Cloud computing refers to the technology that allows and facilitates the storage of all our files and information on the Internet. Without the need to worry about having sufficient capacity to host said information on our computer.
The Characteristics Of Cloud Computing
Cloud computing has several key features that differentiate it from traditional computing.
According to the NIST ( National Institute of Standards and Technology ), there are five essential characteristics of this model that companies must know. And these are:
1. On-Demand Self-Service Or Self-Service Demand
The customer can supply their computing needs, such as storage and network server time as needed, without requiring interaction with the service provider.
For example, if you have a Dropbox account with 1 TB of information and in a couple of months this capacity will reach its limit. You can easily and intuitively migrate to a higher storage plan to meet your future needs.
2. Broad Network Access Or Wide Network Access
The services are available on a network that can be private, public, hybrid, or community. In addition, with cloud computing, there is no need for equipment or tedious data center rooms. Since all capabilities are available on the network and can be accessed through standard mechanisms. And also, that allow the use of different platforms.
In other words, it is characterized by the provision of administration consoles and multiple work environments that can be accessed through tablets, mobile devices, laptops, or workstations. And regardless of where the client is located.
3. Resource-Pooling Or Resource Pool
The provider has computing resources that serve multiple consumers through a multi-tenant model. Different virtual and physical resources are dynamically allocated and reallocated according to the demands of each of its customers.
4. Rapid Elasticity
Computational resources are not limited to a static capacity.
In other words, with this characteristic, the systems have the capacity to adapt to the load and needs to which they are being or need to be subjected. So that the storage or computing capacity of the application is not exhaustible.
5. Measurement Of Services
This characteristic consists of the ability of cloud systems to control and optimize the use of resources through the monitoring, measurement and information of attributes in the cloud.
For example, processing and storage capacity, network bandwidth, and automatically the number of active user accounts
Therefore, this characteristic helps to determine performance, being a key element in this technological model, since all the resources are available to obtain the optimization of the final result.
Thus creating multiple integrations with which the user will be able to perform permanent monitoring. And also implement corrections that allow greater capacity to be obtained from the same resources.
On the other hand, other additional features that can be considered are:
Security
In cloud computing, security can outperform traditional systems. This is due, in part, to vendors’ ability to devote resources to solving security issues that would remain unresolved if security were the responsibility of customers.
On the other hand, it is key to note that while the cloud provider is responsible for physical security. The cloud user is responsible for application-level security.
Cost
Costs are significantly reduced since a cloud server instead of having capital expenses has operating expenses.
This results in lower barriers to entry, because the infrastructure is provided regularly by a third party and does not have to be purchased one-time, and less is used for infrequent computing-intensive tasks.
Maintenance
This maintenance process boils down to assigning trained personnel just to handle tracking services.
In other words, the platform takes care of everything else, since it is possible to configure the maintenance of the systems so that it occurs automatically.
Cloud Computing Models
Cloud solutions are currently deployed in three different service models, these being: Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). And each one represents a different part of the information stack in the cloud.
Additionally, they are offered in order to meet different requirements based on the specific needs of each company.
Infrastructure As A Service (IaaS)
In this model, cloud providers host infrastructure components that are traditionally housed in internal data centers, such as server hardware, storage, and networking, and additionally with the hypervisor (virtualization layer).
In this way, IaaS offers enterprises the ability to choose when and how they want to manage workloads without the need to purchase, manage, and support underlying infrastructure.
Moreover, in this service model, the provider supplies its clients with a basic IT infrastructure, under a virtualization scheme. For example, virtual services on demand, which are managed and operated by the client for what they need.
Platform As A Service (PaaS)
In addition to providing the infrastructure components, vendors host and manage the middleware and operating systems that customers require to build and run their applications.
Being that in this model, the client has access to a programming platform provided by the provider. And can develop their own applications in the cloud. But does not have control of the basic IT infrastructure.
PaaS helps improve efficiency for your customers because they don’t have to worry about resource provisioning, software maintenance, layer planning, patching, or any of the other tasks involved in running your application.
Software As A Service (SaaS)
With SaaS, cloud providers host and manage the entire infrastructure, including end-user applications.
This means that when a customer chooses a Software as a Service model. They will not need to install anything at all, just a login is required to immediately start using the application.
Email systems like Gmail and Hotmail are classic examples of this type of model.
Cloud Deployment Models
Regardless of whether the customer is using the cloud for IaaS, PaaS, or SaaS, the way in which provider makes services available to originate to four cloud deployment models.
Public Cloud
Any person or organization can contract the provider’s cloud services.
This means that the jobs of various clients may be commingled across their servers, storage systems, and other cloud infrastructure. Therefore, users do not know what jobs from other clients are running on the same server, drive, or network.
Private Cloud
Cloud computing servers are exclusive to a single company. Which in turn can be the owner of the cloud or can hire it from a provider.
Those using this deployment model own the network, disk, and server, and can decide who is allowed to access the infrastructure.
Hybrid Cloud
It is the combination of private and public cloud models. In this, the user is the owner of one of the parts and shares others in a more controlled way.
It is nothing more than a combination of two or more clouds of the above types. The main idea here is that you have separate clouds but with the portability of data and applications between them.
Community Cloud
This consists of a limited group of companies or people sharing a cloud infrastructure, which is supported by the same group or by a third party.
Cloud services are radically changing the reality of business. As they make it possible to access information from anywhere, at any time, and from virtually all types of devices.
Thus assuming a reduction in administrative actions, a reduction in deployment times, and a greater facility for the supervision of the companies’ system.
This is why companies are currently requiring experts to troubleshoot computers, optimize performance and anticipate security problems.
