Cloud Computing and Three Service Types - Assignment Example

Cloud computing April 22, 2012 1. Introduction This report is intended for the board of Business. It explains the concept and service models of cloud computing, highlights how the company can feasibly make use the cloud services, and outlines the potential benefits and dangers of using cloud services as well as the role explains the benefits and issues of open source licences, and the points out the relative merits of using open source solution to reduce costs compared to the cloud solution. 2. Explanation of Cloud Computing and the three service types a. Cloud computing Cloud computing is basically a model for allowing on-demand delivery of and access to computing resources such as application, networks, storage, servers and services over a network such as the internet (Mell & Grance, 2011, p.2). It allows businesses and consumers to use applications (or software) that they need without the burden of installing and maintaining the applications as well as to access their data at any computer that is connected to the internet. In cloud computing, a provider maintains the server computers that store data and applications and a user can use these applications and store their data on the servers by relying on the internet infrastructure and according to the agreement between the provider and consumer. Miller (2008) has noted that the main factors that have contributed to the rapid growth in cloud computing are considerable innovations in distributed computing and virtualization, as well as enhanced availability of broadband internet and the weakening of economies. The definition of cloud computing cannot be complete without clarifying the meaning of the term cloud. A cloud is basically a pool or group of computing resources, which include networks, servers and storage resources (Furht & Escalante, 2010, p.49). It is generally categorized as public or private. A public cloud is available to anyone with internet connection. It can be offered at a cost or free of charge. On the other hand, a private cloud service is offered over a proprietary infrastructure to a specific user or users. Furht and Escalante (2010, p.49) have asserted that although a private cloud can be managed by a third party, it is operated only for the organization needing it. A virtual private cloud is recognized as a private cloud service that is offered using public cloud resources such as the internet. A cloud service is distinguished from traditional hosting by three separate aspects. It is offered on demand, usually by unit time (hour or minute), it is flexible or rather elastic, meaning that a user has the option of choosing the size of the service to use and pay for; and the provider fully manages the service such that most of the consumer is relived of the burden of managing the service. There are a number of cloud service providers. They include Amazon Web Services, Google, and Yahoo. b. Types of cloud services Cloud services are generally categorized into three groups, namely infrastructure as a service (IaaS), software as a service (SaaS), and platform as a service (PaaS). The National Institute of Standards and Technology has described IaaS, SaaS and PaaS as service model of cloud computing (Mell & Grance, 2011, p.2). Infrastructure as a service In an infrastructure as a service model the capability offered to consumer is processing, networks, storage, and other basic computing resources on which the consumer can deploy and operate software. The software can include applications and operating systems (Mell & Grance, 2011, p.2). As is typical of cloud computing, the consumer is not involved in management of the underlying cloud computing infrastructure. The provider owns, operates and maintains the equipment and infrastructure and the only contribution of the consumer is perhaps paying for the cloud service. However, consumers typically have control over storage, operating systems, and installed applications (Furht & Escalante, 2010, p. 48; Mell & Grance, 2011, p.3). laaS is also known as hardware as a service (HaaS). Software as a service In the software as a service model, the provider offers the consumer the capability to use their applications, which are hosted on the cloud's infrastructure. Mell and Grance (2011, p.2) have explained that consumer access these applications from client hardware through a thin client or a program interface. The consumer is not involved in the maintenance and management of underlying infrastructure such as servers, network, storage and operating systems (Mell and Grance, 2011, p.2), which is the responsibility of the provider. Platform as a service A platform as a service (PaaS) provides the consumer the capability to set up onto the cloud infrastructure custom or acquired applications developed using programming tools, services, libraries, and languages offered by the provider (Mell & Grance, 2011, p.3). PaaS allows developers to build applications on a provider’s platform over a network, including the internet. The consumer of PaaS cloud service does not control or manage the underlying infrastructure but have control over applications deployment and perhaps configurations for the environment on which the applications are hosted. Furht and Escalante (2010, p.25) have highlighted that presently, there is lack of standards for data portability and systems interoperability in the cloud. 