Definition and evolution of Cloud Computing

Cloud computing allows users to access a wide range of services stored in the cloud or
on the Internet. Cloud computing services include computer resources, data storage,
apps, servers, development tools, and networking protocols. It is most commonly used
by IT companies and for business purposes.

Evolution of Cloud Computing

The phrase “Cloud Computing” was first introduced in the 1950s to describe internet-
related services, and it evolved from distributed computing to the modern technology
known as cloud computing. Cloud services include those provided by Amazon, Google,
and Microsoft. Cloud computing allows users to access a wide range of services stored
in the cloud or on the Internet. Cloud computing services include computer resources,
data storage, apps, servers, development tools, and networking protocols.

Cloud Computing

Cloud Computing means storing and accessing the data and programs on remote
servers that are hosted on the internet instead of the computer’s hard drive or local
server. Cloud computing is also referred to as Internet-based computing, it is a
technology where the resource is provided as a service through the Internet to the user.
The data that is stored can be files, images, documents, or any other storable document.

Advantages of Cloud Computing

 Cost Saving

 Data Redundancy and Replication

 Malware Protection

 Flexibility

 Reliability

 High Accessibility

 Scalable

Disadvantages of Cloud Computing

 Internet Dependency

 Issues in Security and Privacy

 Limitations on Control

Enabling Technologies In CC

There are certain technologies working behind the cloud computing platforms making
cloud computing flexible, reliable, and usable. These technologies are listed below:

 Virtualization

 Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA)

 Grid Computing

 Utility Computing

Virtualization

Virtualization is a technique, which allows sharing single physical instance of an

application or resource among multiple organizations or tenants (customers). It does
this by assigning a logical name to a physical resource and providing a pointer to that
physical resource when demanded.
The Multitenant architecture offers virtual isolation among the multiple tenants. Hence,
the organizations can use and customize their application as though they each have
their instances running.

Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA)

Service-Oriented Architecture helps to use applications as a service for other

applications regardless the type of vendor, product or technology. Therefore, it is
possible to exchange the data between applications of different vendors without
additional programming or making changes to services.

The cloud computing service oriented architecture is shown in the diagram below.
Grid Computing

Grid Computing refers to distributed computing, in which a group of computers from

multiple locations are connected with each other to achieve a common objective. These
computer resources are heterogeneous and geographically dispersed.

Grid Computing breaks complex task into smaller pieces, which are distributed to CPUs
that reside within the grid.
Utility Computing

Utility computing is based on Pay-per-Use model. It offers computational resources on

demand as a metered service. Cloud computing, grid computing, and managed IT
services are based on the concept of utility computing.

Service and Deployment Models

In cloud computing, we have access to a shared pool of computer resources (servers,

storage, programs, and so on) in the cloud. You simply need to request additional
resources when you require them. Getting resources up and running quickly is a breeze
thanks to the clouds. It is possible to release resources that are no longer necessary. This
method allows you to just pay for what you use. Your cloud provider is in charge of all
upkeep.

What is a Cloud Deployment Model?

Cloud Deployment Model functions as a virtual computing environment with a

deployment architecture that varies depending on the amount of data you want to store
and who has access to the infrastructure.

Types of Cloud Computing Deployment Models

The cloud deployment model identifies the specific type of cloud environment based on
ownership, scale, and access, as well as the cloud’s nature and purpose. The locations of
the servers you’re utilizing and who controls them are defined by a cloud deployment
model. It specifies how your cloud infrastructure will look, what you can change, and
whether you will be given services or will have to create everything yourself.
Relationships between the infrastructure and your users are also defined by cloud
deployment types. Different types of cloud computing deployment models are
described below.

 Public Cloud

 Private Cloud

 Hybrid Cloud

 Community Cloud

 Multi-Cloud

Public Cloud

The public cloud makes it possible for anybody to access systems and services. The
public cloud may be less secure as it is open to everyone. The public cloud is one in
which cloud infrastructure services are provided over the internet to the general people
or major industry groups. The infrastructure in this cloud model is owned by the entity
that delivers the cloud services, not by the consumer. It is a type of cloud hosting that
allows customers and users to easily access systems and services. This form of cloud
computing is an excellent example of cloud hosting, in which service providers supply
services to a variety of customers. In this arrangement, storage backup and retrieval
services are given for free, as a subscription, or on a per-user basis. For example, Google
App Engine etc.
Advantages of the Public Cloud Model

 Minimal Investment: Because it is a pay-per-use service, there is no substantial

upfront fee, making it excellent for enterprises that require immediate access to
resources.

