Cloud Computing - the Imaginary Internet Cloud - Essay Example

?The Imaginary Internet Cloud ‘Cloud Computing’ matches a perception of an imaginary cloud that illustrates the Internet or most likely a corporate network environment that is represented by a cloud. The imaginary Internet cloud of a corporate network environment is trustworthy for data transportation. Moreover, it is incorporated with advanced cloud generalization. In order to extend the cloud-computing concept, there are services along with network components consisting of routers, switches, application servers, and data servers. The components of the network are installed to operate at the back-end for providing advanced services that are proficient to develop web application (What is cloud computing?). Moreover, cloud computing consists of applications that are represented as a service on the web and the provision of hardware / software services provided by companies operating data centers. Likewise, the services provided over the Internet are referred as (Software as a Service) ‘SaaS’. There are few sellers who use the term (Infrastructure as a service) ‘IaaS’ and (Platform as a service) ‘PaaS’ in order to demonstrate their products and services. However, these terms are avoided and not accepted globally, due to variation (ARMBRUST, FOX et al. 2010). The Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have illustrated some helpful definitions that focus on three concepts (Ryan, Loeffler 2010): Cloud infrastructure as a service ‘IaaS’ consists of provisioning elementary computing resources. Cloud software as a service ‘SaaS’ access software application that operates on a cloud infrastructure. Cloud platform as a service (PaaS) provides the accessibility to users for implementing and developing applications with programming language and tools supported by the providers. The core components of a cloud are consists of the data center hardware and software. When these resources are made available to the public, they are referred as public clouds and the service provided by the cloud is called as utility computing. Moreover, private clouds are only available to private organizations and are not accessible by public. Accordingly, cloud computing is the combination of ‘SaaS’ and utility computing (ARMBRUST, FOX et al. 2010). Current Trends Information Technology organization has already invested millions since the 1990’s, to contribute in reshaping cloud computing. For instance, a popular slogan from Sun that was “Network is a computer” was recognized in 1980’s. Furthermore, salesforce.com, a ‘SaaS’ enabled website is providing services since 1999. Today, cloud computing represents a more innovative and productive approach, in order to provide online services along with online operating systems. Microsoft Azure provides an online operating system along with the set of development tools and services. Moreover, Google Docs provides online word processors along with spreadsheets and presentation applications similar to Microsoft Office. Furthermore, Google Apps gives the freedom to the developers to execute their codes and applications on Google infrastructure. Sun Microsystems provides computing power by charging $1 per hour for one CPU. In addition, Amazon provides web services named as EC2 and S3. Moreover, Yahoo has also announced recently that it will utilize ‘Apache Hadoop framework’ that will enable users to work on thousand of nodes and one million bytes of data. Accordingly, the contribution of cloud computing is covering every aspect of computation required for small, medium and large businesses (Han 2010). Benefits Cloud computing provide many cost effective short term and long-term benefits. The organizations can avail services from multiple cloud-computing providers, to improve computerized business processes and high availability of services within the organization. Cloud computing also provides standardization of APIs, by operating on compatible applications to enable hybrid cloud computing. Moreover, organizations operating on IT infrastructure save staff, and financial resources. Cloud computing is also flexible and facilitate organizations to initialize a project robustly without upsetting on the cost, that may include disk storage, CPU and RAM. Likewise, organizations can buy spaces for data storage on data centers located in different geographical area, that enables them to protect their data in terms of natural disasters and hazards. Furthermore, one more significant advantage is related to the uptime and availability of services at all times. In addition, cloud computing is also efficient for handling large data sets. The data is analyzed in terabytes by pay for use business model to facilitate academic institutions by distributed computing with hundreds of computers in a short time cost (Han 2010). Furthermore, the integration of cloud computing and semantic web has produced a new revolutionary e-portfolio. Previously, e-portfolios have faced various challenges and limitations