3. Outline of the potential uses and relative benefits and dangers of using Cloud services a. Potential uses of cloud services There are several potential uses of cloud services. They include the following: Cloud services can be used to provide software to an organization, including operating systems, and application software. Cloud services can also be used to provide hardware to an organization, which might be costly for an organization. For instance, cloud services can be used to provide storage servers to an organization. Cloud services can also be used to provide a programming environment and platform. Cloud services can be used to support communication over the internet such as chat (instant messaging) and email communication. Cloud services can be used for printing over a network. PaaS cloud services can be used by software developers in developing and operating applications. IaaS can be used for storage and backup of data and information for both individuals and organizations. A cloud service can be used for sharing files over a network and the internet. Cloud services can also be used in collaboration activities. There are a number of cloud services offered by various companies. These include Gmail, DropBox, Microsoft Office Live Small Business, Google Apps, Google Docs, among others . b. Relative benefits of using cloud services Using cloud services has a number benefits over using own computing resources. They include scalability and flexibility, reduced cost, more storage, increased mobility, and reliability and reduced burden of managing IT resources. A cloud service consumer can easily scale down or up the amount of cloud space to use depending on need. Unlike when using own systems and hardware, a cloud consumer does not need to deploy additional computing resources in order to access, for instance, more storage space. Even better is that cloud services are offered at reduced cost. Since cloud services are paid incrementally, organizations are able to save money. In addition, cloud providers can are able to offer cloud services at reduced cost compared to own installation because cloud resources are used efficiently. Miller (2008, p.120) has highlighted that space in a cloud is reassigned almost immediately, “on an as-needed basis”. Furthermore, multiple cloud users share costs of operating the cloud. A cloud service provides more storage capacity at no extra cost when compared the capacity that can be achieved by installing own storage servers. Schulz (2011, p.201) has agreed that the amount of storage space offered in a cloud is more than what own servers can provide considering the cost factor. A cloud service is typically reliable in the sense that they provide adequate backup to cloud data. In addition, it relieves an organization the pressures and burden of maintaining and managing information technology (IT) resources. Quickness or agility is another significant benefit of cloud services. It is quicker, for instance, to deploy an application development environment in a cloud than it would be using the traditional approach of deploying own computing resources. A cloud service also allows employees of an organization to access the organization’s data and information remotely. Dangers of using cloud services Using cloud services poses a number of dangers to organizations. They include danger to the security, privacy, availability and data integrity of the organization information, danger of lock-in to a particular cloud provider, dependency on or loss of control over resources, and quality and reliability risks that can lead to non-compliance. Security - including privacy, availability, data integrity and compliance – is a great about cloud technology. It has been argued that cloud services providers depend on their reputation for survival (Miller, 2008, p.56), and as such they can only make sure that their clouds are secure for their business succeed. But even with the good intention of providers, the fact that many users have access to the cloud poses security dangers. It is known that even with the best security measures, networks and the internet are constantly under the risk of attacks as attackers become increasingly sophisticated with time. In addition, reliance on human aspect to enforce security is a cause of worry. The human aspect has been highlighted as the “weakest link” in a security system (Rothke, 2005, p.12). Given that clouds are vulnerable to attacks, using cloud services means that the three aspects data security – privacy, integrity, and availability can be compromised. Thus, using cloud services pose the dangers of disguised network criminals gaining access to sensitive and confidential data, causing damage to important files and unavailability of information. Furht and Escalante (2010, p. 47) have concurred that risks to information security are the some of the limitations of cloud technology. Using cloud services poses the risk of being locked-in a particular cloud provider and receiving low quality service. One of the main issues of cloud technology is the inherent difficulty in migrating to a different data centre or platform. Mell and Grance (2011, p.2) have highlighted that cloud technology suffer from the lack of standards for portability and interoperability. Data transfer results in additional cost. It means that in case a provider comes up with unfavourable policies, an organization might not be able to migrate urgently to another cloud provider. It is even worse when the cloud provider become unreliable and cannot guarantee high quality service. Using cloud services means that the consumer organization transfers most of the control of cloud resources to a third party. As highlighted above, this is risky especially if a cloud provider becomes unreliable and cannot be trusted. Ensuring that the security of sensitive and confidential information maintained is not only important to a company but is a legal requirement. Organizations using cloud services risk being non-compliant if their cloud service providers are unreliable. But as highlighted earlier, keeping a network that is used by many people secure is a challenge and even reliable providers can suffer security breach. 