Cloud - Essay Example

Cloud Computing This paper revolves around cloud computing, involved services, compares, contrasts, and offers suggesting of the product to opt for under different criteria. The criteria are based on pricing, portability, access and code writing within the pros and cons of each package.
Cloud computing encompasses computing handled over a network. An application or program runs under multiples of interconnected computers. A set of hardware machines known as a server provided in a communications, for instance, intranet, Local area networks, internet or Wide area networks provide its backbone. Access rights given allow the client to run applications, save data, or compute virtually any task. It has been enabled by the ever improving computer processing capabilities while reducing cost on the other hand. The distinctive services provided by cloud computing are either; SaaS (software as a service), PaaS (platform as a service), or IaaS (infrastructure as a service) (Rodrigues, 2012).
Saas’ functionality can be explained in a business perspective. Uses of software as a service, clients are availed with access to databases and application software. Cloud vendors manage the involved technicalities platform and infrastructure running the involved applications. On-demand software is the other term used to describe software as a service and is charged on the basis of pay per us. The vendors tag prices on their services based on a subscription fee per package. The subscription may be monthly or annual allowing the prices to be adjustable and scalable where users are removed or included at a certain point. Manipulation is not possible for the clients as the owner of the infrastructure manages applications. The cost of I.T infrastructure is cut from the clients end through the process of outsourcing software and hardware support and maintenance from the cloud computing vendor. The salvage cost is channeled to equally productive objectives. Updates are done without affecting the client or without the need of any installation. The main demerit is that the clients’ data is stored in these servers which risks unauthorized penetration that turns clients to increasingly embrace intelligent or third-party managing systems to attempt to secure their data.
As for the pros of Amazon EC2, there is no vendor-locks system, which eases code transfer. It also allows for code writing in simpler languages such as MVC, C#, and Net above being backed by a strong support team. It allows its clients to scale single instances to several more giving full control, as a virtual session. On the downside, there is a minimum pricing even when not used. Scaling is strenuous. Failure in one instance fails the entire system.
Google cloud computing has the benefit of no charge where not used and for trials unlike EC2, billing happens depending on CPU usage. No resources used; no charge. It avails a platform for all web applications such as python that enhances deployment of web apps. Among the demerits, the main is the lack of support for C#/.NET, which are critical in the computing world. It restricts data access and is tedious to master its concept.
For a client looking to a specified service, Google cloud computing works best without O.S restrictions and where overall control in the O.S services EC2 is the best choice. A system admin is required for EC2’s instance creation and monitoring where developers can work at their own roles; works best for small product-specific businesses. However, as for portability, Google wins unlike in EC2 where it is not offered. The framework is an open source, and a high number of APIs enhance portability.
Reference
Rodrigues, T. (2012). Side-by-side comparisons of IaaS service providers. TechRepublic. Retrieved May 27, 2014, from Read More