Public Cloud

What is a public cloud? A virtual public cloud  lets all businesses access their data through the Internet without taking up space. Companies don't have to waste office space or money finding places to store their information. Public clouds give enterprises places for information without having to invest in their own private clouds. Companies are able to pay for only the needed space and can rent more if needed.  Public clouds have firewalls to protect company information from hackers and other outside sources. Here is a video on public clouds

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SlJp6UX7WBw

Cloud Infrastructure as a service

Cloud computing consists of three different types of services:

·        ·         Cloud infrastructure as a service

• ·         Cloud platform as a service
• ·         Cloud software as a service 

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): Customers use processing, storage, networking, and other computing resources from cloud service providers to run their information systems.  The capability provided to the consumer is to provision processing, storage, networks, and other fundamental computing resources where the consumer is able to deploy and run arbitrary software, which can include operating systems and applications.

For businesses the greatest value of IaaS is through a concept known as cloud bursting.  Cloud bursting is the process of off-loading task to the cloud during the times when the most compute resources are needed.  In order for businesses to take advantage of the IaaS they must build and implement software that has the ability to re-allocate processes to the infrastructure cloud.  There are four important considerations to building and implementing software that can manage such re-allocation processes:

• Developing for a specific vendor's proprietary IaaS could prove to be a costly mistake if the vendor were to go out of business.
• The complexity of well-written resource allocation software is significant and generally requires top-notch developer resources that do not come cheap. You will save money by budgeting and researching first.
• What will you be sending off to be processed in the cloud? Sending data such as personal identities, financial information, and health care data put an organization's compliance at risk with U.S. Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) Act, Payment Card Industry (PCI), or Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations.
• Understand the dangers of shipping off processes that are critical to the day-to-day operation of the business. 

List of some Cloud Computing IaaS providers:

• ·         Amazon Web Services: Offers a complete set of infrastructure and application services that enable you to run virtually everything in the cloud. 
• ·         IBM:  Enables speed and dexterity for the faster delivery of new offerings and services. 
• ·         Openstack: Openstack is a cloud operating system that controls large pools of compute, storage and networking resources throughout a datacenter.  
• ·         Bluelook:  Infrastructure as a service company that specializes in Cloud Computing and disaster recovery. 
• ·         GoGrid: Provides automated provisioning of infrastructure over the Internet. 

Sources: 

http://cloudcomputingwire.com/cloud-iaas/

http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/cloud/library/cl-cloudservices1iaas/

Advantages of Private clouds

A private cloud utilizes and distributes data through a company's own computer software.  These systems run off one main hard drive and virtually channel information between computers.  Clouds link important business processes in multiple departments and keep everyone's files up to date.  Companies can access their information and data with more control over the use and where it may end up.  

 An advantage of using private clouds is the secure network.  The enterprise's files are more private because their data is kept within business administrators.  With no third party sources, the threat of valuable information getting leaked is lessened and dictated by the company.  These clouds usually do not have internet access and are protected by strong firewalls.  Using a private cloud, enterprises can create unique software to fit the needs of the company. They won't waste money changing files to fit "standardized programming."  As businesses grow and develop flexible, private systems can grow with them.

Think of a time you needed to get valuable information to other family members.  Speaking to everyone in person or on the phone is more controlled and private than making a Facebook announcement (which is public) or sending an email (using a third party source).  You know who was told what directly and by who.  You and other members share information amongst each other rooting from one main person.

http://blogs.technet.com/b/yungchou/archive/2011/03/21/what-is-private-cloud.aspx
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/P/private_cloud.html

So how does Cloud Computing help?

Cloud computing benefits businesses and individuals in many different ways and every year more applications are being developed.  The use of clouds allows companies flexibility, there is a nearly unlimited amount of storage space available so they can use as much as they want and they don’t have to upgrade or purchase new servers.  If they decided to use less, they aren’t stuck with unused servers and because the client or user doesn’t own the servers they aren’t responsible for upgrading and adding addition space.  This also means that cloud computing is usually very cost efficient

There is also a nearly endless list of applications for cloud computing that can save most medium and large business time and money.  One of the most common uses for the cloud is to backup data.  Duplicate data is stored at several locals in the cloud and because the cloud uses servers in many different geographical locations, it is very unlikely that a single event or catastrophe could disable or destroy the servers causing data loss. Because the cloud can be integrated with most devices, if a loss does occur, it can usually be recovered quickly and made available anywhere in the world on a compatible device. 

Source: dvicenews.com

 An example of this would be a lost or damaged phone that was integrated into a cloud. A new phone could quickly replace the old phone, because the data is stored outside of the phone on a remote server in the cloud.  So you have all the same contacts, pictures, apps, music, and everything back, as soon as you get a new phone.  

Source:  Schouten, Edwin. "5 Cloud Business Benefits." Wired.com. Conde Nast Digital, 14 Oct. 0012. Web. 19 Mar. 2013. http://www.wired.com/insights/2012/10/5-cloud-business-benefits/

Cloud Security

What does security mean to you?   Is it knowing that you are safe were you are? Well there are many threats and issues that concern the cloud.  Is it really better to have your data stored with a cloud computing provider than with your company?  Is it better to trust other IT people rather than your own?  There is no arguing that having data in the cloud frees up space and reduces cost. 

Issues with the cloud

Ø  Data could be compromised by the Cloud Computing Provider

Ø  The connection between the Cloud Computing Provider and the customer is not always sufficiently protected.  

Ø Security risks that threaten the transfer line include eavesdropping, DNS spoofing, and Denial-of-Service attacks.  

Trend Micro is a leading innovator of cloud security.  It has been protecting businesses and consumers for over 20 years.   

Click on the video to learn more about Trend Micro and issues that come with cloud computing.

                    

“Cloud Security.” TrendMirco.com.  n.p. n.d. Web. 14 March 2013.

http://cloudsecurity.trendmicro.com/us/technology-innovation/cloud/index.html

Holbl, Marko.  “Cloud Computing Security and Privacy Issues.” CEPIS.org. Web. 14 March 2013.

http://www.cepis.org/media/CEPIS_Cloud_Computing_Security_v17.11.pdf

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HI9-d-N5nA0

The forecast for cloud computing

What will the weather be like tomorrow?  Everyday meteorologists around the world try to answer that very same question, they use the tools and information available to try to predict where the clouds will end up.  The same is true for cloud computing, many businesses and investors around the world are trying to predict what the future holds for this technology that is still in it's infancy. 

The Gartner estimates for 2013 show a growth of 19.6% from 2012, continuing the rapid growth that has followed cloud computing since 2006.  These same estimates predict the by the year 2020, the cloud computing market could surpass $240 billion dollars annually!

What is bringing on all of this growth?  Well, the real answer is complex but the simple answer is everything, smart phones, cars, but the largest immediate growth is coming from healthcare.  As more medical records and other information are being collected and made available to doctors, clouds will be used to integrate this information into many aspects of your care, diagnosis and treatments. Soon you might see a tablet just as at home in a doctor's office as a stethoscope.

It's too early to tell exactly where the future will take cloud computing but if the "forecast" is right, the only direction is up, way up.





http://www.idgconnect.com/blog-abstract/720/paul-moxon-global-the-future-cloud-computing-how-do-you-prepare-2013