4. Explanation and assessment of open source licences. Open source licences are basically copyright licenses for software that allows anyone to access the source code. Generally, open source licenses are free and allow users to modify, redistribute and commercially use software without paying the author (Laurent, 2004, p.6; p.19). However, some open source licenses only allow alteration of the source code or redistribution of code for non-commercial purposes. Open source licenses protect original software authors and allow them to get credit for their contribution (Chapman, 2010). As such, open source users are restricted from altering information identifying the author and the copyright statements in software code. Therefore, open source help to avert false claims by users that they own a piece of software. 5. Relative merits of cloud v open source. Open source solution has more merits over SaaS and PaaS cloud service model in a number of aspects. Open source software are generally free and no license fees are needed to acquire them. On that respect, the cost of using open source applications is lower cost than the cost of paying for software as a service (SaaS). Merits of an open source solution are lowered when it comes to their installation and deployment. It is generally difficult to configure applications on open source platforms (operating systems). Expert support is often needed when working with open source platforms such as Linux (Laurent, 2004, p.24). The need for skilled support to install and maintain open source platforms and applications means that using open source solutions might be more costly than cloud in the long run. The infrastructure as a service (IaaS) cloud service model has more merits than open source solution when cost is considered. IaaS cloud relieves consumers the burden of managing hardware and underlying computing infrastructure (Furht & Escalante, 2010, p.48). Open source applications would need an operating system to operate on, which in turn must be hosted on some hardware. Open source solution cannot beat the scalability benefit offered by cloud technology. Unlike an open source consumer, a cloud service consumer has the option of scaling down or up the service consumption depending on needs, 6. Recommendation of suitable PCs with justification and cost. Business Cloud requires personal computer (PCs) for accessing the cloud services. Factors that determine the suitability of a PC include processing speed, memory (RAM) capacity, hard disk capacity, and display (or monitor) as well as stability and support. Since the bulk of the processing is done by the cloud servers, the front-end PCs are not expected to have high capabilities. The RAM, processing speed, hard disk capacity, and monitor should be just adequate to support local operating systems and applications, including software needed to enable cloud access. On a minimum, a PC with memory capacity of one gigabyte (1 GB), processing speed of one gigahertz (1 GHz), hard disk capacity of 40GB, and a super VGA monitor with 1024 x 768 resolution is appropriate for the front-end of the company’s cloud. The PCs should also be stable and reliable. My recommendation is that Business Cloud should acquire PCs from top-tier original equipment manufacturers (OEM) PC vendors such as HP, IBM, Compaq and Dell. Top-tier OEM vendors not only offer reliable products but they also offer support to their customers León-Rovira (2007, p.215) has noted that these top-tier OEM vendors including IBM, Compaq, Dell and HP have had a history of providing stable and reliable hardware as well as adequate warranty and continued support to its customers. PCs from top-tier OEM are typically more expensive than own assembled PCs. The cost benefit of assembling an own PC are often short lived. This is because the stability and compatibility issues as well as the maintenance requirements of own-built personal computer often results in spending more in the long term compared to what a PC from a top-tier OEM vendor would cost. Business Cloud has the option of choosing between desktops, laptops, and tablet computers as long as they meet the minimum requirements. Desktops and laptops would be the most ideal PC types. For the same amount of disk space, RAM speed and processing speed, desktops and laptops are typically less expensive than tablet PCs. 7. Recommendation of suitable printers with justification and cost. A suitable printer for Business Cloud should not only be reliable, fast and affordable but should also be network compatible. The kinds of printers required in the network are an A3 colour printer and an A4 black and white printer. Lasers printer types would be more appropriate than other types of printers. Parsons and Oja (2010, p.27) have asserted that laser technology is the most appropriate in a business environment. Most businesses use either laser or inkjet printers (Chambers, 2011, p.204; Parsons & Oja, 2010, p.27). A laser printer is typically faster but more expensive than an inkjet printer. The cost of a laser printer was once considered prohibitive for even business organizations (Chambers, 2011, p.204).) However, today their prices have drastically reduced with a colour laser printer costing as low as US$300 (Chambers, 2011, p.204). A laser printer also has the benefit over inkjet printer of reduced noise during its operation. It is also important that a printer is selected from a suitable vendor. Laser printers from top-tier OEM printer vendors such as Hewlett-Packard (HP), Canon, Xerox, Fiji’s, and Lexmark are more appropriate than one from unpopular vendor (Dove, 2010). Although unpopular vendors tend to provide printers at lower cost, they often fail to match the kind of customer support, reliability, quality and guarantee offered by the more popular top-tier original equipment manufacturer (OEM) vendors. 