Case study based questions

1. Assume your company wants to launch an e-commerce website.Which cloud

services and deployment models will you consider for the website?

Launching an e-commerce website involves selecting appropriate cloud services and deployment
models to ensure scalability, reliability, and security.

Cloud services offer the foundational infrastructure for hosting, managing, and scaling the website
efficiently.

i) For compute resources, options like virtual machines (e.g., AWS EC2 or Azure Virtual
Machines) provide control over the underlying infrastructure, while serverless solutions (e.g.,
AWS Lambda or Azure Functions) enable pay-as-you-go models for tasks like order processing.
If microservices are preferred, container orchestration platforms like Kubernetes (AWS EKS,
Google Kubernetes Engine) are ideal for scaling individual functionalities like product catalogs or
checkout systems.

ii)To handle the storage of static assets, such as product images, object storage services like
AWS S3 or Azure Blob Storage ensure scalability and durability, while transactional data can
benefit from block storage solutions like AWS EBS. Databases play a central role in managing
customer information, orders, and product inventories, with relational databases (e.g., Amazon
RDS or Google Cloud SQL) managing structured data and NoSQL databases (e.g., DynamoDB
or MongoDB) handling unstructured data like user reviews or shopping carts. A Content Delivery
Network (CDN), such as AWS CloudFront or Azure CDN, is critical for reducing latency by
caching content closer to users worldwide.

iii)For security, identity management systems like AWS Cognito or Firebase Authentication
simplify user account handling, while web application firewalls (e.g., AWS WAF) and encryption
mechanisms ensure data protection against threats. Monitoring and analytics are vital for
maintaining uptime and understanding user behavior, achieved through tools like AWS
CloudWatch for performance tracking and Google Analytics for e-commerce insights.

iv) The deployment model depends on the business requirements. A public cloud deployment
is cost-effective and scalable, making it a strong initial choice for startups and small businesses.
As the website grows, transitioning to a hybrid cloud model—where sensitive data remains on-
premise and other components utilize the public cloud—may offer enhanced compliance and
flexibility. Enterprises with a global presence might opt for a multi-cloud model, leveraging
specialized services from different providers to avoid vendor lock-in and ensure redundancy.
Additionally, serverless deployment models can be employed for lightweight, event-driven tasks
such as real-time notifications or order confirmation emails.
v)For e-commerce-specific needs, the infrastructure must accommodate scalability to handle
sudden increase in traffic during sales, implement robust security for sensitive payment data, and
offer low-latency delivery for a seamless user experience globally. Disaster recovery
mechanisms, like regular backups and multi-AZ setups, are crucial to ensure business continuity.
Overall, starting with AWS as the cloud provider provides access to a comprehensive suite of
services like EC2 for computing, RDS and DynamoDB for databases, S3 for storage, CloudFront
for content delivery, and WAF for security.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2) Nov/Dec 2023
A company like to have an advanced collaboration services like video,chat and web
conferences for their employees,but their system does not support any of the IT resources
due to insufficient infrastructure.If they could leverage cloud computing technology in
their system,suggest a suitable cloud type with proper justification.List the characteristic
of cloud computing

To enable a company with insufficient IT infrastructure to adopt advanced collaboration services

like video conferencing, chat, and web conferencing, leveraging cloud computing is an excellent
solution. Here’s a detailed suggestion and explanation:

Suggested Cloud Type: Public Cloud

The public cloud is the most suitable option for the company's needs due to its cost-
effectiveness, scalability, and flexibility. Public cloud providers such as Microsoft Azure, Google
Cloud, and Amazon Web Services (AWS) offer a wide range of ready-to-use collaboration tools
like Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace (formerly G Suite), and Amazon Chime. These
services are hosted entirely on the provider's infrastructure, eliminating the need for the company
to invest in and maintain its hardware or software.

