CC unit-4 questions and answers

1. What are the cloud service models

 Cloud computing is a model that enables the end users to access the shared pool of
resources such as compute, network, storage, database, and application as an on-
demand service without the need to buy or own it.
 The services are provided and managed by the service provider, reducing the
management effort from the end user side.
 The essential characteristics of the cloud include on-demand self-service, broad
network access, resource pooling, rapid elasticity, and measured service.
 The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) defines three basic service
models, namely, IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS, as shown in Figure

1.IaaS: The ability given to the infrastructure architects to deploy or run any software on the
computing resources provided by the service provider.
Here, the underlying infrastructures such as compute, network, and storage are managed by
the service provider.
Thus, the infrastructure architects are exempted from maintaining the data center or
underlying infrastructure.
The end users are responsible for managing applications that are running on top of the service
provider cloud infrastucture.
Some of the popular IaaS providers include Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Compute
Engine, OpenStack, and Eucalyptus.
2. PaaS: The ability given to developers to develop and deploy an application on the
development platform provided by the service provider.
Thus, the developers are exempted from managing the development platform and underlying
infrastructure. Here, the developers are responsible for managing the deployed application
and configuring the development environment.
 Generally, PaaS services are provided by the service provider on an on-premise or dedicated
or hosted cloud infrastructure.
The developers can access the development platform over the Internet through web CLI, web
user interface (UI), and integrated development environments (IDEs).
Some of the popular PaaS providers include Google App Engine, Force.com, Red Hat
OpenShift, Heroku, and Engine Yard.
3. SaaS: The ability given to the end users to access an application over the Internet that is
hosted and managed by the service provider.
Thus, the end users are exempted from managing or controlling an application, the
development platform, and the underlying infrastructure.
Generally, SaaS services are hosted in service provider–managed or service provider–hosted
cloud infrastructure.
The end users can access the services from any thin clients or web browsers.
Some of the popular SaaS providers include Saleforce.com, Google Apps, and Microsoft
office 365.
The different cloud service models target different audiences.
For example, the IaaS model targets the information technology (IT) architects, PaaS targets
the developers, and SaaS targets the end users.

The NIST defines four different types of cloud deployment models, namely, public cloud,
private cloud, community cloud, and hybrid cloud.
The public cloud is provided for the general public. The private cloud is used by an
organization for its multiple business units. The community cloud is for some group of
organization with the same
goals. The hybrid cloud is any
combination of the public,
private, and community clouds.

2.What is Infrastructure as a Service with characteristics, pros and cons?

IaaS changes the way that the compute, storage, and networking resources are consumed. In
traditional data centers, the computing power is consumed by having physical access to the
infrastructure.
IaaS changes the computing from a physical infrastructure to a virtual infrastructure.
IaaS provides virtual computing, storage, and network resources by abstracting the physical
resources. Technology virtualization is used to provide the virtual resources.
All the virtual resources are given to the virtual machines (VMs) that are configured by the
service provider. The end users or IT architects will use the infrastructure resources in the
form of VMs as shown in Figure
The targeted audience of IaaS is the IT architect.
The IT architect can design virtual infrastructure, network, load balancers, etc., based on their
needs.
The IT architects need not maintain the physical servers as it is maintained by the service
providers.

1.Compute:Computin g as a Service
includes virtual central processing units (CPUs) and virtual main memory for the VMs that
are provisioned to the end users.
2. Storage: STaaS provides back-end storage for the VM images. Some of the IaaS providers
also provide the back end for storing files.
3. Network: Network as a Service (NaaS) provides virtual networking components such as
virtual router, switch, and bridge for the VMs
4. Load balancers: Load Balancing as a Service may provide load balancing capability at the
infrastructure layer.
Characteristics of IaaS
IaaS providers offer virtual computing resources to the consumers on a pay-as-you-go basis.
IaaS contains the characteristics of cloud computing such as
on-demand self-service
broad network access
resource pooling
rapid elasticity
measured service
Shared infrastructure
Suitability of Iaas
IaaS reduces the total cost of ownership (TCO) and increases the return on investment (ROI)
for start-up companies that cannot invest more in buying infrastructure.
IaaS can be used in the following situations:
 Unpredictable spikes in usage
 Limited capital investment
 Infrastructure on demand
Advantages:
1.Pay-as-you-use-model
2.Reduced TCO
3.Elastic resources
4.Better resource utilization
5.Supports Green IT
Disadvantages:
1.Security issues
2.Interoperability issues
3.Performance issues

3.What are the characteristics of Iaas?

