What is Cloud Computing?

Cloud Computing is the delivery of computing services such as servers, data storage,
databases, networking, software, analytics, and intelligence over the internet (“cloud”)
to offer flexible resources, faster innovation, and economies of scale. In simpler
terms, instead of owning data centers, organizations can rent access to someone
else’s infrastructure like storage, computing servers, and databases from a Cloud
Computing service provider and only pay for resources that they use.

You only need to pay for the cloud services that you use, which helps lower your
operating costs, run infrastructure more efficiently, and scale your applications as per
business needs.

Who Uses Cloud Computing?

Organizations of different types, sizes, and industries are using the cloud for a wide
variety of use cases, such as building customer-facing web applications, data backup,
sending email/SMS notifications, virtual desktops, software development and testing,
big data analytics, and disaster recovery. For example, Telecom companies are using
cloud services to connect with their customers by sending different types of
communications. Financial services companies are using the cloud to power real-time
fraud detection and prevention.

How Does Cloud Computing Work?

To understand how Cloud Computing works, let us divide it into two sections- Front
end and Back end. The front end consists of the client’s computer or computer
network. The front end consists of the client’s computer or computer network. The
back end consists of various computers, servers and data storage systems that make
up the cloud. They are connected to each other through a network, usually the
Internet. The front end is the side of the computer user or client. The back end is ‘the
cloud’ section of the system.

Cloud Computing Deployment Models

The deployment models specify different types of clouds. Every organization has
different needs, they need to determine which cloud deployment model will work for
them. There are mainly three cloud deployment models:

1. Public Cloud

The public cloud is a set of hardware, networking, storage, services, applications, and
interfaces owned and operated by a third party for use by other companies or
individuals. You access these services and manage your account using a web
browser. These commercial providers create a highly scalable data center that hides
the details of the underlying infrastructure from the consumer.

2. Private Cloud

A private cloud is a set of hardware, networking, storage, services, applications, and

interfaces owned and operated by an organization for the use of its employees,
partners, or customers. A private cloud can be created and managed by a third party
for the exclusive use of one enterprise. The private cloud is a highly controlled
environment not open for public consumption. It is essentially just another way of
running an on-premises data center.

3. Hybrid Cloud

A hybrid cloud is a combination of a private cloud combined with the use of public
cloud services where the two cloud environments work together to solve business
problems. By allowing data and applications to move between private and public
clouds, a hybrid cloud gives your business greater flexibility, more deployment
options and helps optimize your existing infrastructure, security, and compliance.

What are the different types of cloud computing

services?

Types of Cloud Services :

Cloud Computing services are divided into three classes, according to the abstraction
level of the capability provided and the service model of providers:
 Types of Cloud services: IaaS, PaaS, SaaS and FaaS

1. Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS in Cloud Computing)

The capability provided to the consumer is to provision processing, storage,

networks, and other fundamental computing resources. The consumer does not
manage or control the underlying cloud infrastructure but has control over operating
systems, storage, and deployed applications; and possibly limited control of select
networking components (e.g., host firewalls).

2. Platform as a Service (PaaS in Cloud Computing)

The capability provided to the consumer is to deploy onto the Cloud infrastructure
consumer-created or acquired applications using programming languages, libraries,
services, and tools supported by the provider. The consumer does not manage or
control the underlying Cloud infrastructure including network, servers, operating
systems, or storage, but has control over the deployed applications and possibly
configuration settings for the application-hosting environment.
3. Software as a Service (SaaS in Cloud Computing)

The capability provided to the consumer is their applications running on a Cloud

infrastructure. The capability provided to the consumer is to use the provider's
applications running on a Cloud infrastructure. The applications are accessible from
various client devices through either a thin client interface, such as a web browser
(e.g., web-based e-mail), or a program interface.

The consumer does not manage or control the underlying cloud infrastructure
including network, servers, operating systems, storage, or even individual application
capabilities, apart from limited user-specific application configuration settings.

Cloud Computing Examples and Use Cases

If you use an online service to send email, edit documents, watch movies or TV (like
Netflix), listen to music, play games, or store pictures and other files, it is likely that
you are part of cloud eco-system, as Cloud Computing is making it all possible behind
the scenes. There are many use cases of Cloud Computing, few are mentioned
below:

1. Test and Development

IT Companies uses cloud services for software development environment. DevOps

teams can quickly spin up development, testing and production environments. This
includes an automated provisioning of physical and virtual machines.

2. Big Data Analytics

There is massive amount of data collected each day from cloud applications, IoT
devices and the users who interact with them. Cloud Computing allows organization
to leverage the computing power of Cloud Computing.

3. Cloud Storage

Cloud data storage enables files to be automatically saved to the cloud, and then they
can be accessed, stored, and retrieved from any device with an internet connection.
Instead of maintaining data centers for storage, organizations can only pay for cloud
storage they are use and do so without the worries of overseeing the daily
maintenance of the storage infrastructure.

Characteristics of Cloud Computing :

There are several benefits of using Cloud Computing over traditional way. Few
benefits are mentioned below:

1. Cost Saving

You pay only for the services you use; this eliminates capital expenses of buying
hardware, software, setting up datacenters and operating cost for the same.

2. Rapid Elasticity

Cloud providers pool large number of resources from their data centers and make
them easily accessible. A service provider can easily expand its services to large
scale to handle rapid increase in service demands.