Justification for Choosing Public Cloud

1. No Infrastructure Requirement: Since the company lacks sufficient IT resources, the

public cloud offloads all infrastructure responsibilities to the cloud provider.
2. Scalability: Public cloud services can scale up or down based on the number of
employees and usage patterns. For example, during high-demand periods, the provider
automatically adjusts resources.
3. Cost-Effective: The company pays only for the services it uses, with no upfront capital
expenditure for servers or data centers.
4. Global Accessibility: Employees can access these services from anywhere, enabling
remote work and enhancing collaboration.
5. Ease of Deployment: Cloud-based collaboration tools require minimal setup, often just a
subscription, making them quick to adopt.
 6. Integrated Security: Public cloud providers ensure data security, compliance, and regular
updates, addressing concerns like data protection and cyber threats.

Characteristics of Cloud Computing

Cloud computing provides a robust foundation for deploying collaboration services. Its key
characteristics are:

1. On-Demand Self-Service
○ Users can provision and manage resources like storage and applications without
direct interaction with the service provider.
2. Broad Network Access
○ Resources are accessible over the internet via various devices like laptops,
smartphones, and tablets.
3. Resource Pooling
○ Resources are pooled to serve multiple customers, with dynamic allocation based
on demand. Employees can share services like video and chat across
departments.
4. Scalability and Elasticity
○ Services can scale up or down automatically to meet changing needs, ensuring
uninterrupted performance during peak usage.
5. Measured Service
○ Pay-as-you-go billing ensures the company pays only for what it uses, making it
cost-efficient.
6. High Availability and Reliability
○ Cloud providers offer redundancy and failover mechanisms, ensuring services like
video and web conferencing are always accessible.
7. Security
○ Providers implement robust encryption, multi-factor authentication, and
compliance with standards like GDPR and ISO to protect data.
8. Automation
○ Routine maintenance tasks like updates, backups, and scaling are automated,
reducing the burden on the company’s IT team.

Conclusion

The public cloud is the ideal solution for deploying advanced collaboration services, as it
eliminates the need for on-premise infrastructure while offering scalability, cost-efficiency, and
global accessibility. By leveraging cloud computing’s characteristics, the company can
seamlessly integrate services like video conferencing, chat, and web conferencing into its
workflow, enhancing employee productivity and collaboration.

—--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3) Nov/Dec 2023

Adaptable Technologies for Distributed Environments

1. Web Services (SOAP/REST)

● Web services use standard protocols (HTTP, XML, JSON) to expose functionalities over
a network.
● Use Case: Currency conversion APIs, scientific computation, and data transformation can
be exposed as RESTful services.

2. Microservices Architecture

● Each service (e.g., currency converter, scientific converter) is deployed independently and
communicates via lightweight protocols like HTTP/HTTPS or gRPC.
● Use Case: Isolating business logic into modular, reusable components.

3. Serverless Computing

● Using serverless platforms like AWS Lambda or Azure Functions to execute functions on-
demand without managing servers.
● Use Case: For computations triggered by events like a user request for a currency
conversion.

4. Message Queuing Systems (e.g., RabbitMQ, Kafka)

● Used to handle communication between distributed components by decoupling producer

and consumer.
● Use Case: Distributing conversion requests to specific services asynchronously.

5. Containers and Orchestration (Docker, Kubernetes)

● Containers package services with their dependencies, while orchestration tools manage
deployment, scaling, and load balancing.

Note: Think of a container as a shipping container:

 ● A shipping container holds goods and protects them during transportation, regardless of
the ship, train, or truck it is on.
● Similarly, a software container holds an application and its dependencies, ensuring it runs
consistently, regardless of the underlying infrastructure.

6. Distributed Databases (e.g., MongoDB, Cassandra)

● Use distributed databases to store data across multiple servers, ensuring availability and
fault tolerance.
● Use Case: Maintaining data for frequent queries, like exchange rates in a currency
converter.

Merits of Distributed Technologies

1. Scalability: Ability to handle growing loads by adding more nodes.

2. Fault Tolerance: Distributed systems can remain operational even if some components
fail.
3. Flexibility: Modular services allow easy updates and feature additions.
4. Global Accessibility: Users can access services from any location.
5. Cost-Efficiency: Pay-as-you-go models in cloud environments reduce upfront costs.

Demerits of Distributed Technologies

1. Complexity: Requires robust tools and expertise to manage inter-service communication,

data consistency, and fault tolerance.
2. Latency: Communication over networks can introduce delays compared to local systems.
3. Debugging Challenges: Identifying issues in a distributed environment is more complex
due to multiple dependencies.
4. Security: A larger attack surface due to multiple exposed services and APIs.
5. Cost of Management: Tools like Kubernetes can add management and resource costs.

