Cloud Computing: Architecture, Benefits, and Future Trends

Introduction to Cloud Computing

Cloud computing is a term for a model of network computing that is convenient, on-demand, and allows a shared pool of configurable computing resources. These resources include networks, servers, storage, applications, and services that may be provisioned and allowed to move through a virtual environment with a minimum of effort and maximum convenience. The idea of cloud computing addresses the perpetual need of information technology: an easy way to increase capacity and add capabilities whenever needed, without the necessity of investing in new infrastructure, training new personnel, licensing new software, or developing and maintaining new hardware protocols. The very power of cloud computing is that it can be subscription-based, pay-per-use, or even free, and is usually delivered in real time over the Internet. Cloud computing is, in short, a robust way of extending IT's existing capabilities (Miller, 2008).

The real power of cloud computing for the everyday user is that it changes the way we store, retrieve, and run applications. Instead of running programs, manipulating data, and multitasking on individual desktops, everything a user needs is hosted in the "cloud" — with far more room and processing power than any individual system can offer. While some may worry about data being lost or compromised, new Internet speeds, security firewalls, and encryption protocols make it possible to access all applications, documents, and data from any computer or device — tablet, smartphone, laptop — anywhere in the world. This frees users from their desktops, makes collaboration easier across different groups, and should, in theory, increase productivity.

Some writers are so enthusiastic about the possibilities of cloud computing that they liken it to:

… the computing equivalent of the electricity revolution of a century ago. Before the advent of electrical utilities, every farm and business produced its own electricity from freestanding generators. After the electrical grid was created, farms and businesses shut down their generators and bought electricity from the utilities, at a much lower price (and with much greater reliability) than they could produce on their own (Miller, 2008, p. 4).

History and Evolution of Cloud Computing

The idea of a "cloud" as a metaphor is rooted in the way telephone networks were originally visualized and the way the Internet was represented in computer networking diagrams — the cloud symbolizing the ethereal quality of information stored "outside" in an undefined space. The actual concept dates back to the 1960s, when it was hypothesized that computers might someday be organized just like a public utility. Indeed, the defining characteristics of cloud computing — elastic provision of data, use as a common utility, an illusion of infinite supply — are almost identical to the revolution in public and private funding for electricity, telephone, and other utilities, although the cloud computing revolution is occurring far more rapidly. Cloud computing extends the boundaries of usage for the individual user to a truly limitless, global range (Mills, 2009).

It is difficult, however, to separate the development of cloud computing from the broader evolution of the Internet and globalization. We now live in a computerized, Internet-based society shaped by the paradigm of globalism. The concept of globalization in economic and cultural development is a reality of the 21st century. The Internet and advances in telecommunications have made it easy to do business with any country in the world, increase cultural and social contact, and enable more timely communication between individuals. Similarly, the end of the Cold War signaled a different kind of realignment of nations — rather than an East-West philosophical divide, global cultures began looking to trade and economic growth to reshape their own structures. The developing world, newly able to see and hear news and entertainment from the developed world, embraced change. This change produced a new paradigm for marketing research — not only in the collection of data, but in the review and interpretation of data for a citizenry that may not be as marketing-sophisticated as those in the first world (Keegan and Green, 2010).

As the popularity of the Internet grew and marketing became a necessity rather than an option, it became clear that the Internet was also a superb tool for gathering consumer information. Here was a relatively captive audience from which volumes of data could be collected quickly and inexpensively. Internet transactions are also far more dynamic and less predictable than their physical counterparts — the psychological barriers to clicking through and ordering a product differ substantially from those in traditional sales and marketing formats.

Ironically, it was the demise of some dot-com companies and the rise of Amazon.com that played a key role in the development of cloud computing. Amazon's software builds a "picture" of the consumer based on search habits, keywords, and, as purchases accumulate, buying patterns. The algorithm allows someone interested in, say, camping, to receive recommendations on outdoor activities, related goods, clothing, and niche publications. Not only do suggested items appear during a search, but follow-up emails and targeted offers reinforce the consumer's sense that a personalized approach has been taken toward their needs. Amazon thereby boosted its add-on sales quickly and relatively easily (Chaffey, 2003). This tremendous success with a form of cloud computing spurred others to follow.

For a company's investment in digital channels, e-marketing refers to media placement across differing stages of the consumer cycle: search engine marketing (SEM), search engine optimization (SEO), banner ads on targeted websites, email marketing, and Web 2.0 strategies. This new investment paradigm changes the way organizations allocate advertising dollars, define customers, and structure sales and distribution channels (Rana, 2009).

