Cloud Storage Basics

Cloud storage is a model of data storage where digital data is stored in logical pools said to be "in the cloud"
Data is physically stored on multiple servers, often in multiple locations
Benefits:
- Scalability: easily increase or decrease storage capacity as needed
- Accessibility: access data from anywhere, on any device with an internet connection
- Redundancy: data is duplicated across multiple servers, reducing the risk of data loss
Examples of cloud storage providers: Amazon S3, Microsoft Azure Blob Storage, Google Cloud Storage

Virtualization is a key technology that enables cloud computing
Virtualization creates a layer of abstraction between the physical hardware and the operating system
Types of virtualization:
- Server virtualization: multiple virtual servers run on a single physical server
- Storage virtualization: multiple physical storage devices are combined into a single logical storage device
- Network virtualization: multiple physical networks are combined into a single logical network
Benefits:
- Resource utilization: maximize the use of existing hardware resources
- Flexibility: easily create, clone, and deploy virtual machines as needed
- Isolation: virtual machines are isolated from each other, improving security

Cloud security refers to the practices and technologies designed to protect cloud computing environments
Threats to cloud security:
- Data breaches: unauthorized access to sensitive data
- Denial of Service (DoS): overwhelming a system with traffic to make it unavailable
- Insider threats: unauthorized access or malicious activity by insiders
Security measures:
- Encryption: protect data in transit and at rest
- Identity and Access Management (IAM): control access to cloud resources
- Monitoring and logging: detect and respond to security incidents

Service models define the level of management and control provided by the cloud provider
Types of service models:
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): provides virtualized computing resources, such as servers, storage, and networking
- Platform as a Service (PaaS): provides a complete platform for developing, running, and managing applications
- Software as a Service (SaaS): provides software applications over the internet, eliminating the need for local installation
Key differences between service models:
- Level of management: IaaS requires the most management, while SaaS requires the least
- Level of control: IaaS provides the most control, while SaaS provides the least

Cloud storage is a model of data storage where digital data is stored in logical pools, physically stored on multiple servers, often in multiple locations.
Scalability is a key benefit of cloud storage, allowing users to easily increase or decrease storage capacity as needed.
Accessibility is another benefit, enabling users to access data from anywhere, on any device with an internet connection.
Redundancy is a key feature of cloud storage, where data is duplicated across multiple servers, reducing the risk of data loss.
Examples of cloud storage providers include Amazon S3, Microsoft Azure Blob Storage, and Google Cloud Storage.

Virtualization creates a layer of abstraction between the physical hardware and the operating system, enabling cloud computing.
Server virtualization allows multiple virtual servers to run on a single physical server, improving resource utilization.
Storage virtualization combines multiple physical storage devices into a single logical storage device, improving flexibility.
Network virtualization combines multiple physical networks into a single logical network, improving scalability.
Resource utilization is a key benefit of virtualization, allowing users to maximize the use of existing hardware resources.
Flexibility is another benefit, enabling users to easily create, clone, and deploy virtual machines as needed.
Isolation is a key feature of virtualization, where virtual machines are isolated from each other, improving security.

Cloud security refers to the practices and technologies designed to protect cloud computing environments from threats.
Data breaches are a key threat to cloud security, resulting from unauthorized access to sensitive data.
Denial of Service (DoS) is another threat, where a system is overwhelmed with traffic to make it unavailable.
Insider threats result from unauthorized access or malicious activity by insiders.
Encryption is a key security measure, protecting data in transit and at rest.
Identity and Access Management (IAM) is another security measure, controlling access to cloud resources.
Monitoring and logging are essential for detecting and responding to security incidents.

Service models define the level of management and control provided by the cloud provider.
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) provides virtualized computing resources, such as servers, storage, and networking.
Platform as a Service (PaaS) provides a complete platform for developing, running, and managing applications.
Software as a Service (SaaS) provides software applications over the internet, eliminating the need for local installation.
IaaS requires the most management and provides the most control, while SaaS requires the least management and provides the least control.