Cloud computing

Cloud Computing Development

The concept of "cloud computing" began in 1960, when John McCarthy suggested that someday computer computing would be carried out using "public utilities."

Cloud computing may seem like a relatively new phenomenon. However, their history dates back to the early 1950s, when the advent of mainframes allowed multiple users to access the central computer. In the 1960s, some ideas appeared that resemble what we call cloud computing today - for example, the concept of an "intergalactic computer network" by J.K. R. Licklider^[1].

The ideology of cloud computing gained popularity in 2007 due to the rapid development of communication channels and the growing exponentially need of both business and private users to scale their information systems horizontally.

In the 1970s, virtualization took mainframes to the next level, and in the 1990s, telecommunications companies began to offer virtual private network (VPN) connectivity. In 1999, Salesforce became the first company to provide enterprise applications over the Internet. Several users could simultaneously download these applications in a browser at a low price.

Later, the concept of "computing cloud" begins to be actively applied by various companies, for example, Google. The most typical example is the Google Docs service, which allows you to work with office documents through a browser.

Modern "clouds" appeared in 2006, when Amazon.com, then an online bookstore, introduced Amazon Web Services (AWS), marking the beginning of the cloud computing movement. AWS provides a wide range of services, such as computing power and data storage, to this day remaining the leading and very reliable infrastructure of cloud web service platforms.

Soon Amazon.com were joined by Netflix Microsoft, Google, Apple and the IBM cloud computing market grew.

In July 2008, HP, Intel, and Altaba (formerly Yahoo) announced the creation of a global, multi-site, open-source Cloud Computing Test Bed to advance cloud computing research and development. This lab was a globally distributed Internet testing environment that supported research aimed at developing software, improving data center management, and solving hardware problems related to Internet computing on a much larger scale than ever before. This initiative was also supposed to contribute to the emergence of new Internet applications and services.

Microsoft does not stand aside: the CEO of the corporation, Steve Ballmer, made a statement that Microsoft plans to release a new operating system, codenamed "Windows Cloud," which will allow developers to create and host Internet applications. The name "Windows Cloud" indicates that the new OS will use the concept of "computing cloud" as its basis.

In 2014, most of the largest IT vendors in the global market, including Google, Microsoft, HP, Intel, SAP, IBM, Oracle and others, have cloud computing solutions in their line.

Cloud Computing Properties and Models

Main properties

NIST in its document 'The NIST Definition of Cloud Computing' defines the following characteristics of clouds:

• the possibility of self-service without human input from the provider;
• availability of broadband access to the network;
• focus resources on individual sites for their efficient allocation;
• Fast scalability - Resources can be allocated and released at speed, depending on your needs
• Managed service - The cloud management system automatically monitors and optimizes provisioning based on measured service parameters (storage size, bandwidth, number of active users, etc.).

On-demand self-service. The consumer has the ability to access the provided computing resources unilaterally as needed, automatically, without the need to interact with the employees of each service provider.

Broad network access. The provided computing resources are available over the network through standard mechanisms for various platforms, thin and thick clients (mobile phones, tablets, laptops, workstations, etc.).

Resource pooling. Provider computing resources are pooled to serve many consumers on a multi-tenant model. Pools include various physical and virtual resources that can be dynamically assigned and reassigned according to consumer requests. There is no need for the consumer to know the exact location of the resources, but you can specify their location at a higher level of abstraction (for example, country, region, or data center). Examples of such resources include storage systems, computing power, memory, and network bandwidth.

Rapid elasticity. Resources can be elastically allocated and released, in some cases automatically, for rapid scaling commensurate with demand. For the consumer, the possibilities of providing resources are seen as unlimited, that is, they can be assigned in any number and at any time.

Measured service. Cloud systems automatically manage and optimize resources using measurement tools implemented at the abstraction level for various kinds of services (for example, managing external memory, processing, bandwidth or active user sessions). The resources used can be monitored and monitored, which ensures transparency for both the provider and the consumer using the service.