In 2008, Eucalyptus became the first open-source platform to enable private clouds. That same year, the European Union-backed Reservoir/Open Nebula became the first open-source software for deploying private and hybrid clouds. More and more companies globally began to recognize that cloud computing was an opportunity to "shape the relationship among consumers of IT services, those who use IT services, and those who sell IT services" (Schnurr, 2008). Industry professionals were amazed that in just a few short months, "organizations were switching from company-owned hardware and software assets to per-use service-based models," resulting in "a dramatic growth in IT products" in most sectors (Gartner Corporation, 2008).

How Cloud Computing Works

One of the first things the general user needs to understand about cloud computing is that it is both intelligent and programmable. It is intelligent in the sense that with all the various bits of data stored across the computers in a cloud, data mining and analysis can be performed without requiring the user to access raw information directly. It is programmable because many of the tasks necessary to utilize the cloud are, by necessity, automated. To protect the integrity of the data set, for instance, information on a single node of the cloud must be replicated on additional computers. If one computer goes offline, the cloud's programming automatically redistributes that data to another computer within the cloud, without any user intervention whatsoever (The Metaphor of Cloud Computing, 2010).

While the concept of cloud sharing is relatively simple, the underlying process is fairly complex and did require a certain level of computing and memory power to launch. The front-end user interface sends a request to the system. The system management then locates the appropriate resources and provisions memory. These services work together to reserve resources in the cloud, launch the appropriate application, and either create or reopen the needed documents. Once the Internet application is open, monitoring and metering functions track the usage of the entire cloud so that resources may be allocated appropriately. Data is stored on any number of third-party servers, as opposed to the dedicated servers typical of traditional networking. The user sees a virtual service — appearing as though data is stored behind a familiar icon — when in reality the actual storage location could be anywhere in the world, and may vary from day to day. This is an advantage to overall system efficiency because storage resources can be allocated dynamically rather than remaining static (Smith, 2010).

Cloud services encompass any web-based application — from calendars and contact managers to word processing, database management, presentations, and niche proprietary software. If one PC or application crashes, it has no effect on others because documents are user-based, not machine-based. We can understand this more fully by thinking of cloud computing as a triangle, with the server at the base and the user at the pinnacle.

User (Client): The user or client consists of the computer hardware or software that relies on cloud computing for delivery — a PC, smartphone, laptop, or tablet that would be essentially useless for cloud purposes without the service.

Application (SaaS — Software as a Service): The application layer delivers software applications over the Internet, eliminating the need to install, run, and maintain programs on individual machines.

Platform (PaaS — Platform as a Service): Cloud platform services deliver a computing platform or solution as a service, using cloud infrastructure to sustain cloud applications. This makes it far easier to deploy applications without the cost, complexity, and time involved in buying and managing multiple layers of hardware and software.

Infrastructure (IaaS — Infrastructure as a Service): Cloud infrastructure services deliver platform virtualization, raw storage, networking, and core computing resources. This enables organizations to use complex platforms without purchasing servers, data center space, network equipment, or additional IT staff. The amount of infrastructure consumed is typically proportional to the level of organizational activity.

Server: The server layer comprises the computer hardware and software products designed specifically for cloud services, including multi-core processors and combinations thereof. Until multi-core processing became available at a relatively affordable price, cloud computing was not accessible to the general user (Nimbus is Cloud Computing for Science, 2011; Markoff, 2008; Duffy, 2009).

References

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Nimbus is Cloud Computing for Science. (2011, March). Retrieved from Nimbus:

Alvarez, E., & Cooke, M. (2011, August 12). Cloud computing is here and expanding. Retrieved from The Connected Business: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/af14c7b4-c509-11e0-ba51-00144feabdc0.html

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Chaffey, D. (2003). Internet marketing strategy: Implementation and practice. New York: Prentice Hall.

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Markoff, J. (2008, October 27). Microsoft plans 'cloud' operating system. Retrieved from The New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/28/technology/28soft.html

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Miller, M. (2008). Cloud computing: Web-based applications that change the way you work and collaborate online. New York: QUE Publications.

Rana, N. (2009). E-marketing intelligence — Transforming brand and increasing sales. Washington, DC: SE Publishers.

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Smith, R. (2010). Computing beyond the firewall. Research Technology Management, 53(3), 64–73.