Cloud Computing: The Real Meaning
During my teaching class and in workshop presentation, audience
often ask what is the real difference of cloud computing and “the internet” or
web service” “ isn’t the internet = cloud computing”. The answer
is that cloud computing does not equal the internet or web or vice-versa, the
internet is simply the best delivery platform that cloud computing is making
use of. It is possible to have a cloud
computing infrastructure totally isolated from the internet and it is called a
private cloud network. Still, some private cloud networks are made to be
accessible via the internet,( like VPN of earlier days) but the argument still stands that cloud
computing does not automatically mean or require the internet. What it means
that a cloud computing infrastructure can be built within an enterprise and
without going to the Internet
What
makes cloud computing itself is not the underlying combination hardware
technology or the infrastructure, for these technologies have been in existence
for quiet long time. The fact that makes it
cloud computing is the way that services and functions are being composed, handled
and delivered. In essence what cloud computing means is that everything is
being done by a server that is located somewhere that “abstracted” that
end user practically need not concern herself. . The server is somewhere out there, “in the
clouds”.
Underlying all the services and
applications that are labeled as “cloud services” - are servers, number of them
where all the processing elements are, the CPU, RAM, GPU, and even the
storage devices- located in “data centers” . However, a server is only
really able to dedicate itself to one task, application, or function and serve
that over a local network or typically via the internet. This is very
limiting for cloud computing as you would need a lot of servers for
multiple applications, taking up space, producing heat, and soaking up
electricity like sponges. The answer to this is the whole point of the
that brings in the one and only difference: Virtualization: in this case server
virtualization.
The challenge is that a server can only serve one purpose so you would need more of
them. So as I mentioned, the answer is server virtualization, the creation
of multiple “virtual” servers via software and using only one or few real
server hardware to do it. A powerful server can create hundreds of
virtual servers with each having its own hardware specification like CPU
speed, RAM size, and storage capacity. And each one of these virtual
servers can be put to a single use, providing they do not all require vast amounts
of computing power. This means that we are able to host multiple applications
and services on a single or small group of physical servers, a very
efficient use of hardware resource.
Working
of Virtualization is fundamental to cloud computing and as a result brings another
benefit that cloud computing is famous for, scalability. Because each
virtual server is allocated only enough computing power and storage
capacity that the client needs, more virtual servers can be created. But if the
needs grow, more power and capacity can be allocated to that server, or reduced
if needed. And because clients only pay for how much computing power and
capacity they are using, this can be very affordable for most clients. Without
virtualization, cloud computing as we know it would not exist or would be in a
different form. Virtualization made cloud computing dream come true. But
such is now only in the realm of speculation as virtualization is really here
to make Information Technology more affordable for the world. The article is inspired by this