 No setup cost: The entire infrastructure is fully subsidized by the cloud service
providers, thus there is no need to set up any hardware.

 Infrastructure Management is not required: Using the public cloud does not
necessitate infrastructure management.

 No maintenance: The maintenance work is done by the service provider (not

users).

 Dynamic Scalability: To fulfill your company’s needs, on-demand resources are

accessible.

Disadvantages of the Public Cloud Model

 Less secure: Public cloud is less secure as resources are public so there is no
guarantee of high-level security.

 Low customization: It is accessed by many public so it can’t be customized

according to personal requirements.

Private Cloud
The private cloud deployment model is the exact opposite of the public cloud
deployment model. It’s a one-on-one environment for a single user (customer). There is
no need to share your hardware with anyone else. The distinction between private and
public clouds is in how you handle all of the hardware. It is also called the “internal
cloud” & it refers to the ability to access systems and services within a given border or
organization. The cloud platform is implemented in a cloud-based secure environment
that is protected by powerful firewalls and under the supervision of an organization’s IT
department. The private cloud gives greater flexibility of control over cloud resources.

Advantages of the Private Cloud Model

 Better Control: You are the sole owner of the property. You gain complete
command over service integration, IT operations, policies, and user behavior.

 Data Security and Privacy: It’s suitable for storing corporate information to which
only authorized staff have access. By segmenting resources within the same
infrastructure, improved access and security can be achieved.

 Supports Legacy Systems: This approach is designed to work with legacy systems
that are unable to access the public cloud.

 Customization: Unlike a public cloud deployment, a private cloud allows a

company to tailor its solution to meet its specific needs.

Disadvantages of the Private Cloud Model

  Less scalable: Private clouds are scaled within a certain range as there is less
number of clients.

 Costly: Private clouds are more costly as they provide personalized facilities.

Hybrid Cloud

By bridging the public and private worlds with a layer of proprietary software, hybrid
cloud computing gives the best of both worlds. With a hybrid solution, you may host
the app in a safe environment while taking advantage of the public cloud’s cost savings.
Organizations can move data and applications between different clouds using a
combination of two or more cloud deployment methods, depending on their needs.

Advantages of the Hybrid Cloud Model

 Flexibility and control: Businesses with more flexibility can design personalized
solutions that meet their particular needs.

 Cost: Because public clouds provide scalability, you’ll only be responsible for
paying for the extra capacity if you require it.

 Security: Because data is properly separated, the chances of data theft by

attackers are considerably reduced.

Disadvantages of the Hybrid Cloud Model

 Difficult to manage: Hybrid clouds are difficult to manage as it is a combination

of both public and private cloud. So, it is complex.
  Slow data transmission: Data transmission in the hybrid cloud takes place
through the public cloud so latency occurs.

Community Cloud

It allows systems and services to be accessible by a group of organizations. It is a

distributed system that is created by integrating the services of different clouds to
address the specific needs of a community, industry, or business. The infrastructure of
the community could be shared between the organization which has shared concerns or
tasks. It is generally managed by a third party or by the combination of one or more
organizations in the community.

Advantages of the Community Cloud Model

 Cost Effective: It is cost-effective because the cloud is shared by multiple

organizations or communities.

 Security: Community cloud provides better security.

 Shared resources: It allows you to share resources, infrastructure, etc. with

multiple organizations.

 Collaboration and data sharing: It is suitable for both collaboration and data
sharing.

Disadvantages of the Community Cloud Model

  Limited Scalability: Community cloud is relatively less scalable as many
organizations share the same resources according to their collaborative interests.

 Rigid in customization: As the data and resources are shared among different
organizations according to their mutual interests if an organization wants some
changes according to their needs they cannot do so because it will have an
impact on other organizations.

Multi-Cloud

We’re talking about employing multiple cloud providers at the same time under this
paradigm, as the name implies. It’s similar to the hybrid cloud deployment approach,
which combines public and private cloud resources. Instead of merging private and
public clouds, multi-cloud uses many public clouds. Although public cloud providers
provide numerous tools to improve the reliability of their services, mishaps still occur.
It’s quite rare that two distinct clouds would have an incident at the same moment. As a
result, multi-cloud deployment improves the high availability of your services even
more.

