- Research Cloud Computing -

  1. Define and discuss 'cloud computing'. What is it, what does it mean?

    2. Cloud computing offers computing services such as servers, storage, databases, networking, software, analytics, and intelligence -- over the internet to offer faster innnovation, flexible resources and larger economies. Online services that are available instantly allow faster processes than physical services that may take a while to get


  2. Discuss the primary advantages of using the cloud
    • Faster time to market
    • Scalabitiy and flexibility
    • Cost savings
    • Better collaboration for teams
    • Advanced security
    • Data loss prevention (provides multiple online backups)

  3. Discuss the primary concerns or risks of cloud computing

    4. Risks of cloud computing:

    • It relies on an internet connection. A bad connection can keep you from accessing the applications you need
    • Risk of vendor lock-in
    • Less control over underlying cloud infrastructure
    • Concerns about security risks like data leaks and online threats
    • Integration complexity with existing systems
    • Unforseen costs and unexpected expenses

  4. Identify and describe the primary cloud computing services. Discuss who supports or provides the services. Discuss some of the key features that distinguish each of the services
    • Alibaba Cloud

      • Is suported by around 11k parterns worldwide, including Salesforce, VMware, Fortinet, and IBM. Over a thousand companies use Alibaba Cloud. It is the third largest public cloud provider, following behind Amazon and Microsoft

    • Amazon Web Services (AWS)

      • AWS is obviously supported by Amazon. It is the largest public cloud provider in the world. AWS is designed to allow application providers, ISVs, and vendors to quickly and securely host your applications – whether an existing application or a new SaaS-based application

    • Google Cloud

      • Google Cloud offers services for compute, storage, networking, big data, machine learning and IoT, as well as cloud management, security and developer tools

    • IBM Cloud

      • IBM Cloud is supported by IBM. It allows intergrating cloud and on-premises systems by App Connect and IBM Secure Gateway

    • Microsoft Azure

      • Microsoft Azure is supported by Microsoft. "The Azure cloud platform is more than 200 products and cloud services designed to help you bring new solutions to life—to solve today's challenges and create the future. Build, run, and manage applications across multiple clouds, on-premises, and at the edge, with the tools and frameworks of your choice."


  5. Identify and discuss technologies and applications that have taken advantage of cloud services
    • Virtualization

      • Virtualization is software that makes computing environments independent of physical infrastructure

    • Service Oriented Architecture

      • Service-oriented architecture (SOA) is a method of software development that uses software components called services to create business applications

    • Grid Computing

      • Grid computing is a computing infrastructure that combines computer resources spread over different geographical locations to achieve a common goal

    • Utility Computing

      • Utility computing is a service provisioning model where a provider makes computing resources, infrastructure management and technical services available to customers as they need them


  6. What is you overall impression of cloud computing and its future?

    7. I believe cloud computing is the way of the future. It has great pros and wonderful benefits, and even with its drawbacks, those risks can be fixed and improved so they are no longer as dangerous as they might be now.