IaaS providers offer virtual computing resources to the consumers on a pay-as-you-go basis.
IaaS contains the characteristics of cloud computing such as on-demand self-service, broad
network access, resource pooling, rapid elasticity, and measured service.
Apart from all these, IaaS has its own unique characteristics as follows:
1. Web access to the resources: The IaaS model enables the IT users to access
infrastructure resources over the Internet. When accessing a huge computing power,
the IT user need not get physical access to the servers. Through any web browsers or
management console, the users can access the required infrastructure.
2. Centralized management: Even though the physical resources are distributed, the
management will be from a single place. The resources distributed across different
parts can be controlled from any management console. This ensures effective resource
management and effective resource utilization.
3. Elasticity and dynamic scaling: IaaS provides elastic services where the usage of
resources can be increased or decreased according to the requirements. The
infrastructure need depends on the load on the application.
According to the load, IaaS services can provide the resources. The load on any
application is dynamic and IaaS services are capable of proving the required services
dynamically.
 4. Shared infrastructure: IaaS follows a one-to-many delivery model and allows
multiple IT users to share the same physical infrastructure. The different IT users will
be given different VMs. IaaS ensures high resource utilization.
5. Preconfigured VMs: IaaS providers offer preconfigured VMs with operating systems
(OSs), network configuration, etc.
The IT users can select any kind of VMs of their choice. The IT users are free to
configure VMs from scratch. The users can directly start using the VMs as soon as
they subscribed to the services.
6.Metered services: IaaS allows the IT users to rent the computing resources instead of
buying it.
The services consumed by the IT user will be measured, and the users will be charged by the
IaaS providers based on the amount of usage.

4:SUTABILITY OF IAAS
IaaS reduces the total cost of ownership (TCO) and increases the return on investment (ROI)
for start-up companies that cannot invest more in buying infrastructure.
IaaS can be used in the following situations:
Unpredictable spikes in usage:
 When there is a significant spike in usage of computing resources, IaaS is the best
option for IT industries.
 When demand is very volatile, we cannot predict the spikes and troughs in terms of
demand of the infrastructure.
 In this situation, we cannot add or remove infrastructure immediately according to the
demand in a traditional infrastructure.
 If there is an unpredictable demand of infrastructure, then it is recommended to
use IaaS services.
Limited capital investment
 New start-up companies cannot invest more on buying infrastructure for their
business needs.
 And so by using IaaS, start-up companies can reduce the capital investment on
hardware.
 IaaS is the suitable option for start-up companies with less capital investment on
hardware.
Infrastructure on demand
 Some organizations may require large infrastructure for a short period of time.
 For this purpose, an organization cannot afford to buy more on-premise resources.
 Instead, they can rent the required infrastructure for a specific period of time.
  IaaS best suits the organizations that look for infrastructure on demand or for ashort
time period.

In following situations, IT users should avoid using the IaaS.