Cloud Service Models

Software as a Service (SaaS). The ability to provide the consumer with the use of provider applications running in the cloud infrastructure. Applications are available from a variety of client devices or through thin client interfaces such as a web browser (such as webmail) or program interfaces. The consumer does not manage the underlying infrastructure of the cloud, including networks, servers, operating systems, storage systems, and even customized applications, with the exception of some custom application configuration settings.

Platform as a Service (PaaS). The ability to provide the consumer with the ability to deploy consumer (created or purchased) applications in the cloud infrastructure, implemented using programming languages, libraries, services and tools supported by the service provider. At the same time, the consumer does not manage the basic infrastructure of the cloud, including networks, servers, operating systems and storage systems, but has control over deployed applications and, possibly, some settings for the configuration of the hosting environment.

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). The ability to provide the consumer with processing, storage, networking, and other fundamental computing resources to deploy and run arbitrary software that may include operating systems and applications. The consumer does not manage the underlying infrastructure of the cloud, but has control over operating systems, storage systems, deployed applications, and, possibly, limited control over the choice of network components (for example, a host with network screens).

Deployment models

Private cloud. Cloud infrastructure designed for exclusive use by a single, multi-consumer organization (e.g., business units). Such a cloud can be owned, managed and maintained by the organization itself, by a third party and located both on the territory of the enterprise and beyond.

Community cloud and community cloud. Cloud infrastructure designed for exclusive use by a specific consumer community from organizations with common concerns (e.g., missions, security requirements, policies). The cloud can be owned, managed and maintained by one or more organizations in the community, with a third party located both within and outside organizations.

Public cloud. Cloud infrastructure prepared for open use by the general public. It can be owned, managed and maintained by business, scientific and government organizations in any combination thereof. The cloud exists on the territory of the cloud provider.

Hybrid cloud. A cloud infrastructure is a composition of two or more different cloud infrastructures (private, public, or government) that have unique objects but are interconnected by standardized or proprietary technologies that allow data or applications to be transferred between components (for example, to balance the load between clouds).

The Benefits of Cloud Computing

• reducing the requirements for the computing power of a PC (an indispensable condition is only the availability of Internet access);
• fault tolerance;
• safety;
• High-speed data processing
• Reduced hardware, software, maintenance, and power costs
• saving disk space (both data and programs are stored on the Internet).

The Downsides of Cloud computing

• dependence of the security of user data on companies providing the cloud computing service;
• the emergence of new ("cloud") monopolists.

Safety

Confidentiality should be ensured throughout the chain, including the provider of the cloud solution, the consumer and the communications connecting them.

The supplier's task is to ensure both the physical and software inviolability of data from third party encroachments. It is no coincidence that "cloud" data centers are usually designed based on the most modern security standards (including encryption issues, as well as the mentioned anti-virus protection and protection against hacker attacks).^[2]

The consumer must put into effect "on its territory" appropriate policies and procedures that exclude the transfer of access rights to information to third parties. In this sense, the objective advantages of "clouds" should not be mixed with relieving the customer of any efforts to ensure the security of their own information perimeter.

The security solution includes traditional and well-known solutions, although it contains a number of specific solutions that, in the process of performing traditional tasks, must be optimized to save the performance of the virtual environment by adding security.

Serious equipment failures even among large cloud service providers are already occurring. In the global practice of "cloud" computing, there are cases when a consumer could not access applications for a long time. And the banal "disconnection of the Internet" due to the fault of the provider (not necessarily the provider directly serving the customer, the trunk operator may also be to blame) can make working with "cloud" resources impossible in principle.

Obviously, before starting projects related to bringing certain IT services to the clouds, customers should assess such risks, conduct a thorough inventory of applications (recording a list of business-critical ones), and only then make decisions on how to build their cloud IT future.

An alternative ISP in "hot standby," an alternative provider of a "cloud" solution, transparent management of maintaining archived copies of data, insurance, strict liability conditions in supplier agreements - mandatory security elements in the "clouds."

