Cloud Computing: SaaS

• Cloud computing enhances remote work and collaboration by providing access to applications and data from anywhere with internet.
• Backup and recovery solutions in cloud services ensure data safety and quick recovery from hardware failures or disasters.
• Cloud service providers handle updates and maintenance, which reduces IT burden
• Collaboration is improved through cloud-based tools for team members with file sharing
• Data breaches and unauthorized access are security concerns for storing sensitive data in the cloud
• Robust security and regulatory compliance is crucial for cloud environments
• Unpredictable expenses can arise from poorly managed usage, particularly with pay-as-you-go models
• Vendor lock-in is a challenge when moving services between cloud providers due to platform and architecture differences

SaaS (Software as a Service)

• It delivers software applications over the Internet on a subscription basis, accessed via web browsers.
• Examples include Google Workspace, Microsoft Office 365, and Salesforce.
• SaaS advantages: no installation/maintenance, easy access from any device, scalability, and cost-efficiency
• SaaS disadvantages: limited customization, potential security issues, reliance on internet

PaaS (Platform as a Service)

• PaaS provides a platform allowing customers to develop, run, and manage applications without dealing with the underlying infrastructure.
• Examples: Google App Engine, Microsoft Azure, AWS Elastic Beanstalk
• PaaS benefits: simplifies development, testing, and deployment, reduces time to market, and offers scalability.
• Drawbacks: Limited control over the underlying infrastructure, potential for vendor lock-in, and dependency on provider's capabilities.

IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service)

• IaaS offers virtualized computing resources (servers, storage, networking) over the internet.
• Users manage operating systems, applications, and data, while the provider manages the hardware.
• Examples: Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform (GCP)
• IaaS advantages: high scalability/flexibility, cost savings on hardware, and full control over the software environment.
• IaaS disadvantages: requires expertise to manage and configure, potential security vulnerabilities, and variable costs based on usage.

Cost Savings

• The cloud eliminates the need for large capital expenditure on physical IT infrastructure
• Organizations adopting cloud services can take advantage of pay-as-you-go that can lead to significant cost savings

Scalability and Flexibility

• Cloud resources can be easily scaled up or down based on current needs
• Cloud computing supports various workloads and can quickly adapt to changing business requirements

Accessibility

• Cloud computing enables remote work by allowing employees to access data and applications from anywhere
• Cloud services can be accessed from any device with an internet connection

Automatic Updates and Maintenance

• Cloud providers handle software updates, security patches, and hardware maintenance
• This reduces the IT burden on organizations

Disaster Recovery and Backup

• Many cloud services include disaster recovery and backup solutions, ensuring data is protected and quickly recoverable.

Collaboration and Efficiency

• Cloud-based tools enables multiple users to work on a single document or project at once
• Enhanced Productivity comes from streamlined workflows

Security Risks

• Storing sensitive information in the cloud can be risky if security measures are insufficient.
• Ensuring compliance with various data protection regulations can be challenging.

Downtime and Internet Dependency

• There is a dependence on internet connectivity which means downtime can severely impact business operations
• Service can be affected due to outages

Limited Control and Flexibility

• Vendor dependency can limit control over the infrastructure and data.
• Some cloud solutions may not provide the level of customization required by certain organizations

Cloud Computing

• Cloud computing allows users to access and store data and applications on remote servers via the Internet, negating the need for local hardware.
• Computing resources like servers, storage, and networks can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort

Key Characteristics of Cloud Computing

• Users can automatically provision computing capabilities as needed, without human interaction with service providers
• Resources are available over the network and can be accessed through various client platforms
• Resources are pooled to serve multiple consumers, with physical and virtual resources dynamically assigned
• Capabilities can be elastically provisioned and released to scale rapidly
• Cloud systems use metering capabilities to control and optimize resource use, providing transparency

Examples of Cloud Computing

• Amazon Web Services (AWS) offers a broad set of cloud-based products, including compute, storage, databases, and analytics
• Google Cloud Platform (GCP) provides infrastructure, platform, and serverless computing environments
• Microsoft Azure offers solutions including virtual machines, databases, and scalable storage

Cluster Computing

• Cluster computing involves interconnected computers working together as a single system for high performance and availability
• Key characterstics are tightly Coupled Systems, High Availability, Scalability, and Performance
• High-Performance Computing (HPC) Clusters are an example, being used in research for complex scientific data analysis

