02-10-2010, 12:54 PM
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Cloud computing has gained a lot of hype in the current world of I.T. Cloud computing is said to be the next big thing in the computer world after the internet.
In general terms the Cloud computing is referred to as anything that uses internet and computing is done at some remote location and the result are displayed on the user screen and the user access the cloud using the familiar web browser. This definition is true to some extent however not completely.
Cloud computing is a broad, new technology and young as of now. The industry still struggles to define as to what to call as Cloud computing and what not to.
Like any new IT trend, cloud computing gets its fair share of hype, and with it comes a multitude of vendors that use the term in ways it was never intended for, making it devoid of any sense. When pushed to the extreme, a simple server connected to a network seems to qualify as a cloud, allowing pundits to mock the concept. Yet cloud computing is not a passing fad. It is a major step forward in the development of distributed computing, and one that will reshape the IT industry. But for it to happen, we must agree on a clear definition of the concept first, and the less technical it is, the better.
Here is how Wikipedia defines cloud computing:
“Cloud computing is the provision of dynamically scalable and often virtualized resources as a service over the Internet. Users need not have knowledge of, expertise in, or control over the technology infrastructure in the “cloud” that supports them. Cloud computing services often provide common business applications online that are accessed from a web browser, while the software and data are stored on the servers.”
The definition we propose is borrowed from Neil Ward‐Dutton, who works for MWD Advisors, an advisory firm which focuses on issues surrounding IT‐business alignment. In a post released in June 2009, Neil outlined the seven elements of cloud computing value, reproduced here with the author’s permission and some minor editing, suggested in part by Gartner’s Daryl Plummer.
In a nutshell, cloud computing can be defined as a set of computing and storage resources providing an application platform as a service. This platform is characterized by a unique set of economic, architectural, and strategic elements of value, which distinguishes it from anything that has been available so far.
Dynamic computing infrastructure
Cloud computing requires a dynamic computing infrastructure. The foundation for the dynamic infrastructure is a standardized, scalable, and secure physical infrastructure. There should be levels of redundancy to ensure high levels of availability, but mostly it must be easy to extend as usage growth demands it, without requiring architecture rework. Next, it must be virtualized.
Today, virtualized environments leverage server virtualization (typically from VMware, Microsoft, or Xen) as the basis for running services. These services need to be easily provisioned and de-provisioned via software automation. These service workloads need to be moved from one physical server to another as capacity demands increase or decrease. Finally, this infrastructure should be highly utilized, whether provided by an external cloud provider or an internal IT department. The infrastructure must deliver business value over and above the investment.
A dynamic computing infrastructure is critical to effectively supporting the elastic nature of service provisioning and de-provisioning as requested by users while maintaining high levels of reliability and security. The consolidation provided by virtualization, coupled with provisioning automation, creates a high level of utilization and reuse, ultimately yielding a very effective use of capital equipment
.
IT service-centric approach
Cloud computing is IT (or business) service-centric. This is in stark contrast to more traditional system- or server- centric models. In most cases, users of the cloud generally want to run some business service or application for a specific, timely purpose; they don’t want to get bogged down in the system and network administration of the environment. They would prefer to quickly and easily access a dedicated instance of an application or service. By abstracting away the server-centric view of the infrastructure, system users can easily access powerful pre-defined computing environments designed specifically around their service.
An IT Service Centric approach enables user adoption and business agility – the easier and faster a user can perform an administrative task the more expedient the business moves, reducing costs or driving revenue.
CLOUD COMPUTING
INTRODUCTION
Cloud computing has gained a lot of hype in the current world of I.T. Cloud computing is said to be the next big thing in the computer world after the internet.
In general terms the Cloud computing is referred to as anything that uses internet and computing is done at some remote location and the result are displayed on the user screen and the user access the cloud using the familiar web browser. This definition is true to some extent however not completely.
Cloud computing is a broad, new technology and young as of now. The industry still struggles to define as to what to call as Cloud computing and what not to.
Like any new IT trend, cloud computing gets its fair share of hype, and with it comes a multitude of vendors that use the term in ways it was never intended for, making it devoid of any sense. When pushed to the extreme, a simple server connected to a network seems to qualify as a cloud, allowing pundits to mock the concept. Yet cloud computing is not a passing fad. It is a major step forward in the development of distributed computing, and one that will reshape the IT industry. But for it to happen, we must agree on a clear definition of the concept first, and the less technical it is, the better.
Here is how Wikipedia defines cloud computing:
“Cloud computing is the provision of dynamically scalable and often virtualized resources as a service over the Internet. Users need not have knowledge of, expertise in, or control over the technology infrastructure in the “cloud” that supports them. Cloud computing services often provide common business applications online that are accessed from a web browser, while the software and data are stored on the servers.”
The definition we propose is borrowed from Neil Ward‐Dutton, who works for MWD Advisors, an advisory firm which focuses on issues surrounding IT‐business alignment. In a post released in June 2009, Neil outlined the seven elements of cloud computing value, reproduced here with the author’s permission and some minor editing, suggested in part by Gartner’s Daryl Plummer.
In a nutshell, cloud computing can be defined as a set of computing and storage resources providing an application platform as a service. This platform is characterized by a unique set of economic, architectural, and strategic elements of value, which distinguishes it from anything that has been available so far.
Dynamic computing infrastructure
Cloud computing requires a dynamic computing infrastructure. The foundation for the dynamic infrastructure is a standardized, scalable, and secure physical infrastructure. There should be levels of redundancy to ensure high levels of availability, but mostly it must be easy to extend as usage growth demands it, without requiring architecture rework. Next, it must be virtualized.
Today, virtualized environments leverage server virtualization (typically from VMware, Microsoft, or Xen) as the basis for running services. These services need to be easily provisioned and de-provisioned via software automation. These service workloads need to be moved from one physical server to another as capacity demands increase or decrease. Finally, this infrastructure should be highly utilized, whether provided by an external cloud provider or an internal IT department. The infrastructure must deliver business value over and above the investment.
A dynamic computing infrastructure is critical to effectively supporting the elastic nature of service provisioning and de-provisioning as requested by users while maintaining high levels of reliability and security. The consolidation provided by virtualization, coupled with provisioning automation, creates a high level of utilization and reuse, ultimately yielding a very effective use of capital equipment
.
IT service-centric approach
Cloud computing is IT (or business) service-centric. This is in stark contrast to more traditional system- or server- centric models. In most cases, users of the cloud generally want to run some business service or application for a specific, timely purpose; they don’t want to get bogged down in the system and network administration of the environment. They would prefer to quickly and easily access a dedicated instance of an application or service. By abstracting away the server-centric view of the infrastructure, system users can easily access powerful pre-defined computing environments designed specifically around their service.
An IT Service Centric approach enables user adoption and business agility – the easier and faster a user can perform an administrative task the more expedient the business moves, reducing costs or driving revenue.
