Technology

Description of cloud computing

Cloud computing is an information technology paradigm that enables ubiquitous access to shared pools of configurable system resources.

It is called cloud computing because the information being accessed is in “the cloud” and does not require the user to be in a specific location to access it. This type of system allows employees to work remotely. Companies that provide cloud services allow users to store files and applications on remote servers and then access all the data over the Internet.

Different types of cloud computing

Cloud computing is not a single piece of technology, like a microchip or a cell phone. Rather, it is a system comprised primarily of three services: Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Software as a Service (SaaS)+, and Platform as a Service (PaaS). SaaS is expected to experience the fastest growth, followed by IaaS.

(1) Software as a Service (SaaS): SaaS involves licensing a software application to customers. Licenses are typically provided through a pay-as-you-go or on-demand model. This fast-growing market could provide an excellent investment opportunity, with a Goldman Sachs report projecting that by 2018, 59% of total cloud workloads will be SaaS.

(2) Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): The “infrastructure as a service” of a cloud service implies a method of delivering everything from operating systems to servers and storage over IP-based connectivity as part of an on-demand service. Customers can avoid the need to purchase software or servers and instead purchase these resources in an outsourced on-demand service.

(3) Platform as a Service (PaaS): Of the three layers of cloud-based computing, it is also a cloud service. PaaS is considered the most complex. PaaS shares some similarities with SaaS, the main difference being that instead of delivering software online, it is actually a platform for building software that is delivered over the Internet.

Characteristics of cloud environments

According to NIST, all real cloud environments have five key characteristics:

  1. On demand self service: This means that cloud customers can sign up, pay and start using cloud resources very quickly on their own without the help of a sales agent.
  2. Wide network access: Customers access cloud services over the Internet.
  3. Pooling of resources: Many different customers use the same servers, storage, or other computing resources.
  4. Rapid elasticity or expansion: Cloud customers can easily scale resource usage up or down as their needs change.
  5. metered service: Customers pay for the amount of resources they use in a given period of time rather than paying for hardware or software up front.