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On-demand delivery of computing resources via the internet

Core Idea: Cloud computing is a model for enabling ubiquitous, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort.

Key Elements

Service Models

• Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): Virtualized computing resources
  • Virtual machines, storage, networking
  • Examples: AWS EC2, Azure VMs, Google Compute Engine
• Platform as a Service (PaaS): Development and deployment environment
  • Application runtimes, databases, middleware
  • Examples: Heroku, Azure App Service, Google App Engine
• Software as a Service (SaaS): Complete applications delivered over the web
  • End-user applications, business services
  • Examples: Microsoft 365, Salesforce, Google Workspace
• Function as a Service (FaaS): Serverless computing
  • Event-driven execution without managing servers
  • Examples: AWS Lambda, Azure Functions, Google Cloud Functions

Deployment Models

• Public Cloud: Services offered over the public internet
  • Multi-tenant environment
  • Offered by third-party providers
• Private Cloud: Infrastructure dedicated to a single organization
  • On-premises or hosted by third party
  • Single-tenant environment
• Hybrid Cloud: Combination of public and private clouds
  • Workload portability between environments
  • Integrated management
• Multi-Cloud: Using services from multiple cloud providers
  • Best-of-breed approach
  • Vendor diversification

Essential Characteristics

• On-Demand Self-Service: Provision resources without human interaction
• Broad Network Access: Available over the network from diverse clients
• Resource Pooling: Multi-tenant model with location independence
• Rapid Elasticity: Scale resources up or down quickly
• Measured Service: Pay-per-use or subscription-based billing

Enabling Technologies

• Virtualization: Abstraction of physical computing resources
  • Hypervisor-based virtualization
  • Containerization
• Automation: Programmatic control of infrastructure
  • Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
  • API-driven provisioning
• Orchestration: Coordinating multiple system components
  • Kubernetes, Terraform, Ansible
  • Cloud provider native tools

Cloud Computing Benefits

• Cost Efficiency: OpEx vs. CapEx model
• Scalability: Handle varying workloads
• Agility: Rapid provisioning and deployment
• Global Reach: Distributed infrastructure
• Reliability: Redundant systems and disaster recovery
• Innovation Acceleration: Access to latest technologies

Challenges and Considerations

• Security and Compliance: Shared responsibility model
• Data Privacy: Geographic and legal considerations
• Vendor Lock-in: Dependency on provider-specific services
• Cost Management: Variable spending and optimization
• Skill Requirements: New operational expertise needed
• Network Dependency: Reliance on internet connectivity

Additional Connections

• Broader Context: Distributed Computing (broader technical paradigm)
• Applications: Cloud-Native Architecture (design approach for cloud)
• See Also: Edge Computing (extension of cloud computing model)

References

1. NIST Definition of Cloud Computing (SP 800-145)
2. "Cloud Computing: Concepts, Technology & Architecture" by Thomas Erl

#cloud-computing #infrastructure #virtualization #technology

Connections:

Sources:

• From: Hyper-V - Wikipedia