The Cloud

What is Cloud Computing

Cloud computing is the delivery of on-demand computing services -- from applications to storage and processing power -- typically over the internet and on a pay-as-you-go basis.

So why “The Cloud”?

Using cloud computing services is that firms can avoid the upfront cost and complexity of owning and maintaining their own IT infrastructure, and instead simply pay for what they use, when they use it.

Virtualization

Virtualization refers to the creation of a virtual machine that acts like a real computer with an operating system. Software executed on these virtual machines is separated from the underlying hardware resources.

Virtualization helps solve the problem of underutilized resources by creating a virtualization layer between the hardware components and the user (the person using the computer). This enables the creation of virtual machines which are virtual computers that can run in multiple on a single set of hardware. The virtualization layer creates a virtual hardware components for the virtual machine which is called the VM.

1. Reduced Hardware Costs 2. Faster Server Provisioning and Deployment 3. Greatly Improved Disaster Recovery move a virtual machine from one server to another quickly and safely automate the failover during a disaster. 4. Significant Energy Cost Savings 5. Increased Productivity - fewer physical servers means there are less of them to maintain and manage

The Benefits of Virtualization

• Increased efficiency and multitasking because you can run multiple computers instead of just a single computer running on your computer hardware you can run multiple operating systems or multiple computers on a single set of hardware.
• It also increases manageability or the ability to move, copy, and isolate virtual machines.
• Sustainability with increased energy savings by using less computer hardware and therefore less electricity.
• Increased availability with the ability to snapshot vms, clone vms, and run redundant vms.
• and increased security by isolating vms from one another and isolating them from the core system as well as isolating applications and the ability to run legacy applications that wouldn’t be possible sometimes on a regular company computer.

Terminologies

• CPU (central processing unit) - sends signals to control the other parts of the computer.
• RAM (random access memories) - the hardware in a computing device where the operating system (OS), application programs, and data in current use are kept so they can be quickly reached by the device's processor.
• OS (operating system) - the software that supports a computer's basic functions, such as scheduling tasks, executing applications, and controlling peripherals.

nWhat is Cloud Computing?

A cloud services platform provides rapid access to flexible and low cost IT resources.

With cloud computing, you don’t need to make large upfront investments in hardware and spend a lot of time managing it. Instead, you can provision exactly the right type and size of computing resources you need to power your ideas or operate your IT department.

You can access as many resources as you need, almost instantly, and only pay for what you use.

Cloud computing provides a simple way for you to access servers, storage, databases, and other sets of application services over the web.

A cloud services platform such as Amazon Web Services owns and maintains the network-connected hardware required for these application services, while you provision and use what you need via a web application.

There are three types

of cloud computing

Types of Cloud Computing

• Infrastructure - IaaS (Infrastructure as a service)
• Platform - PaaS (Platform as a service)
• Software - SaaS (Software as a service)
• 
• Infrastructure - IaaS (Infrastructure as a service)

This contains the basic building blocks for cloud IT and provides access to networking features, computers, and data storage space. This is where you typically begin to build/develop. IaaS provides you with the highest level of flexibility and management control over your IT resources and is most similar to existing IT resources that many IT departments and developers are familiar with today.

• Platform - PaaS (Platform as a service)

This removes the need for organizations to manage the underlying infrastructure and allow you to focus on the deployment and management of your applications. This helps you be more efficient as you don’t need to worry about resource procurement, capacity planning, software maintenance, patching, or any of the other undifferentiated heavy lifting involved in running your application.

• Software - AaaS (Software as a service)

This provides you with a completed product that is run and managed by the service provider. In most cases, people referring to SaaS are referring to end-user applications. With SaaS, you do not have to think about how the service is maintained or how the underlying infrastructure is managed; you only need to think about how you will use that particular piece software. A common example of a SaaS application is web-based email where you can send and receive email without having to manage feature additions to the email product or maintaining the servers and operating systems that the email program is running on.

Cloud Computing Deployment Models

Cloud-based application is fully deployed in the cloud and all parts of the application run in the cloud.

Applications in the cloud have either been created in the cloud or have been migrated from an existing infrastructure to take advantage of the benefits of cloud computing.

Hybrid Deployment

Connect infrastructure and applications between cloud-based resources and existing resources that are not located in the cloud.

Extend, and grow, an organization's infrastructure into the cloud while connecting cloud resources to the internal system.

On-premises Deployment

Virtualization and resource management tools, is sometimes called the “private cloud.”Provide dedicated resources the same as legacy IT infrastructure while using application management and virtualization technologies to try and increase resource utilization.

Global Infrastructure active customers in more than 190 countries.

achieve lower latency and higher throughput,

data resides only in the AWS Region they specify.

An AWS Region is a physical location in the world where we have multiple Availability Zones.

Availability Zones consist of one or more discrete data centers, each with redundant power, networking, and connectivity, housed in separate facilities.

operate production applications and databases that are more highly available, fault tolerant, and scalable than would be possible from a single data center.

Benefits of AWS Security

• Keep Your Data Safe:  AWS infrastructure puts strong safeguards in place. All data is stored in highly secure AWS data centers.

• Meet Compliance Requirements: AWS manages dozens of compliance programs in its infrastructure. Segments of your compliance have already been completed.

• Save Money: Cut costs.. Maintain the highest standard of security without having to manage your own facility

• Scale Quickly: Security scales with your AWS Cloud usage.

Compliance AWS Cloud Compliance

robust controls in place at AWS to maintain security and data protection in the cloud.

Compliance responsibilities will be shared. By tying together governance-focused, audit-friendly service features with applicable compliance or audit standards

Build on traditional programs. Designed and managed in alignment with best security practices and a variety of IT security standards.

• SOC 1/ISAE 3402, SOC 2, SOC 3 • FISMA, DIACAP, and FedRAMP • PCI DSS Level 1

• ISO 9001, ISO 27001, ISO 27017, ISO 27018

What is Amazon Web Services?

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is a secure cloud services platform, offering compute power, database storage, content delivery and other functionality to help businesses scale and grow. The AWS Cloud provides a broad set of infrastructure services, such as computing power, storage options, networking and databases, delivered as a utility: on-demand, available in seconds, with pay-as-you-go pricing.

AWS has deep features such as a wide range of database engines, server configurations, encryption and powerful big data tools let you stay focused on your core business, and not on corralling or cooling infrastructure. From data warehousing to deployment tools, directories to content delivery, over 50 services are available in just a few mouse clicks with AWS.