—--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4. Nov/Dec 2023
To implement a distributed file system that provides a conventional interface for application
programs, a Client-Server Architecture is the most appropriate solution.

In this architecture, clients emulate a traditional file system interface, allowing applications to
interact seamlessly, while server modules handle the operations requested by clients on
directories and files. By leveraging a Distributed File System (DFS) like the Network File System
(NFS) or Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS), the organization can ensure efficient data
handling and scalability. The distributed nature of the system allows it to scale horizontally by
adding more server nodes, which can handle increased loads and client requests efficiently.

To ensure the system remains resilient to failures, a Replication-Based System Model is highly
recommended. This model involves replicating both data and metadata across multiple server
nodes to avoid data loss in case of server failures. By implementing replication, the system can
quickly recover by switching to another server with the latest copy of the data.

A quorum-based consistency mechanism can be employed to maintain consistency across

replicas. This ensures that even in the event of partial failures, the system can still provide
accurate and up-to-date responses to client requests.

Additionally, a heartbeat mechanism can be used for continuous monitoring, where clients and
servers exchange periodic signals to detect failures promptly. If a node fails to send heartbeats,
it can be flagged as down, triggering the system’s recovery protocols.

The recovery system should utilize techniques such as checkpointing and log-based recovery
to restore the system to a stable state after failures. Checkpointing involves taking periodic
snapshots of the file system's current state, which can be used to recover to a known good state
if needed. Log-based recovery involves recording every file operation in a persistent log so that,
after a failure, the system can replay the log to recover lost updates.

In addition, employing a leader election algorithm like Paxos or Raft can help designate a new
leader in the event of a server failure, ensuring that the system remains operational without
significant downtime.

Overall, by adopting a client-server distributed architecture combined with robust fault tolerance
and recovery mechanisms, the organization can implement a reliable and scalable file system
that continues to function effectively even in the face of hardware or network disruptions.

—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 5. Apr/May 2024

In the scenario where an autonomous educational institution is planning to migrate its website
and database from on-premises infrastructure to the cloud, it is essential to identify the most
suitable cloud deployment and service models. As an expert in cloud computing, I would
recommend a combination of the Public Cloud deployment model along with the Platform as
a Service (PaaS) service model for this use case.

Factors for Selecting the Cloud Deployment Model:

The Public Cloud is a highly suitable deployment model for educational institutions because it
offers scalability, cost-efficiency, and flexibility. With a public cloud, the institution can avoid the
high upfront costs associated with purchasing and maintaining physical servers. Instead, it can
leverage the cloud provider’s infrastructure, which scales automatically based on demand,
ensuring that the website and databases can handle varying traffic loads efficiently, especially
during peak times like admissions or exam result announcements. The public cloud also provides
high availability and global accessibility, which is crucial for students and staff who may need to
access resources remotely.

Factors for Selecting the Cloud Service Model:

For the service model, Platform as a Service (PaaS) is recommended because it abstracts the
complexities of managing the underlying infrastructure, allowing the institution to focus on
application development, content management, and educational services. PaaS offers built-in
support for database management, development frameworks, and security features, which are
essential for running educational applications smoothly. This model also simplifies the process of
managing updates, patches, and security, which reduces the administrative burden on the
institution’s IT staff.
Justification for the Selected Models:

The combination of Public Cloud and PaaS offers several advantages over other models.
Compared to a Private Cloud, the Public Cloud is more cost-effective and requires no investment
in hardware. Additionally, PaaS is more suitable than Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) for this
scenario because the institution does not need to manage virtual machines, storage, or
networking directly. Instead, it can focus on optimizing its educational content and services. While
Software as a Service (SaaS) could be considered, it may lack the customization needed for the
institution's specific website and database requirements.

In summary, using the Public Cloud with PaaS provides the institution with a scalable, cost-
efficient, and flexible environment that is easy to manage, secure, and capable of meeting the
diverse needs of students, faculty, and administrators. This solution ensures that the institution
can focus on its core mission of providing quality education while leveraging the cloud for
operational efficiency and innovation.

—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------