1.When regulatory compliance does not allow off-premise hosting: For some companies,
its regulation may not allow the application and data to be hosted on third-party off-premise
infrastructure.
2. When usage is minimal: When the usage is minimal and the available on-premise
infrastructure itself is capable of satisfying their needs.
3. When better performance is required: Since the IaaS services are accessed through the
Internet, sometimes the performance might be not as expected due to network latency.
4. When there is a need for more control on physical infrastructure: Some organizations
might require physical control over the underlying infrastructure. As the IaaS services are
abstracted as virtual resources, it is not possible to have more control on underlying physical
infrastructure.
Q:PROS AND CONS OF IAAS
PROS OF IAAS:
Pay-as-you-use model: The IaaS services are provided to the customers on a pay-per-use
basis. This ensures that the customers are required to pay for what they have used. This
model eliminates the unnecessary spending on buying. hardware
2. Reduced TCO: Since IaaS providers allow the IT users to rent the computing resources,
they need not buy physical hardware for running their business. The IT users can rent the IT
infrastructure rather than buy it by spending large amount. IaaS reduces the need for buying
hardware resources and thus reduces the TCO.
3.Elastic resources: IaaS provides resources based on the current needs. IT users can scale
up or scale down the resources whenever they want. This dynamic scaling is done
automatically using some load balancers. This load balancer transfers the additional resource
request to the new server and improves application efficiency.
4. Better resource utilization: Resource utilization is the most important criteria to succeed
in the IT business. The purchased infrastructure should be utilized properly to increase the
ROI. IaaS ensures better resource utilization and provides high ROI for IaaS providers.
5. Supports Green IT: In traditional IT infrastructure, dedicated servers are used for
different business needs. Since many servers are used, the power consumption will be high.
This does not result in Green IT.
CONS OF IAAS
1.Security issues: Since IaaS uses virtualization as the enabling technology, hypervisors play
an important role. There are many attacks that target the hypervisors to compromise it. If
hypervisors get compromised, then any VMs can be attacked easily. Most of the IaaS
providers are not able to provide 100% security to the VMs and the data stored on the VMs.
2. Interoperability issues: There are no common standards followed among the different
IaaS providers. It is very difficult to migrate any VM from one IaaS provider to the other.
Sometimes, the customers might face the vendor lock-in problem.
3. Performance issues: IaaS is nothing but the consolidation of available resources from the
distributed cloud servers.

Q:What is Platform as a service with characteristics, pros and cons?

PaaS changes the way that the software is developed and deployed. In traditional application
development, the application will be developed locally and will be hosted in the central
location.
In stand-alone application development, the applications will be developed and delivered as
executables.
Most of the applications developed by traditional development platforms result in a
licensing-based software, whereas PaaS changes the application development from local
machine to online.
PaaS providers provide the development PaaS from the data center. The developers can
consume the services over the Internet as shown in Figure 5.6.

PaaS allows the developers to develop their application online and also allows them to deploy
immediately on the same platform.
PaaS consumers or developers can consume language runtimes, application frameworks,
databases, message queues, testing tools, and deployment tools as a service over the Internet.
Thus, it reduces the complexity of buying and maintaining different tools for developing an
application.
Typical PaaS providers may provide programming languages, application frameworks,
databases, and testing tools as shown in Figure 5.7.
Some of the PaaS providers also provide build tools, deployment tools, and software load
balancers as a service:

1.Programming languages: PaaS providers provide a wide variety of programming

languages for the developers to develop applications. Some of the popular programming
languages provided by PaaS vendors are Java, Perl, PHP, Python, Ruby, Scala, Clojure, and
Go.
2. Application frameworks: PaaS vendors provide application frameworks that simplify the
application development. Some of the popular application development frameworks provided
by a PaaS provider include Node.js, Rails, Drupal, Joomla, WordPress, Django, EE6, Spring,
Play, Sinatra, Rack, and Zend.
3. Database: Since every application needs to communicate with the databases, it becomes a
must-have tool for every application. PaaS providers are providing databases also with their
PaaS platforms. The popular databases provided by the popular PaaS vendors are ClearDB,
PostgreSQL, Cloudant, Membase, MongoDB, and Redis.
4. Other tools: PaaS providers provide all the tools that are required to develop, test, and
deploy an application.

Q:What are the characteristics of Paas?