The tasks of ensuring the integrity of information in the case of individual "cloud" applications can be solved - thanks to modern database architectures, backup systems, integrity checking algorithms and other industrial solutions. But there is more to come. New problems may arise when it comes to integrating several "cloud" applications from different providers.

For those companies whose issues of information protection are very acute, for example, these are enterprises associated with the military-industrial complex, work with state secrets, or rigidly tied by the requirements of non-disclosure of data about private clients, the way out of the situation is to create private clouds. The fact is that private clouds, unlike public or hybrid systems, are most similar to virtualized infrastructures that the IT departments of large corporations have already learned to implement and over which they can maintain full control. The shortcomings of information protection in public cloud systems pose a serious problem. Most of the hacking incidents occur in public clouds.

Virtualization can be secure and compliant with information protection requirements. However, customer security requests are still often ahead of supplier capabilities.

Cloud Usage Guidelines

Gartner experts are of the opinion that this is the direction that should change the established status quo in information technology in the near future. Cloud computing is expected to push the Internet even more intensively. Gartner predicts that the trend will be finally formed over the next few years.

Analysts also note that cloud computing technology will reduce costs and increase demand for new IT products, but the growth effect of such technologies will appear only in the long term.

Choosing a cloud vendor is almost like getting married. Both sides are determined for the best and are confident that the relationship will be long and full of love and mutual understanding. But... visibility can be deceptive, and relations with the vendor can deteriorate. In such a case, a "marriage" contract is needed (more precisely, a clear and comprehensive contract), ensuring that both parties involved know their rights and obligations.

CRN reached out to the heads of VAR company Progress Software to gain first-hand knowledge. Matt Chichchari, OpenEdge/SaaS platforms Marketing and Cloud Implementation Manager, and Mike Ormerod, Cloud and Solutions SaaS Architect, shared their experience: what are the main elements that should be present in the "marriage" contract with the cloud vendor so that a potential client can safely say yes.

Prepare the network

During Interop 2012 in Las Vegas, Cisco Systems released the results of the annual Global Cloud Networking Survey, which was attended by 1,300 IT professionals from 13 countries. More than a third of IT professionals consider a cloud-based network to be a necessary element of the infrastructure to begin the process of migrating applications to the cloud. 28% of them believe that a cloud-optimized network is more important than a virtualized data center, 21% - than a service-level agreement with a cloud service provider.

At the same time, almost 40% of respondents will prefer in every way to avoid any restructuring of networks associated with the introduction of private or public clouds. In other words, many IT managers recognize the importance of building a specialized network infrastructure for cloud computing, but few are ready to implement objectively complex projects.

Praveen Akkiraju, Vice President and General Manager of Cisco Services Routing Technology Group, warns that company leaders should have a clear understanding of all the necessary steps ahead of the full-scale deployment of cloud infrastructure during the planning stage. Cisco representatives believe that in the foreseeable future the number of such projects will grow at an increasing pace. According to the Global Cloud Index report, by 2014 more than half of the data center's capacity will be used to service cloud computing, by 2015 cloud traffic will grow 12 times and reach 1.6 zettabytes per year. 73% of participants have all the necessary information to implement private and public clouds, the cornerstone of a successful project they consider fine-tuned processes and proper planning.

First, understand the essence of the cloud

Progress Software executives warn that the decision to implement the cloud could be tied in terms, acronyms and designations. It is important that the potential customer performs "homework" and gets used to the terms used by vendors before entering the path of negotiations. "You should not immediately throw yourself into a new business if you do not understand some terms and technologies," Chichchari says. "First of all, you need to understand what you are entering," Ormerod echoes him.

Know all the details of the SLA

A recent string of cloud failures has taught us something. A clear Service Level Agreement (SLA) is needed to help this union be long and happy. Progress Software executives recommend that cloud customers carefully review all SLA conditions to know who is responsible for what in different circumstances. It is important to make sure that critical applications do not change later; the signed SLA protects not only your reputation, but also the name of the vendor. "SLA text and language is everything," Ormerod says. "As in any treaty, you have to have absolute clarity about who does what, when and how," Chichchari adds.