8. Recommendation of suitable Broadband internet connection with justification and cost. The suitability of broadband internet connection is determined through consideration of the company’s requirements. Even though the websites that company develop are primarily text-based and not multimedia-intensive, the need for constant backup as well as regular download and upload of files, and loading of applications necessitates very high speed to allow smooth operations. Business Cloud has several options to choose from in regards to suitable broadband internet connection. It can choose between wired and wireless broadband internet connection. It also has the option of choosing among the various forms in which wired broadband connection is offered, which include Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), cable, fiber-optic, and satellite. In a DSL connection, unutilized telephones cables are used to avoid interruption on the service. A DSL broadband internet connection is typically less costly compared to other broadband options. Its speeds are influenced by the distance from the switching station; a longer distance means lower speed and vice versa. The connection speeds of most forms of DSL are below 10Mbps (megabyte per second). Even though ADSL can support is about 6Mbps, in practice subscribers get about 2Mbps or less (Shami, Maier & Assi, 2009, p.38). In theory, the VDSL – which is a type of DSL, can support connection speed of up to 30Mbps. Cable modem broadband internet connection is offered by a cable TV company. It is characterized by high speed connection of up to about 30Mbps (Shami, Maier & Assi, 2009, p.38). Cable modem However, the speed of cable modem broadband is influenced by the number of people using the service; the speed reduces as more people use it. Cable modem is typically more expensive than DSL although the connection speed of ADSL 2+ technology or VDSL is comparable to that of cable modem. Satellite broadband service is not only the slowest of the broadband options but it is also associated with high costs of installation. Has asserted satellite broadband is perhaps suitable for connection only in remote areas. A fiber-optic option offers the fastest connection speed among the existing forms of broadband offerings. However, this alternative of broadband connection is still new and expensive to install. Shami, Maier and Assi (2009, p.41) have highlighted that the monthly fees for fiber-optic broadband connection competes with that of cable and DSL broadband. Business Cloud can also use wireless broadband internet connection, such as Wi-Fi and WiMax (World Interoperability for Microwave Access). Besides fast internet connection, wireless broadband eliminates the need for cabling. However, a wireless connection has inherent limitations. Typically, wireless broadband connections are slower than wired broadband connections. The range of wireless equipments is also limited. Wireless signals can be affected by objects and waves in the air. The most suitable broadband internet connection for Business Cloud is fiber-optic broadband, possibly a fiber-to-home form of connection to the internet. Although installation of fiber-optic broadband is relatively expensive, the benefits of very high speed and minimal interference make it ideal for Business Cloud. 9. Recommendation for suitable network hardware including a logical network topology. Business Cloud will access cloud services through the internet. A user will access the internet and the cloud service through the company’s local area network (LAN). As such there is need for network hardware for the local area network and for linking the LAN to the internet. The network hardware include a router, switches, network interface controllers (NIC), wireless access points and modems, a proxy and firewall servers, networking cables, and R-J45. A reliable router, such as a Cisco router, will be needed to link the local area network to the internet. The organization also needs a proxy/firewall server for security reasons. A single hardware installed with proxy server and firewall software is adequate to function as both a proxy and a firewall server. Switches are also necessary to divide the company’s local area network into virtual sub-networks. Wireless access point devices are also necessary to allow mobile devices and employees within the company’s premises to connect to the company’s LAN. Networking cables will also be needed to provide wired connections. The appropriate type of networking cables would be fiber-optic cable because it supports the speeds provided by the fiber-option broadband internet connection. NIC cards are also necessary to allow connections of personal computers, desktops and workstations to the local area network and subsequently access to the cloud. . It may be necessary for Business Cloud to use a cloud storage gateway to allow integration of cloud storage into the company’s applications without the need of transferring the applications onto the cloud. Reference list Chambers, M. L 2011, Building a PC for dummies. Indianapolis, Indiana: John Wiley & Sons. Chapman, C. 2010, A short guide to open-source and similar licenses. http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2010/03/24/a-short-guide-to-open-source-and-similar-licenses. Dove, J 2010, Printer vendors keep a close eye on AirPrint. Accessed 24 April 2012 http://www.macworld.com/article/1155674/airprinters.html. Furht, B. & Escalante, A 2010, handbook of cloud computing. New York, NY: Springer. Laurent, A. M 2004, Understanding open source and free software licensing. Sebastopol, California: O'Reilly Media, Inc.. León-Rovira, N 2007, Trends in computer aided innovation. New York, NY: Springer. Mell, P. & Grance, T 2011, The NIST definition of cloud computing. United States: National Institute of Standards and Technology. Miller, M 2008, Cloud computing: web-based applications that change the way you work and collaborate online. United States: Que Publishing. Parsons, J & Oja, D 2010, Practical computer literacy. Boston, Massachusetts: Cengage Learning, 2010 Rothke, B 2005, Computer security: 20 things every employee should know. Madison, Wisconsin: McGraw Hill Professional. Schulz, G 2011, Cloud and virtual data storage networking. Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press. Shami, A., Maier, M. & Assi, C 2009, Broadband access networks: technologies and deployments. New York, NY: Springer. Simon, P 2010, The next wave of technologies: opportunities from chaos. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Read More