Cloud computing

Dear normally, I would make my s read through a draft of the work I prepare for them before uploading the final file but you can bare me out that your time was very limited. However, I have written the assignment exactly according to your specifications. You are however free to contact me through the message board if you have any concerns about the assignment and I shall respond to you accordingly. Thank you – Isaac. # 72032 What is Cloud Computing? Cloud computing is an interaction between a computer user and a cloud computing service provider that ensure that the user of the computer can “ safely and securely, manage an entire office, or organization, from any computer or laptop anywhere” (Hoffman, 2011). This should of course an easy version of the real meaning of cloud computing because the phenomenon entails so much. The real technicality behind cloud computing is “ practically a virtual desktop operating in conjunction with a virtual server anyway” (IBM, 2010). With the server, tasks are assigned to a combination of software and services over a network. This network of servers is the cloud (Canonical, 2009). Methodology for Adopting Cloud Computing Switching to cloud computing comes with a lot of responsibilities. These responsibilities are embedded in the methodology for adopting cloud computing. The methodological procedure for adopting cloud computing for a global company would come in three major sections. First, is to identify the type of cloud computing system that would best suit the company. This decision is informed by what the company does and what it wants to achieve. Basically, there are three major areas or types of the system to choose from. These Software as a Service (SaaS), utility computing and web services computing. The decision to which type of cloud computing if not well taken would result in a situation whereby the company would not get value for money because it would be giving its customers something they do not need. So what goes into choosing a cloud computing type? Just know what each type represents and relate it to what you do then you can best make an informed choice. Software as a service (SaaS) “ means delivering business applications, including collaboration software and line-of-business applications, to companies that require them to run their business” (Parallels, 2011). It is the commonest type of cloud computing used because it meets the needs of many companies it presents customers the opportunity to assess useful software that they would not have installed on their computers directly. Utility Computing is “ a business model for computing in which resources (CPU power, storage space, etc.) are made available to the user on an as-needed basis” (Oracle, 2010). Utility computing ensures minimized user cost because it eventually maximizes the prudent use of computing resources in that users choose only the resource they need. With web service computing, there are “ modular applications that perform a specific business task and conform to a particular technical format. The technical format ensures each of these self-contained business services is an application that will easily integrate with other services to create a complete business process” (Zhang, 2002). After identifying the best choice of cloud computing to adapt, the company would then seek the services of a specialist service provider to set up the cloud computing for the company. These are experts who would channel all necessary software applications from a common server unto the virtual desktop of the user or in this case, the customer. There are many of these experts in town including canonical, Infosys, IBM and many others. What these serve providers would do involve three major phases. The first of these phases is networking, whereby it connects the company to its existing network of users spanning through a wide area of intranet. Next, the provider would do installation. At this phase, most serve providers like when a company chooses to use the Eucalyptus open cloud platform would “ manually download the packages required and host it on a local Apache server and make the installation point to our server instead of the internet” (Infosys, 2011). Finally, it would do a configuration. The configuration involves technical processes of adding nodes and giving the company’s system the authority to belong to the service provider’s existing blogs. The best thing to do after a set up is not just to allow the service provider to go to his office and call him whenever a little technical challenge arises. It is prudent to engage the service provider to train personnel within the company to understand and even become experts in managing the cloud computing system. This action, though may be costly at the initial stage would save the company a lot of money in the nearest future. This is because the company shall have its own experts, whom the company would not have to pay every time they attend to a fault because they will be on regularly salary. As part of the duty of the personal to be trained, they must take an oversight responsibility of ensuring the functioning of the cloud computing system. They must monitor the system closely to be sure that the company is having the best out of it. Taking the bold step to switch to cloud computing is guaranteed way to improve the services of any global company and to ensure that the net worth of the company increases eventually. This is reflected in statement by IBM Cloud Computing saying “ The cloud equation adds in the flexibility to scale bandwidth up or down at will and the affordability of pay-as-you-go service, and subtracts energy-devouring hardware from your local environment” (IBM, 2010). Kumar (2011), also argues that with cloud computing, consumers pay only for the resources they use. REFERENCE LIST Cononical, 2009 Cloud Computing, accessed on 13th February, 2011 from http://www. ubuntu. com/system/files/Cloud%20Data%20Sheet%20-%20Issue%203. pdf Hoffman M. 2011, What’s Cloud Computing and What Does it Have to Do With Me? Accesed on 13th February, 2011 from http://ezinearticles. com/? Whats-Cloud-Computing-and-What-Does-it-Have-to-Do-With-Me?&id= 3884915 IBM, 2010 Cloud Computing Overview, accessed on 13th February, 2011 from http://www. ibm. com/smarterplanet/us/en/cloud_computing/ideas/index. html? cmp= agus_brpalc-201011&cm= k&csr= yahoo&cr= cloud_computing_infrastructure&ct= SPK001&ck= cloud_computing_infrastructure&mkwid= advER1rhbkL_35871078013_432spytgm4qw01052 Infosys, 2011, Hands On: Building a Private Cloud using Open Source Solutions Part 1: Setting up Cloud Infrastructure using Eucalyptus Open Cloud Platform. Accessed on 14th February, 2011 from http://www. infosysblogs. com/cloudcomputing/2009/05/hands_on_building_a_private_cl_1. html Kumar A. 2011, What are the Advantages of Cloud Computing? Accessed on 13th February, 2011 from http://www. brighthub. com/environment/green-computing/articles/10026. aspx Oracle, 2010. Sun Utility Computing accessed on 14th February from http://www. sun. com/service/sungrid/ Parallels, 2011. SaaS Definition, Ecosystem and Business Model accessed on 14th February, 2011 from http://www. parallels. com/products/saas/ Zhang L. J. 2002, A Special Session at The 3rd International Conference on Internet Computing (IC 2002). Accessed on 14th February, 2011 from http://tab. computer. org/tcsc/conf-IC02. htm