Have a work plan

Don't forget, cloud vendors are not IT management service providers. When you step into the cloud, you have the same responsibilities as when using infrastructure on the ground. The cloud does not belong to the category "turned on and forgot," and here the principle "out of sight - out of heart" does not pass. It is important to plan how day-to-day operations will take place, who has access to what and when, and all aspects of IT security. You also need to understand the maintenance procedures, be it fixing bugs or upgrades. "If you don't see something, it doesn't mean you're not responsible for it yet," Chichchari says.

Have a Disaster Recovery Plan

The union of two is a constant work, and something can go wrong. It is important to plan your actions in case of unexpected problems. Progress Software is ready for this. Before you plunge into the cloud, you need to have a ready-made plan for recovering from failures and recreating your working environment. A high level of readiness is the work of the cloud vendor, but overcoming failures is not, warns Chichchari. "There is such a misconception: I send all my apps to the cloud - and no worries," Ormerod echoes him.

Know where your data is

If the union broke up, then the division of property is inevitable. The cloud situation is about the same. The vendor's contract should specify in detail what happens to the customer's data, if he or the vendor goes out of business, if a merger or purchase of one of the parties occurs, and how long the vendor should store the customer's data. Data location and compliance are also important aspects of moving to the cloud, Ormerod says.

Multi-platform cloud

This may look like "infidelity," but any vendor cloud contract must contain a clause supporting various types of cloud with the ability to use other platforms. Vendors should be asked if they provide support for a public, private cloud and hybrid model, says Chichchari. For a relationship to be long, the customer must be able to use multiple cloud vendors at the same time for the same application, system, or environment. "Why limit yourself to just one cloud? he says. "What if something happens at Amazon, GoGrid or Rackspace?" Customers should wonder: "How easy will it be for me to move my applications from one vendor to another?" Ormerod adds.

Need an exit strategy

And finally, what if the relationship doesn't work out and both sides are forced to break up? When the honeymoon is over, users should know what to do, Chichchari says. What if there's a problem, how do I recover my data and restart the cloud app? And if the customer just changed his mind and no longer wants to use the cloud? If the business profile or market has changed, and you need to change the strategy? The cloud service contract should provide for an exit strategy so that both the vendor and the customer can amicably part, avoiding unpleasant showdowns.

Cloud Computing: Myths and Misconceptions

Cloud is software-only

Theoretically, it is quite possible to build a cloud on standard servers (x86) and intelligent software. We combine several virtual devices and get the "cloud." But in fact, this is far from the case. For various reasons, such as maintaining adequate performance (specialized ASICs or allocated hardware resources), ensuring compatibility (installing drivers for each new x86 platform), or control functions (HIPPA, PCI-DSS, departmental isolation, etc.), not all system developers have yet abandoned the use of allocated hardware resources for certain elements of their data centers. In principle, the inevitability of virtualization of some components of the computer environment is obvious. Therefore, market leaders produce appropriate equipment. For example, the Nexus 1000v, which provides network security transparency for virtual machine traffic, with built-in VN-Link technology for network mobility. As well as the virtual security gateway and vWAAS. In some cases, clients choose virtual devices. In other cases, they prefer a combination of software and hardware resources, for example, checkpoints presented by the Nexus 1010v. All of these unified network services provide system developers with a standard set of techniques to share software and hardware resources as needed.

"Cloud" and elastic resources

For many network equipment providers, the idea of ​ ​ elastic resources is not fully implemented. The fact is that the concept of "elastic resources" should not be limited only to servers and storage systems, it should apply to the entire "cloud," including its network elements.

Cloud and pooled resources

This is another area that many only associate with servers and storage systems. For many years, before the advent of the cloud, the network was a complex resource that provided services (bandwidth, security, segmentation or isolation, QoS function, etc.) to individual groups of systems. As networks became more virtual, more automated, and the number of their tenants grew, companies offering solutions in this market continued to expand the intelligent logic of their products required for the functioning of modern cloud systems. These solutions allow customers to deploy modular virtual systems (such as Cisco's Vblock and SMT).

