloud Computing

•  A hypervisor acts as a software layer beneath the application layer. It is responsible for managing the abstraction and virtualization of hardware resources
• Two main types of hypervisors are Type 1 (Bare-Metal) and Type 2 (Hosted) hypervisors

Automation in Cloud Computing

• Automation leverages technology and software to streamline repetitive and manual tasks.
• Improves efficiency, consistency, and speed in performing tasks.
• Frees up valuable resources for strategic initiatives.
• Crucial in maintaining the speed and consistency demanded by cloud operations, such as provisioning, configuration, and application deployment.
• Key benefits of automation include faster deployment, better scalability, cost savings, and improved security.

Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery (CI/CD)

• CI/CD is a software development practice automating the process of code integration from multiple developers.
• Aims to frequently commit code changes to a single code repository, such as GitHub or GitLab.
• Automated processes for building, testing, and code review assure that new changes do not disrupt existing code.
• Enables faster and reliable code integration and deployment, improving software quality and reducing release time.
• Core goals include finding bugs quickly, streamlining development processes, and shortening release cycles.