Advantages of the Multi-Cloud Model

 You can mix and match the best features of each cloud provider’s services to suit
the demands of your apps, workloads, and business by choosing different cloud
providers.
  Reduced Latency: To reduce latency and improve user experience, you can
choose cloud regions and zones that are close to your clients.

 High availability of service: It’s quite rare that two distinct clouds would have an
incident at the same moment. So, the multi-cloud deployment improves the high
availability of your services.

Disadvantages of the Multi-Cloud Model

 Complex: The combination of many clouds makes the system complex and
bottlenecks may occur.

 Security issue: Due to the complex structure, there may be loopholes to which a
hacker can take advantage hence, makes the data insecure.

What is the Right Choice for Cloud Deployment Model?

As of now, no such approach fits picking a cloud deployment model. We will always
consider the best cloud deployment model as per our requirements. Here are some
factors which should be considered before choosing the best deployment model.

 Cost: Cost is an important factor for the cloud deployment model as it tells how
much amount you want to pay for these things.

 Scalability: Scalability tells about the current activity status and how much we can
scale it.

 Easy to use: It tells how much your resources are trained and how easily can you
manage these models.

 Compliance: Compliance tells about the laws and regulations which impact the
implementation of the model.

 Privacy: Privacy tells about what data you gather for the model.

Each model has some advantages and some disadvantages, and the selection of the
best is only done on the basis of your requirement. If your requirement changes, you
can switch to any other model.

Overall Analysis of Cloud Deployment Models

The overall Analysis of these models with respect to different factors is described below.
 Public Private Community Hybrid
Factors Cloud Cloud Cloud Cloud

Complex, Complex, Complex,

requires a requires a requires a
Initial Setup Easy
professional professional professional
team to setup team to setup team to setup

Scalability
and High High Fixed High
Flexibility

Distributed cost Between

Cost- Cost-
Costly among public and
Comparison Effective
members private cloud

Reliability Low Low High High

Data
Low High High High
Security

Data Privacy Low High High High

Benefits of Cloud Computing

1. Omnipresence

Cloud is everywhere, and you can access it from anywhere. Its omnipresence nature
allows easy access to functionality, traceable data, and transparency. It enables multiple
users to work on the same project without any glitches.

The Cloud’s universal nature makes critical access to visible and traceable data possible.
There are no issues with multiple people working on the cloud apps simultaneously. As
a result, it establishes a strong network while lowering costs. This, in turn, not only
reduces costs but also builds a robust work model.

2. Data Security
Data security is one of the most significant factors that keep business owners up at
night. Cloud computing can help alleviate this stress.

In the past, there have always been arguments that cloud-based platforms are at risk of
being hacked. However, the cloud’s heavy encryption reduces the risk of data theft.

Organizations trust cloud computing and that by 2025, total worldwide data storage on
cloud is expected to exceed 200 zettabytes.

3. Cost Reduction

Switching to any new technology can incur some costs. It is no different for the
cloud too. But if done right, businesses will be able to reap the ROIs within 6-12
months. Consider it an investment that can pay off in the long run. The ROI can be in
the form of product longevity & scalability, to name a few, and eliminates the need for
extra software and server maintenance costs. Plus, the pay-as-you-go model means you
only pay for what you need. It’s no wonder CIOs are loving it and implementing it
everywhere.

4. Complete control

Data loss, lags, and operational dysfunction often lead to immense scrutiny for
organizations. The cloud provides sufficient control over the company’s ongoing
activities. Using the Cloud, users can track the accessibility, usability, and deployability of
sensitive data from a bird’s eye view. Compartmentalizing tasks streamlines the work
and allows employees to access their duties effectively. A direct path to task execution is
enabled, and the work can be understood clearly.

5. Flexibility

Focusing on more than just your in-house IT structure can be limiting and lead to poor
execution. Instead, you need to optimize your space to cater to your customers’ needs
and be unrestricted by low bandwidth. That’s where the Cloud comes in. It’s flexible and
can handle last-minute changes without compromising on quality. As a result, you can
make quick business decisions without worrying about IT infrastructure impacts.