1.All in one: Most of the PaaS providers offer services to develop, test, deploy, host, and
maintain applications in the same IDE.
Additionally, many service providers provide all the programming languages, frameworks,
databases, and other development-related services that make developers choose from a wide
variety of development platforms.
2. Web access to the development platform: A typical development platform uses any IDEs
for developing applications.
The web-based UI helps the developers create, modify, test, and deploy different applications
on the same platform.
3.Offline access:
PaaS recognizes that developers may not always have internet access.
Some PaaS providers allow developers to work offline by synchronizing their local Integrated
Development Environment (IDE) with PaaS services.
4.Built-in scalability:
It is very difficult to enable the dynamic scalability for any application developed using
traditional development platforms.
PaaS services provide built-in scalability Built-in scalability ensures that applications can
efficiently handle varying workloads.
5.Collaborative platform: The development team consists of developers who are working

from different places. Most of the PaaS services provide support for collaborative
development. To enable collaboration among developers, most of the PaaS providers provide
tools for project planning and communication.
6.Diverse client tools: To make the development easier, PaaS providers provide a wide
variety of client tools to help the developer. The client tools include CLI, web CLI, web UI,
REST API, and IDE.

Q:SUITABILITY OF PAAS
Collaborative development:
PaaS services provide a collaborative development environment, making it suitable for
applications requiring teamwork among developers and other stakeholders.
2. Automated testing and deployment:
PaaS services often include automated testing and deployment capabilities, allowing
development teams to focus more on coding and less on manual testing, making it ideal for
time-sensitive projects.
3. Time to market:
PaaS services align with iterative and incremental development, ensuring that applications are
launched within specified time frames. They are particularly well-suited for agile
development methodologies, making them the best choice when speed to market is a priority.
there are some situations where PaaS may not be the best option:
1.Frequent application migration:
If frequent migration of applications between PaaS providers is a requirement, it becomes
challenging due to the lack of standardized practices.
2. Customization at the infrastructure level
When applications require specific configuration or customization at the hardware level, PaaS
may not be suitable since it does not provide full control over the underlying infrastructure.

3. Flexibility at the platform level:

For applications that demand a high degree of customization or flexibility at the platform
level, especially with diverse technology stacks, PaaS may not be the ideal choice.
4. Integration with on-premise application: A company might have used PaaS services for
some set of applications. For some set of applications, they might have used on-premise
platforms.

Q:PROS AND CONS OF PAAS

PROS:
1.Quick development and deployment: PaaS provides all the required development and
testing tools to develop, test, and deploy the software in one place.
2. Reduces TCO: Developers donot need to buy licensed tools or high-end infrastructure,
reducing the overall cost of application development..
3. Supports agile software development: PaaS services support agile methodologies that
other development companies are looking for.
4. Different teams can work together:
Enables different teams to work together efficiently, fostering collaboration among
developers from various locations.
5. Ease of use: The traditional development platform uses any one of CLI- or IDE-based
interfaces for development.
6. Less maintenance overhead:
Eliminates the need for developers or vendors to maintain underlying
7. Produces scalable applications: PaaS services are providing built-in scalability to the
application that is developed using the PaaS platform.
CONS:
1.Vendor lock-in: The major drawback with PaaS providers are vendor lock-in. The main
reason for vendor lock-in is lack of standards. The vendor lock-in problem of PaaS services
does not allow the applications to be migrated from one PaaS provider to the other.
2. Security issues: Since data are stored in off-premise third-party servers, many developers
are afraid to go for PaaS services.
3. Less flexibility: PaaS providers do not give much freedom for the developers to define
their own application stack.
4. Depends on Internet connection: Since the PaaS services are delivered over the Internet,
the developers should depend on Internet connectivity for developing the application.

Q:What is Software as a service(Saas) with characteristics, pros and cons?

