Cloud computing is considered to be as a technology which is covering the overall market in a quite vibrant way and therefore is being utilized at a vast level by the potential IT users. In a research study, this technology is being specially considered and rated as the most effective means of providing relevant assistance to potential cloud users in the market (Pirzade et al. 2010). Various other studies has categorized the concept of cloud computing which comes up with numerous useful services for its potential cloud users which covers areas like gradual up gradation of various applications and services, providing access towards various other useful software and hardware resources etc(Lauter et al. 2010). In terms of its working hierarchy, various studies have been conducted in this regard. According to Pirzade et al. 2010, the user’s information is mostly stored in a separate computer system which mostly acts as a server. Moreover, this very information can be extracted and then utilized by numerous client systems to serve their specific purpose in the cloud environment.
The upcoming section contains some relevant discussion about the major benefits of cloud computing along with the main types of clouds discussed by the majority of the previous studies.
Background study:
In general terms, cloud computing has come up with a long range effective and efficient benefits for the potential cloud users and business organizations who are willing to access the cloud services. The major and the potential benefits provided with the cloud computing technology to its major users are the following:
Cost
Previous studies have shown that cloud computing assists the potential organizations and individual users to reduce their cost in terms of giving up the use of numerous servers and applications (Cloud News Desk, 2008). Moreover, Cloud News Desk, (2008) has further mentioned that organizations were supposed to store large amount of data on these servers and therefore were supposed to invest a lot of time and money on regular upgradation, maintenance and overall management of the resources. Introduction of Cloud Computing into the market has made life a lot easier and convenient for their potential cloud users in this regard.
Enhanced storage capacity
Cloud News Desk, (2008) has further claimed that the use of cloud computing technology has provided its users with much enhanced and wider data storage facility. This has enabled the cloud users to upload and store large amount of data and heavy applications on their specific cloud servers.
Time efficient
Cloud News Desk, (2008) has further contented to explain that cloud computing serves with some potential advantage of saving the time for its potential users as well. According to Cloud News Desk, (2008), sometimes companies are required to spend a lot of time on up gradation, maintenance and overall management of their main servers. Therefore, cloud computing assist them in reducing this effort in quite an effective and efficient manner.
Mobile access
One of the most useful and innovative benefits of cloud computing discussed by Cloud News Desk, (2008) is its facility for the users to access their resources and applications from anywhere and at any specific point. According to Cloud News Desk, (2008), the potential cloud users can accomplish this thing by accessing their relevant application resources through mobile or web applications.
Types of Clouds:
According to various studies conducted by various researchers, there are basically three types of clouds considered in the cloud computing environment namely, Public Cloud, Private Cloud and Hybrid Cloud. A detailed and concise discussion would be therefore conducted on specifically on each type of cloud.
Public Cloud:
As the name “Public” indicates something which is made publicly available to everyone, therefore according to another study, Public cloud is being categorized as a type cloud in which the open and free access is being provided to all the cloud users in terms of getting access towards the respective cloud services and resources (Ramgovind et al. 2010). It is being mentioned in a recent study public cloud is a type of a cloud in which the overall mechanism is being managed and controlled directly by the actual provider of the cloud service (Gowrigolla et al, 2010).
Since its access is being made public and therefore available to all the users without any considerable checks and constraints, therefore for this very specific reason it is not being categorized as the most reliable and secure cloud service to be utilized by the potential cloud users (Gowrigolla et al, 2010). According to Gowrigolla et al, 2010, it is being also mentioned as a highly insecure cloud service which presents its services and application quite openly available towards various attacks and security risks from the unauthorized users.
Private Cloud
“Private cloud” Is being rated as a category of cloud service which some personal and secure information, resources and applications of potential cloud users from the perspective of user’s privacy. Moreover, various software, hardware and numerous application resources along with potential services can’t be utilized by all the users since its access is made restricted and private from security point of view. For this very specific reason, private cloud is being categorized as highly useful and preferable to be utilized and accessed by the potential cloud users since it provides the users to ensure the integrity of their personal, private and highly sensitive information and various application resources (Hurwitz et al. 2010). Moreover, it is considered as highly beneficial since it provides the potential cloud users to manage and control their specific cloud services and numerous application resources at the very individual level (Ramgovind et al. 2010). Furthermore, according to Ramgovind et al. (2010), this further assists the potential organizations and individual cloud users to implement suitable means for implementation of reasonable security measures towards their related cloud services in an efficient and effective manner.
Hybrid Cloud
Hybrid cloud is basically categorized as a type of cloud which is being represented or formed by the combination of both private and public clouds. Moreover, According to various studies conducted by previous researches, the main purpose of merging both cloud models is to provide the potential cloud users and various organizations the required level of service in the most efficient and effective manner (Dooley, 2010). Furthermore, Dooley, 2010 has also mentioned that since combining both the private and public clouds in a separate hybrid category will assist to overcome the various disadvantages and loop holes which private and public cloud are required to overcome. This will indeed serve the cloud users with greater effective service. Therefore, for this very reason, it would be highly motivating and advantageous for the cloud service providers to enhance the level of their services for potential users.
It has been further commented by Ramgovind et al (2010) that this type of specific cloud enables the users to acquire efficient level of security for their sensitive and private information. This is also ensured in major properties of private cloud but here it will provide to the cloud users as well.
The next section contains a brief discussion on the cloud computing architecture. The overall architecture of cloud computing is basically divided into three major types which are mentioned below.
Major Cloud Computing Models
Most of the previous studies has discussed and therefore highlighted the cloud computing models in a detailed manner. Moreover, majority of the studies conducted in this regard has divided the cloud computing models into the following three basic categories:
- Software as a Service (SaaS)
- Platform as a Service (PaaS)
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
Software as a Service (SaaS)
“Software as a Service (SaaS) is being categorized as a model in which the potential cloud users and organizations are provided with various software applications as a major resource or service by the cloud service providers. Moreover, it has been also mentioned that the individual users and organizations acquiring the cloud computing services are provided with an access towards their own individual application interface. Furthermore, this will facilitate the users to manage and control the application interface at their own” (Almulla and Yeun n.d.).
Platform as a Service (PaaS)
“Platform as a Service (SaaS) is different from SaaS since it provides the users the services in the form of specific platform which is being utilized for development of cloud architecture by the cloud service providers. For instance, the cloud user’s effort of gaining and acquiring a direct access towards the actual code being utilized by the potential cloud service providers for the development of cloud related architecture and various potential applications” (Almulla and Yeun n.d.).
“On the other hand, it is being clearly mentioned that there is a strong requirement and need of providing the cloud applications and resources with the required level of efficient and effective cloud services. The purpose of providing reliable security to potential cloud related applications and services is to ensure that to avoid any unauthorized access and online attacks from gaining access to cloud users. Moreover, this should also ensure the integrity of their platforms provided to cloud users” (Ramgovind et al, 2010).
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
“Infrastructure as a Service (SaaS) is different from the cloud computing models discussed above. According to various studies, this model is considered to provide the individual cloud users and organizations with the potential services in the form of various infrastructure. Furthermore, these infrastructural services covers areas like major IT services, servers and internetworking devices etc.
The main advantage of using this facility is the reduced expense that the potential cloud users are supposed to pay for the acquired services” (Almulla and Yeun n.d.).
