IT2314 Cloud Computing Technologies

Study Notes

Cloud Computing Technologies

Compute Services: Provide necessary computing power for applications, including websites and data analysis; typically include VMs (Virtual Machines) and containers.
Network Services: Facilitate resource connectivity and isolation within data centers and campuses; utilize virtual networks (e.g., Virtual Private Cloud - VPC) mimicking traditional network topologies.
Storage Services: Include various types:
- Block Storage: High performance, low latency, designed for high I/O service requirements.
- File Storage: Enables file sharing across multiple servers or departments.
- Object Storage: Features a scalable architecture ideal for massive data storage, cold data backup, and software repositories.

Virtualization

Definition: Creation of multiple VMs sharing the physical server's hardware; each VM is maintained in separate folders for isolation.
Components of a VM: Comprises disk and description files encapsulated together, allowing multiple VMs to coexist on a shared medium.
Technology Role: Acts as a resource management technology, abstracting physical resources (CPU, memory, disk space) into flexible computing environments, enhancing hardware utilization.

Virtualization vs. Cloud Computing

Relationship: Virtualization is essential for cloud computing, converting physical hardware into virtual resources; cloud computing utilizes these resources on-demand via the Internet.
Purpose: Virtualization abstracts physical resources to allocate them logically, supporting scalable, distributed, and highly available (HA) resources essential for cloud services.

Main Features of Virtualization

Partitioning: Enables multiple VMs to operate on a single physical server, effectively allocating server resources.
Isolation: Ensures that failure or virus infection in one VM does not impact others.
Encapsulation: VMs are represented as files, simplifying migration through cut/copy and paste actions.
Independence: VMs can run on different physical servers without needing modifications due to decoupling from the hardware.

Important Virtualization Concepts

Hypervisor: Critical software layer for creating and managing VMs; examples include Xen and KVM.
- Guest OS: Operating system running within a VM.
- Guest Machine: Another term for VM.
- Host OS: Operating system of the physical server.
- Host Machine: The physical server itself.

Computing Resources

Definition of Computing: Involves obtaining information through calculation.
Essential Components: A computer system includes CPU, memory, disk, and network resources.
Compute Resources: Encompass CPUs, GPUs, and additional components necessary for data processing.

Description

This quiz covers fundamental concepts in cloud computing technologies, focusing on compute and network services. Topics include virtual machines, containers, and the role of virtual networks in resource connectivity. Test your understanding of how these services support various applications.