Virtualization makes the cloud more flexible

On the one hand, this is absolutely true regarding the dynamic allocation of resources and the prompt inclusion of new virtual machines using templates and clones. However, this requires some structural changes. For example, if you are using vMotion, Live Migration, or XenMotion, the source and endpoint must be in the same logical domain. And surveys of virtual system administrators show that they have to perform thousands of virtual machine migrations in a month. So, in addition to this flexibility, they only have to abolish the traditional delimitation of levels. To do this, they need to be given the opportunity to build large, two-level networks, devoid of the constant problems of hierarchical networks. And it would be even better if this concept covered not one, but many networks, thereby much simplifying the problem of application mobility and disaster prevention. Just as the network once began to support the transmission of various multimedia data on a real-time scale, it must now adapt to the changes associated with virtualization and dynamic computer environments.

A virtual machine is the same server, only software

That's not exactly true. Indeed, the application and the guest operating system probably do not see any difference, but network administrators and the security service do not care at all. The virtual machine no longer starts or ends at one end of the Ethernet cable. In fact, its traffic may not be related to this cable at all if it communicates with another virtual machine within the same host. Or it can switch from one host to another several times a day, thereby occupying gigabytes of traffic (virtual machine and storage system). Therefore, it is much wiser to introduce the function of registering all these migrations in the cloud, assign certain policies (security, QoS function, role-playing access system, etc.) to these virtual machines in order to limit their movement to certain places, and thereby expand the capabilities of the technical support service. Most virtual machine administrators would be happy to get such opportunities, especially now that they have begun to require data about virtual machines, backup, disaster recovery, guest operating system, storage system and all other elements that are somehow related to virtualization.

"Clouds" are planned and networks are administered

It is possible that this is the case, but this implies that your computer environment is still isolated from your network. You can look at things in a different way. Technologies such as virtualization require not only tighter integration of computing and network operations, but also a higher level of automation and control, such a level of automation that would provide open access to all autonomous systems and functional modules with specified policies.

CloudOps

Main article: CloudOps

Effect estimates for EU economies

In the report "Cloud Dividends - 2011" published in December 2010, the Center for Economic and Business Research (CEBR) claims that by 2015, thanks to cloud computing, the economies of developed European countries will receive an additional 177.3 billion euros per year. The report, commissioned by EMC, was the first of its kind to assess the value of cloud computing at the macroeconomic level for the five largest economies in Europe.

The authors of the CEBR report concluded that if in the UK, Germany, Italy, Spain and France the introduction of cloud technologies continues at the expected pace, then by 2015 they will bring the economies of these countries 177.3 billion euros per year. It is important to note that the lion's share of these funds, as the study shows, will be provided by mastering private and hybrid cloud computing models.

CEBR estimated that the annual economic impact of cloud computing for each country by 2015 would be: Effect, billion euros:

• Germany - 49.6
• France - 37.4
• Italy - 35.1
• United Kingdom - 30.0
• Spain - 25.2

��177.3 billion could cover loans made to some of the region's debtor countries, such as Ireland (€85 billion) and Greece (€110 billion), and help the UK government meet a €95.7 billion public spending reduction plan over four years it recently announced.

Cloud computing is a new approach to IT, in which technologies become available to enterprises in the right amount and when they need them, the study says. This accelerates time to market, removes traditional entry barriers and allows companies to pursue new commercial opportunities. By increasing competition, this direct effect of cloud computing will have a huge impact on market structure in many sectors of the economy, and therefore on global macroeconomic indicators, CEBR argues.

CEBR believes that cloud computing will be an important factor in economic growth, competitiveness and the creation of new enterprises throughout the eurozone. This underscores the importance of this technology for the economic recovery of the region, in particular in the face of the growing threat from emerging economies, which traditionally benefit from more intense competition.

The study focuses on three of the most common cloud computing models:

• a public cloud that is under the control of the service provider;
• A private cloud under the control of the organization's own IT department
• hybrid cloud, which is a combination of the first two models.