Grid Computing

• Grid computing uses a distributed architecture of numerous interconnected computers to solve complex problems.
• It utilizes the idle resources of geographically dispersed computers via the internet or dedicated networks
• Key characteristics are Loosely Coupled Systems, Resource Sharing, Scalability, and Heterogeneity
• SETI@home is an example, using Internet-connected computers to search for extraterrestrial intelligence

Virtualization

• Virtualization makes multiple simulated environments or dedicated resources from a single hardware.
• It separates multiple OSs and apps to run concurrently on the same hardware, using software to create an abstraction layer.

Hardware Virtualization

• This involves creating virtual machines (VMs) that simulate physical computers
• VMware ESXi, Microsoft Hyper-V, KVM

Software Virtualization

• Invovles virtualizing applications or entire operating systems as opposed to hardward
• Examples are Docker, VirtualBox, Wine

Network Virtualization

• Divides available bandwidth into independent channels
• VMware NSX, Cisco ACI.

Storage Virtualization

• Combines physical storage from multiple devices into a single storage device managed from a central console.
• Examples: SAN (Storage Area Network), NAS (Network Attached Storage).

Desktop Virtualization

• Involved running a user desktop environment in a remote server while accessing it from a local device
• VMware Horizon, Citrix Virtual Desktops.

Application Virtualization

• Isolates applications from the operating system
• Microsoft App-V, VMware ThinApp.

Characteristics of Virtualization

• Each virtual environment functions indepently
• Virtual environments and applications and easy to copy, manage and move
• MUltiple resources like CPU, memory and storage on a single platform
• They are not tied to the hardware

VMware

• It provides virtualization software and services.

Benefits of Virtualization

• Reduces need for hardware which lowers costs
• It enhance physical resources for better management
• it's easy to scale resources and is simply to maintain
• provides quick recovery and is more portable

Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA)

• SOA is an architectural pattern that allows services to communicate
• Has self-contained units of functionality

Concept of SOA

• It involves independent units with specific business function and modular design
• Services can communicate regardless of platform or technology
• well-defined interfaces provide abstractions

Advantages of SOA

• Scales Services and can be replaced without disrupting the system
• Modular and can be updated easily, reducing development cost

Virtual Machine (VM)

• A computer system that acts like a physical one can is also called an emulation.

Components of VMs

• Hypervisor is the software that manages and creates VMs
• Type 1 runs directly
• Type 2 runs on an OS
• Operating systems being installed

Benefits of VMware

• Isolates each process
• Provides the ability to allocate resources across VMs to share
• VMs mobility via disaster recovery and busincess continuity
• There is virtualization managers like Oracle VM Virtual VirtualBox

Cloud Governance

• Cloud Governance describes the framework, controls and policies implemented by organization and optimize cloud serices

Components of Cloud governance

• Policies and Enforcements for management
• Identifying and mitigating risks associated with usage
• Encryption, and Access management controls
• Data integrity and data regulation compliance

Cloud architecture

• Utilizes front-end and back-end platform connected via internet
• Amazon, Google and Microsoft have several offerings
• Flexibility and security are integrated in the design

Data Migration

• It involes copying virtual resources to the cloud with compatibility that ensures safety
• Re-designing applications to use specific cloud services like microservices architecture
• Conduct comprenhensive testing ensure functionality and security

Cloud Architecture

The cloud includes

• The front end, like the client interface
• The Back ends, like servers
• APIs provide a link between the two
• Internet offers access between cloud services and users

Multi-Cloud Architecture

• Multiple cloud architures enable best-in-class services
• Distributing platform reduce down time with redundency

Challenges of of Multiple Clouds

• Its harder to manage and can effect security compliance

Cloud Bursting

• Involves scaling resources dynamically via infrastructure during times of high usage
• Peak times are auto released to the cloud

cloud computing security

• Data Breaches remain the biggest issues
• compliance, and security standars are a must

IAM and Access control

• Provides the highest security and controls
• Roles and permissions can be easily defined to align
• Prevents risks related to data management
• Can identify if there is malicious activity

Multi-Cloud Deployments

• Provide a greater number of control with better scalability