cloud computing basis details

1. Cloud Computing

2. Definition of Cloud Computing
• cloud computing means storing and accessing data and programs
over the Internet instead of your computer's hard drive. The cloud is
just a metaphor for the Internet.
• Cloud computing is the on-demand delivery of IT resources over the
Internet with pay-as-you-go pricing.
• Instead of buying, owning, and maintaining physical data centers and
servers, you can access technology services, such as computing
power, storage, and databases, on an as-needed basis from a cloud
provider.

3. What it mean for you
• Universities like you are facing the problem of delivering the level of information
and communications technology (ICT) needed to facilitate teaching, learning,
research, and development activities. Which is needed to meet educational needs
in-line with advancement in technology and the growing dependence on IT. This is
mainly due to the high cost involved in providing and maintaining the needed
hardware and software. A technology such as cloud computing that delivers on
demand provisioning of IT resources on a pay per use basis can be used to address
this problem.
• Cloud computing promises better delivery of IT services as well as availability
whenever and wherever needed at reduced costs with users paying only as much
as they consume through the services of cloud service providers.
• The cloud technology reduces complexity while increasing speed and quality of IT
services provided.

4. Key characteristics of cloud
• On-demand self-service: A consumer can unilaterally provision computing
capabilities, such as server time and network storage, as needed automatically
without requiring human interaction with each service provider.
• Broad network access: Capabilities are available over the network and accessed
through standard mechanisms that promote use by heterogeneous thin or thick
client platforms (e.g., mobile phones, tablets, laptops and workstations).

5. • Resource pooling: The provider's computing resources are pooled to serve
multiple consumers using a multi-tenant model, with different physical and virtual
resources dynamically assigned and reassigned according to consumer demand.
There is a sense of location independence in that the customer generally has no
control or knowledge over the exact location of the provided resources but may be
able to specify location at a higher level of abstraction (e.g., country, state or
datacenter). Examples of resources include storage, processing, memory and
network bandwidth.
• Rapid elasticity: Capabilities can be elastically provisioned and released, in some
cases automatically, to scale rapidly outward and inward commensurate with
demand. To the consumer, the capabilities available for provisioning often appear
to be unlimited and can be appropriated in any quantity at any time.
• Measured service: Cloud systems automatically control and optimize resource
use by leveraging a metering capability at some level of abstraction appropriate to
the type of service (e.g., storage, processing, bandwidth and active user accounts).
Resource usage can be monitored, controlled and reported, providing transparency
for the provider and consumer.

6. Cloud capabilities
• Public/Private/Hybrid: Many people believe cloud means a public type of website
that can be accessed from anywhere. Public clouds leverage off-site apps and
infrastructure, while private clouds maintain everything on site. Hybrids are
becoming very popular because you can internally manage where it is required
and deploy the rest off site.
• Security: Cloud security can be managed and maintained on many levels. A cloud
can be secured with hardware (firewall) and there are cloud applications and
software that can provide high levels of security.

7. • Scalability: Customers of all types that deploy technology seek expandability.
With the proliferation of technology getting faster each day it is critical that our
business applications can support that Cloud applications can be highly scalable,
supporting rapid growth of an organization.
• Price: I have heard so many executives claim that the cloud is too expensive. It
depends so much on what you are trying to deploy.

8. What could Cloud be used for in the context of the University?
• Improves institutional productivity and makes academic process more efficient
• Reduces expenses
• Boosts collaborative work
• Backs up information
• Improves filing and access