by the development and implementation approach. However, a research by (Kim, Ng et al. 2010) on a design based on Private-Public data index systems that integrate cloud computing applications and storage with the architecture of Semantic web architecture. The integration aided semantic web-based virtualization along with advanced intellectual search achievable. Drawbacks As cloud computing usage is increasing with its connectivity to the public through an Internet, new opportunities are also originating for hackers, cyber terrorists, viruses and worms. These threats will increase and focus on cloud computing enabled services and applications for stealing classified data, denial of service attacks on data centers etc. ‘Google apps’ is the major player in the market for providing ‘SaaS’, it was attacked and hacked. The report from cyber forensics indicated that the attacks were originated from China (Bisong, Rahman 2011). As the data is located and hosted geographically in different countries, different laws are associated with each country for data stored in the machines. Moreover, it is very difficult to save the classified data, if the host nation becomes hostile when the government changes and become uncooperative. Even though, cloud computing services are reliable in terms of availability, there are incident that took place where a complete unavailability of cloud computing services was halted for hours and even days due to bugs. Similarly, Google Gmail went offline for two hours; Citrix ‘GoToMeeting’, Amazon.com ‘Simple Storage Service’ was also down for eight hours too. The organizations, that are completely dependent on cloud computing and they cannot do any business for hours or days, the loss could be disastrous (Bisong, Rahman 2011). Some of the threats for cloud computing involves incorrect usage of cloud computing services, malicious codes, viruses, vulnerabilities related to shared services and technology, traffic sniffing, data loss, data leakage, intruders, weak security of API’s, unidentifiable security profiles etc. Conclusion After reviewing the concept of cloud computing along with its vast benefits and drawbacks, the concept benefits the organizations to avoid purchasing and maintaining computing devices and software. Moreover, the amplification and flexibility of this benefit is provided by cloud computing. The accessibility is every time available, enabling organizations to access business applications and information any time from any location, whenever the user require. The cost is also a significant factor, as the organization only pays for the technology capacity it uses. Even though, cloud computing is spreading globally, threats and risk associated with it are also rising and needs to e considered as well. In comparison to these threats and risks, security teams are also working to improve security of cloud computing services. Cloud computing is a revolutionary technology that will keep on improving with new innovative technological developments. References , What is Cloud Computing? | Cloud Computing Journal. Available: http://cloudcomputing.sys-con.com/node/579826 [2/25/2011, 2011]. The cloud computing journal is a discussion forum where different technology experts shares concepts of latest technological developments. The site is owned by Utilizer, Inc. The contribution of this reference explains the concept of cloud computing comprehensively, enabling the reader to pick the foundations of the concept. RYAN, W.M. and LOEFFLER, C.M., 2010. Insights into Cloud Computing. Intellectual Property & Technology Law Journal, 22(11), pp. 22-28. Journal published by RYAN, W.M. and LOEFFLER, C.M., divides the concept of cloud computing into 3 separate definitions, enabling the reader to understand the concept more easily. ARMBRUST, M., FOX, A., GRIFFITH, R., JOSEPH, A.D., KATZ, R., KONWINSKI, A., LEE, G., PATTERSON, D., RABKIN, A., STOICA, I. and ZAHARIA, M., 2010. A View of Cloud Computing. Communications of the ACM, 53(4), pp. 50-58. This reference shared the real world concept of this technology by defining it as a private and public service. HAN, Y., 2010. On the Clouds: A New Way of Computing. Information Technology & Libraries, 29(2), pp. 87-92. This reference provided the exact picture of what is currently available in the market in terms of cloud computing. KIM, P., NG, C.K. and LIM, G., 2010. When cloud computing meets with Semantic Web: A new design for e-portfolio systems in the social media era. British Journal of Educational Technology, 41(6), pp. 1018-1028. This journal provides an intellectual fact of integration with other available technologies, making the topic more interesting for the reader along with updated information. BISONG, A. and RAHMAN, S.M., 2011. An Overview of the Security Concerns in Enterprise Cloud Computing. International Journal of Network Security & Its Applications, 3(1), pp. 30-45. This journal provided in depth real world facts on security threats and risks associated with cloud computing. Read More