CEBR predicts that by 2015, €133 billion, or 75% of the total annual economic effect of €177.3 billion, will come from non-public cloud computing models. The private cloud model allows you to kill two birds at once: organizations receive dynamic, on-demand, self-service and scalable cloud computing services, but control remains in the hands of the IT department, so that security and manageability requirements are not violated.

During the study, CEBR also found that the private cloud will contribute to accelerating the pace of development and the creation of new enterprises in the amount of 23.8 billion euros. The resulting indirect and derivative investments and total expenditures will create additional demand for goods and services, which in turn will increase gross value added (GVA) and the degree of employment in the economy. The CEBR predicts that by 2015 the indirect economic benefits resulting from additional GVA in all five countries will total 280 billion euros - 60 billion per year - and that indirect and induced employment between 2010 and 2015 could reach 2,396,000 workers.

CEBR lead economist Oliver Hogan noted: "The CEBR study shows that cloud computing is not just a matter of improving the efficiency of individual companies' IT investments in the short term, and therefore their productivity. This technology can become a critical macroeconomic factor that will be critical to stimulating economic growth in Europe, which is especially important in today's uncertain economic situation. As a factor in improving performance, cloud computing is likely to play a particularly important role in ensuring that Europe remains competitive in the global market, and therefore in boosting export growth. Moreover, as one of the main modern means of achieving maximum efficiency in IT investments, cloud computing can also become the locomotive of European business investments, which, in turn, will move European countries forward. "

EMC EMEA President Rainer Erlat believes: "The mobility and competitiveness that private and hybrid cloud computing gives enterprises create real opportunities for European businesses - they will help companies build their advantage, contributing to the economic recovery of their own countries. It is generally recognized that debt reduction while encouraging commercial competition is required to achieve economic recovery and maintain economic stability. Cloud computing, which will replace many of today's IT technologies by offering more efficient, flexible, and simple solutions, serves as a real means of doing so. "

Cloud computing will help companies not only use the opportunity to expand their business, but also achieve significant cost savings. The payment model for actually received services leads to a decrease in capital expenditures (CAPEX) and current expenses (OPEX), a quick return on investment and a more efficient redistribution of resources. These savings can be reinvested by encouraging innovation, increasing competitiveness and directly improving profitability, i.e., having a tangible positive effect on the economies of countries.

Research methodology

The Cloud Dividend report calculates the savings (capital and running costs) that companies receive from the implementation of cloud computing services, and measures the impact of these savings on macro and corporate economic indicators, such as favorable business opportunities; creation of new enterprises; Indirect Gross Value Added (GVA); contribution to the payment of taxes; as well as spending on cloud computing services to determine the economic value of this technology for each country. "Cloud Dividends - 2011" - the first in a cycle of two reports. The second report, to be released in February 2011, will look at the economic impact and impact of cloud computing on specific industries in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK.

The report can be downloaded here

Cloud Model Forecasts

Шаблон:Main 'Cloud computing: 10 changes that will happen to them by 2020

We are in the early stages of cloud computing (Forrester, August 2012). Many organizations are taking only the first, uncertain steps. But by 2020, the cloud will become the main - and indispensable - part of the enterprise's computing infrastructure. Next...

Notes

See also

• Public clouds vs Private clouds
• Creation of private clouds (Russian market)
• Main trends in the private cloud market in Russia
• Private Clouds - Typical Customers
• Cloud services (Russian market)
• Russian IT Services Market
• Private clouds in the public sector
• Private clouds in the banking sector
• Cloud Solutions for SMB
• How do I choose an IT service provider?
• Service companies: Western vs domestic
• Cloud Services Economics
• Cloud Data Security
• Global Cloud Services Market
• Top Trends in the Global Private Cloud Market

Links

• Cloud computing concept
• Computing takes to the skies
• Sky-high computing from HP, Intel and Yahoo
• Internet information resource dedicated to "cloud computing"
• Cloud Roundtable