What is Cloud Computing?
Chances are if you were to ask ten people “what is cloud computing?” you would get ten different answers, which can be frustrating to those trying to learn more. Part of this confusion is because of the numerous ways that cloud services can be utilized. Therefore, it might be best to think of cloud computing in terms of its essential characteristics, service models and deployment models. [1]
CLOUD COMPUTING: ESSENTIAL CHARACTERISTICS
- On-demand self-service A consumer can unilaterally provision computing capabilities, such as server time and network storage, as needed automatically without requiring human interaction with each service’s provider.
- Broad network access Capabilities are available over the network and accessed through standard mechanisms that promote use by heterogeneous thin or thick client platforms (e.g., mobile phones, laptops, and PDAs).
- Resource pooling. The provider’s computing resources are pooled to serve multiple consumers using a multi-tenant model, with different physical and virtual resources dynamically assigned and reassigned according to consumer demand. There is a sense of location independence in that the customer generally has no control or knowledge over the exact location of the provided resources but may be able to specify location at a higher level of abstraction (e.g., country, state, or datacenter). Examples of resources include storage, processing, memory, network bandwidth, and virtual machines.
- Rapid elasticity Capabilities can be rapidly and elastically provisioned, in some cases automatically, to quickly scale out and rapidly released to quickly scale in. To the consumer, the capabilities available for provisioning often appear to be unlimited and can be purchased in any quantity at any time.
- Measured Service Cloud systems automatically control and optimize resource use by leveraging a metering capability at some level of abstraction appropriate to the type of service (e.g., storage, processing, bandwidth, and active user accounts). Resource usage can be monitored, controlled, and reported providing transparency for both the provider and consumer of the utilized service.
CLOUD COMPUTING: SERVICE MODELS
Each cloud computing service is scalable, on-demand, cost effective and secure – allowing the end user or client to focus on their business rather than maintaining their software, applications or hardware. Each service model also has its own list of focused cloud computing providers.
- Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) delivers computing infrastructure – typically through a virtualized environment – as a service. It is sometimes references as cloud infrastructure services. This includes basic computer networking, load balancing, content delivery networks, routing, commodity data storage, and virtualized operating system hosting, available in a single bundle and billed as per usage in a utility computing model. This eliminates the need for clients to purchase and procure servers, software, data center space and network equipment. Instead, the client purchases those resources on as an outsourced service.
Examples:
Enterprise IaaS: Bluelock, Terremark, Colt
Commodity IaaS: Amazon Web Services, GoGrid, Rackspace
- Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) is a combination of a development platform and a solution stack, delivered as a service on-demand via the web. It consumes cloud infrastructure on which software developers can build new applications or extend existing ones without the cost and complexity of buying and managing the underlying hardware and software and provisioning hosting capabilities.
Examples: Microsoft Azure, Cloud Foundry, Force.com (Salesforce)
- Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) This is the application layer of cloud computing, also known as ‘Cloud application services.’ SaaS delivers software that is deployed over the Internet, available to the end user as and when needed. This eliminates the need to install and run the application on the end user’s own computer which simplifies maintenance and support. Many SaaS applications are powered by IaaS. Payment can either be as per usage or on a subscription model.
Examples: Netsuite, Salesforce, Taleo
CLOUD COMPUTING: DEPLOYMENT MODELS
- Private cloud The cloud infrastructure is operated solely for an organization. It may be managed by the organization or a third party and may exist on premise or off premise.
- Community cloud The cloud infrastructure is shared by several organizations and supports a specific community that has shared concerns (e.g., mission, security requirements, policy, and compliance considerations). It may be managed by the organizations or a third party and may exist on premise or off premise.
- Public cloud The cloud infrastructure is made available to the general public or a large industry group and is owned by an organization selling cloud services.
- Hybrid cloud The cloud infrastructure is a composition of two or more clouds (private, community, or public) that remain unique entities but are bound together by standardized or proprietary technology that enables data and application portability (e.g., cloud bursting for load-balancing between clouds).
WHERE DOES BLUELOCK FIT INTO THE CLOUD ECOSYSTEM?
Among the growing list of cloud computing companies, Bluelock differentiates itself as an award-winning provider of enterprise cloud hosting solutions (Infrastructure-as-a-Service). Hosted in the public cloud, Bluelock Virtual Datacenters help companies get started quickly and deal with the unknown, while delivering the freedom to change their minds as IT needs evolve. By leveraging VMware technology, Bluelock is able to provide certified VMware vCloud Datacenter services to the enterprise that are fully compatible with their existing VMware investments, enabling a hybrid cloud computing strategy. This approach provides a common management and security model that enables complete workload portability between internal data centers and the Bluelock Virtual Datacenters.
[1] Mell, P, & Grance, T. U.S. Department of Commerce – National Institute of Standards and Technology, Computer Security Division. (2009). The nist definition of cloud computing (15). Washington, DC: Retrieved from http://csrc.nist.gov/groups/SNS/cloud-computing/
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