Software as a Service SaaS changes the way the software is delivered to the customers.
In the traditional software model, the software is delivered as a license-based product that
needs to be installed in the end user device.
Since SaaS is delivered as an on-demand service over the Internet, there is no need to install
the software to the end user’s devices.
SaaS services can be accessed or disconnected at any time based on the end user’s needs.
SaaS services can be accessed from any lightweight web browsers on any devices such as
laptops, tablets, and smartphones.
Some of the SaaS services can be accessed from a thin client that does not contain much
storage space and cannot run much software like the traditional desktop PCs.
The important benefits of using thin clients for accessing the SaaS application are as follows:
it is less vulnerable to attack, has a longer life cycle, consumes less power, and is less
expensive.

1.Business services: Most of the SaaS providers started providing a variety of business
services that attract start-up companies. The business SaaS services include ERP, CRM,
billing, sales, and human resources.
2. Social networks: Since social networking sites are extensively used by the general public,
many social networking service providers adopted SaaS for their sustainability. Since the
number of users of the social networking sites is increasing exponentially, cloud computing is
the perfect match for handling the variable load.
3. Document management: Since most of the enterprises extensively use electronic
documents, most of the SaaS providers started providing services that are used to create,
manage, and track electronic documents.
4. Mail services: E-mail services are currently used by many people. The future growth in e-
mail usage is unpredictable. To handle the unpredictable number of users and the load on e-
mail services, most of the e-mail providers started offering their services as SaaS services.

Q:What are the characteristic of SaaS?

SaaS services are different and give more benefits to end users than the traditional software.
The following are the essential characteristics of SaaS services that make it unique from
traditional software:
 One to many
 Web access
 Centralized management
 Multidevice support
 Better scalability
 High availability
 API integration
1.One to many: SaaS services are delivered as a one-to-many model where a single instance
of the application can be shared by multiple tenants or customers.
2.Web access: SaaS services provide web access to the software. It allows the end user to
access the application from any location if the device is connected to the Internet.
3. Centralized management: Since SaaS services are hosted and managed from the central
location, management of the SaaS application becomes easier. Normally, the SaaS providers
will perform the automatic updates that ensure that each tenant is accessing the most recent
version of the application without any user-side updates.
4. Multidevice support: SaaS services can be accessed from any end user devices such as
desktops, laptops, tablets, smartphones, and thin clients.
5. Better scalability: Since most of the SaaS services leverage PaaS and IaaS for its
development and deployment, it ensures a better scalability than the traditional software. The
dynamic scaling of underlying cloud resources makes SaaS applications work efficiently even
with varying loads.
6. High availability: SaaS services ensure the 99.99% availability of user data as proper
backup and recovery mechanisms are implemented at the back end.
7. API integration: SaaS services have the capability of integrating with other software or
service through standard APIs.

Q:Suitability of Saas:
1. On-Demand Software:
SaaS provides on-demand access, allowing users to use software when required, avoiding the
need for upfront purchases and providing a cost-effective, pay- as-you-go model.
2. Software for Start-Up Companies:
SaaS doesnot require extensive infrastructure, making it suitable for start- ups looking to
reduce initial expenditures on hardware and focus resources on business growth.
3. Software Compatible with Multiple Devices:
SaaS applications are designed to be adaptable to almost all devices, providing users with
flexibility and accessibility across different platforms.
4. Software with Varying Loads:
SaaS applications, with dynamic scaling capabilities, can efficiently handle varying loads.
This ensures the application remains responsive and functional, even with fluctuating user
engagement, without disruptions.
The SaaS delivery model is not the best option for the applications mentioned in the
following:
1. Real-time Applications:
SaaS applications depend on internet connectivity, and issues like low speed and latency may
hinder fast data processing. Real-time applications demand rapid data retrieval, which might
be compromised in SaaS due to internet dependency.
2. Applications with Confidential Data:
Data security concerns arise with SaaS as data is stored with third- party providers. The risk
of data loss or breaches may pose significant threats to organizations, making SaaS less
suitable for applications dealing with confidential information.
3. Better On-Premise Application:
If existing on-premise applications fulfill organizational needs effectively, migrating to the
SaaS model may not be the best option. Some applications may work seamlessly in an on-
premise environment, making a shift to SaaS unnecessary.