3. Global Scale

With the cloud, you can expand your business to new geographic locations and
deploy applications globally within minutes. Many cloud providers give services in lot
of countries, deploying applications closer proximity to end users reduces latency and
hence improves customer experience.

4. Reliability

Cloud services provides high availability with their robust infrastructure. You can
easily make data backup, disaster recovery, which makes business continuity easier
and less expensive as data can be mirrored at different geographic locations on the
cloud provider’s network.

5. Speed
Cloud Computing services are mostly self service and on demand. You can easily
provision any number of resources within minutes, that gives a lot of flexibility to
businesses to scale their application at right time and at right location.

Disadvantages of Cloud Computing:

Although there are many benefits of Cloud Computing, there are few disadvantages
as well which you need to be aware of, such as:

1. Security and Privacy

Although cloud service providers implement the best security standards and industry
certifications, storing data and important files on external service providers always
opens risks. Any discussion involving data must address security and privacy,
especially when it comes to managing sensitive data. You must understand the
shared responsibility model of your cloud provider. You will still be liable for what
occurs within your network and in your product.

2. Vulnerability to Attack

In Cloud Computing, every component is online, which exposes potential

vulnerabilities. Even the best teams suffer severe attacks and security breaches from
time to time.

3. Limited Control

Cloud services run on remote servers that are owned and managed by cloud service
provides, which makes it hard for the companies to have the level of control over
cloud infrastructure.

Future of Cloud Computing and Emerging Technologies :

Lot of companies are already using Cloud services to grow their business and make
their global presence. Cloud Computing will be the most common deployment model
for companies in future because of its benefits. The future of Cloud Computing is
bright and will provide benefits to both the host and the customer. There are many
technologies that are emerging with Cloud Computing such as:

1. Internet Of Thing (IoT)

The internet of things is one of the leading Technology, it comes with continuous
innovation in real time Data Analytics and Cloud Computing. We can do it easily with
the help of Cloud Computing.

2. Serverless Computing

Serverless architecture is the next evolution from monolithic application architecture

after service-oriented architecture and micro-services architectures.

3. Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence is the next-generation technology solution set to present the

technology world in a different view. However, building AI applications are complex
for many businesses as it requires high computing power machines. Companies are
looking at Cloud solutions for machine learning and other deep learning tools.
Because of its vast computing and storage options, cloud-based AI is emerging as
the most-sought solution for businesses of any size in realizing their AI efforts.

Cloud Computing Architecture :

Architecture is how different components combine to create a cloud system, which
every employee of an organization can use for data-related operations. Talking of
cloud computing architecture, virtualization technology pools different resources and
software components in one place, calling it a cloud. There are various components
in cloud architecture:

 A front-end device from which the user accesses the network.

 The backend platform is like the servers that store the information for the user to access.
  A delivery model that decides how the network will work and how the user will be able
to access data.
 A trusted network on which the storage and sharing of information will happen.
Putting all these components together forms a cloud platform, which an organization
and its employees can use. This system helps the users in plenty of ways. First, it
reduces the risk of data theft as online servers are much more secure than physical
ones. Secondly, it makes remote working possible for everyone as there will be no
issue with data sharing.

Different Architectures :
Although no two cloud models are similar, the basics of a few models are alike.
Therefore, an organization can use the model, which they think would stand tall on
their expectations, make changes, and enjoy all the perks that this virtual data
storage and sharing platform offers.

Cloud Computing vs Traditional IT Infrastructure :

Below are the differences between Cloud Computing and Traditional IT

Infrastructure :
 Parameters Traditional IT Infrastructure Cloud Computing

Cloud Computing run on

Traditional computing is done outsider servers facilitated by
on physical server provisioned third-party hosting
Position
and managed by organization. organizations such as
Companies own these servers Microsoft AZURE, Amazon
AWS, Google GCP

Cloud Computing works on

In traditional computing
pay as you go model, you pay
Cost Effective companies must spend up-front
only for number of resources
expenses on hardware
you use

In traditional computing
In Cloud Computing the Cloud
companies had to spend lot of
service providers are
efforts securing their
Security specialized in guarding the
infrastructure, they had to hire
data and their primary
security experts to protect their
responsibility is security data
data

Cloud Computing is flexible

In traditional computing you in this regard, you can use
Flexibility need to do proper estimations in resource as per your need
order to buy hardware upfront

Difference between Cloud Computing and Grid Computing

 Key Cloud Computing Grid Computing

Cloud Computing follows a client- Grid Computing follows a distributed

Architecture
server computing architecture. computing architecture.

In Cloud Computing, resources are In Grid Computing, resources are

Resource
centrally managed. managed on a collaboration pattern.

Cloud Computing is more flexible than Grid Computing is less flexible.

Flexibility
Grid Computing.

Users pay for using the cloud Grid computing needs to be set up
computing resources. They need not first. Users need not pay anything
Payment
to set up anything. They use the once the set-up is done.
platform as a service.

Cloud Computing is a highly Grid Computing is low on

accessible service. It can be accessibility as compared to cloud
Accessibility
accessed using conventional web computing. It can be accessed using
protocols. grid middleware.

When compared to grid computing, it Grid computing, on the other hand,

Scalability is extremely scalable. is not as scalable as cloud
computing.