Cloud Computing Technologies
Cloud computing is the next-generation technology available on the internet that uses a new and improved way of delivering computing services like servers, storage, databases, networking, software, analytics, and intelligence. With cloud computing technologies, you are eliminating the disadvantages of the traditional physical hard drive or the local storage device. Cloud-based technologies allow you to save them to a remote database and access it anywhere with a stable internet connection. Meaning this way, you will gain cost savings, increased productivity, faster speed and efficiency, performance, and higher security. Therefore, we can see why cloud computing is becoming a popular option for individuals and businesses.
In this article, we listed the different innovations of cloud computing, their key characteristics, and their usage, to help you get a better understanding of cloud computing and its technologies.
Virtualization
The virtualization technology in cloud computing uses specialized programming techniques in order to create a virtual version of a computer resource that will unite multiple operating systems and computer systems under one virtual machine. This way it can distribute an application among the users within one or numerous organizations in a more cost-efficient and convenient manner. Virtualization offers unparalleled hardware flexibility and can significantly bring down the costs of IT maintenance and infrastructure. There are a few types of virtualizations currently available on the market such as hardware virtualization where the virtual machine is directly installed on hardware servers, making it easier to control than a physical server. Operating system virtualization, where the virtual machine is installed in a guest server instead of the hardware system. Server Virtualization when the virtual machine is installed on the system, and it is divided into multiple resources and utilized for load balancing on-demand basis. Storage Virtualization is a process of collecting physical storage from different network storage devices. They all have special purposes and numerous benefits. There are several reasons why virtualization is one of the top computing technologies. With a virtual server it is easier to move and access your files from anywhere you like. A virtual machine is not limited to a specific set of hardware, it can access resources from multiple pieces of hardware. For this reason managed cloud servers have been quite popular and demanded in the hosting industry. The level of isolation of virtual devices is more secure and resistant. The virtual machine is completely isolated from other virtual machines and from the host system. So, if an application crashes on a virtual machine, it will not cause any problems for the host machine beneath it.
Service-Oriented Architecture
SOA is the latest cloud computing technology that divides the services to the other components by application components, through a communication protocol over the network. The services can communicate through passing data or through more services coordinating an activity. With the unique component of cloud application, cloud-related arrangements can be modified and adjusted to the needs and requests of the business. The concepts of Service-Oriented Architecture can vary from company to company, however, there are two major components. Those are quality as service and software as service. Quality of service identifies the function and behavior of that specific service. Meanwhile, software as a service provides a delivery model of software that is inherited from application service providers. In the broad concept of Service-Oriented Architecture, there are six core tenets: business value, strategic goals, intrinsic interoperability, shared services, flexibility, and evolutionary refinement. Many benefits can arise from using service-oriented architecture like significant cut down on time, usage of multiple coding languages, the ability of various systems and platforms to function independently of each other. Service-Oriented Architecture can work independently or together with cloud computing.
Grid Computing
Grid computing is a process of leveraging multiple servers connected by a network, to work together, accomplish joint tasks and achieve a common goal. Grid computing works on a so-called data grid where the software manages the entire system and coordinates the various tasks across the grid. The software lets each user communicate over the network with the others on the same data grid. The main advantage of grid computing is that the data is stored in the memory of all the users in the data grid, so data accesses are very fast. It can also help turn larger problems into smaller ones and broadcast to servers and place them within the data grid. Grid computing today is mainly applied in e-commerce to share the resources on huge scale cluster computing.
Utility Computing
One of the other technologies used in cloud computing is utility computing where the provider makes computing resources, infrastructure management, and technical services available for its users. Utility computing relies on the pay-per-utilize model. This means users can subscribe only to their preferred services and pay for those services without undertaking a massive initial expenditure. This can help with cost-cutting by reducing initial investment. When the computing requirements for the business will change, the billing changes accordingly, without any additional cost. This offers great flexibility for its users to deploy resources only when needed.
Here we have discussed the top cloud computing technologies and we can see that they offer some unique features that can benefit any business. Different businesses can employ cloud computing in different ways to best fit their needs. Some users maintain all services and data on the cloud, while others use a hybrid model, keeping certain apps and data on private servers and others on the cloud. No matter which way you decide to use it you will for certain enjoy its benefits.