Q:Pros and Cons of SAAS

Pros of SaaS:
1. No Client-Side Installation:
SaaS eliminates the need for client-side installation, allowing users to access services directly
from the provider’s data center. It can be accessed from various devices, reducing the need
for high-end hardware.
2. Cost Savings:
SaaS follows utility-based billing or pay-as-you-go, offering cost savings as users pay for
what they use. Many providers offer different subscription plans, and some generic services
may even be provided for free.
3. Less Maintenance:
SaaS eliminates client-side software maintenance overhead. Service providers handle
automatic updates, monitoring, and other maintenance activities, reducing the burden on end
users.
4. Ease of Access:
SaaS services are accessible from any device connected to the internet, adapting to various
devices through responsive web UI, providing ease of access.
5. Dynamic Scaling:
SaaS leverages elastic resources in cloud computing, offering dynamic scaling capabilities. It
can handle varying loads without disrupting normal application behavior.
6. Disaster Recovery:
Proper backup and recovery mechanisms in SaaS maintain replicas distributed across servers,
ensuring disaster recovery and high availability of applications.
7. Multitenancy:
Multitenancy allows end users to share a single instance of the application, increasing
resource utilization from the service provider’s side.

Cons of SaaS:
1. Security:
Security is a major concern with shared SaaS applications, as there is a possibility of data
leakage. Data stored in third-party data centers may pose risks to sensitive and confidential
company data.
2. Connectivity Requirements:
SaaS applications depend on internet connectivity, and slow internet can hinder access. The
reliance on high-speed internet connectivity can be a significant problem for users.
3. Loss of Control:
Since data is stored off-premise with a third-party, end users have less control over their data
compared to on-premise applications.

Q: What are the other cloud service models?

1. Network as a Service (NaaS):
 What it is: Allows users to access virtual network services on a pay-per-use basis.
 Advantages: Transforms networking into a utility-based service, providing virtual
network components like routers and switches.
 Popular Services: Virtual Private Network (VPN), Bandwidth on Demand (BoD),
Mobile Network Virtualization.
2. Desktop as a Service (DEaaS):
 What it is: Offers desktop virtualization without the need for users to manage
infrastructure.
 Advantages: Managed by service providers, users handle their desktop images,
applications, and security. Accessible from any device, location, or network.
3. Storage as a Service (STaaS):
 What it is: Allows users to store data on cloud-provided storage services.
 Advantages: Enables access to files from anywhere, abstracting virtual storage from
physical data center storage. Commonly used for backup and disaster recovery.
4. Database as a Service (DBaaS):
 What it is: Provides users access to databases without installation and maintenance
efforts.
 Advantages: Service providers handle database installation and maintenance. Users
pay based on usage. Examples include SimpleDB, DynamoDB, and MongoDB as a
Service.
5. Data as a Service (DaaS):
 What it is: Gives users access to data provided by the service provider over the
internet.
 Advantages: Offers on-demand access to various types of data, easily integrated with
other service models like SaaS and STaaS. Commonly used in geography and
financial data services.
6. Security as a Service (SECaaS):
 What it is: Provides users security services on a pay-per-use basis.
 Advantages: Includes services like authentication, antivirus, intrusion detection, and
more. Typically used for securing on-premise infrastructure. Examples include Cisco,
McAfee, and Symantec.
7. Identity as a Service (IDaaS):
 What it is: Enables organizations to manage employee identities through third-party
service providers.
 Advantages: Includes directory services, authentication, and single sign-on. Helps
organizations manage employee identities without additional overhead.
8.Everything as a Service (XaaS):
 What it is: A concept where various services can be provided in a cloud-based
model.
 Examples: Backup as a Service (BaaS), Communication as a Service (CaaS),
Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS), and more.
 Future Expectations: Anticipate new service models to emerge under the umbrella
of XaaS. Examples include Testing as a Service (TaaS), Firewall as a Service
(FWaaS), and Monitoring as a Service (MaaS).