6. Mobility

The omnipresence of the cloud marks mobility as its prime feature. With the help of
cloud connection, companies can easily connect remotely over an array of devices like
Smartphone’s, iPods, and laptops. Moreover, it enables quick turnaround time, instant
solutions, and constant connection.
This personifies convenience, and according to GlobalNewsWires, it is no surprise that
between 2022 and 2032, the cloud computing industry will be worth $1, 949 billion due
to mobility.

7. Disaster Recovery

The biggest disaster a company can undergo is “loss of data.” Did you know that a
ransomware attack could typically cost you $4.54 million? However, the cloud is a
repository for backed-up data, which helps companies recover their lost data with ease
and security. Around 85% of technical executives found security to be a significant
challenge, says Statista.

The cloud downsizes the time wasted on technical errors, lags to the deterred server,
and other drawbacks, which are almost 6 hours a week. That’s like one full day lost. As a
result, the cloud can help businesses optimize data recovery and save time and effort.

8. Scalability

Scalability is the most sought-after attribute of cloud computing that can help
accelerate business growth. More than 41% of C-Suite executives cite scalability as one
of the top 5 benefits of cloud computing.

The cloud system’s availability allows businesses to quickly scale up or down in response
to changing circumstances and needs. Furthermore, employing the cloud frees up time
for companies to focus on running their operations.

9. Automated Updates on Software

Imagine working on an important project and receiving a “Software update required”

message. Nothing is more tedious than manual updates. But the Cloud takes care of
that as well. With automatic software updates and cyclic upgrades, users can now focus
their time & energy on the core business operations.

IT departments are no longer required to perform manual updates in a business. As a

result, money and time that would have been spent on outside IT consultation are
saved.

In a business, IT departments are no longer required to perform manual updates. As a

result, money and time that would have been spent on outside IT consultation are
saved.

10. Enhanced Collaboration

The points, as mentioned earlier, guarantee ease of use and remote accessibility, which
makes it an instant hit. The immediate connection leads to sound business
opportunities, which further enhances collaborations within the team members. This
coalition allows the influx of new ideas and helps time & money by delegating the job
among the experts within the team. Cloud, being an enabler of visibility, provides easy
access to the tasks at hand.

11. Reduced Carbon Footprint/Sustainable

Since organizations have adopted cloud, there has been a reduction in the usage of
software tools and hardware infrastructure. The cloud empowers the deployment of
virtual objects and improves proactivity on a digital level.

After all, merely placing a recycling bin in your office will not cut the current
environmental crisis. It cuts down on paper waste, electrical consumption, and
computer-related emissions. But, according to a study, moving to the Cloud reduces
carbon emissions by 84% and drives 65% energy reduction.

12. Easy Management

Since the organizational data is stored in the cloud, it is easy to assess the work, utilities,
and tasks. Such a clear task path makes it easy to manage the services.

According to Gartner, businesses will deploy 95% of all new workloads on cloud-native
platforms by 2025. Compared to previous techniques, cloud service management is
fairly simple because data is organized and stored in the cloud with easy access.

Risks, and Challenges of Cloud Computing

Cloud computing is the provisioning of resources like data and storage on demand, that
is in real-time. It has been proven to be revolutionary in the IT industry with the market
valuation growing at a rapid rate. Cloud development has proved to be beneficial not
only for huge public and private enterprises but small-scale businesses as well as it help
to cut costs. It is estimated that more than 94% of businesses will increase their
spending on the cloud by more than 45%. This also has resulted in more and high-
paying jobs if you are a cloud developer.

Cloud technology was flourishing before the pandemic, but there has been a sudden
spike in cloud deployment and usage during the lockdown. The tremendous growth can
be linked to the fact that classes have been shifted online, virtual office meetings are
happening on video calling platforms, conferences are taking place virtually as well as
on-demand streaming apps have a huge audience. All this is made possible by us
of cloud computing only. We are safe to conclude that the cloud is an important part of
our life today, even if we are an enterprise, student, developer, or anyone else and are
heavily dependent on it. But with this dependence, it is also important for us to look at
the issues and challenges that arise with cloud computing. Therefore, today we bring
you the most common challenges that are faced when dealing with cloud computing,
let’s have a look at them one by one:

1. Data Security and Privacy

Data security is a major concern when switching to cloud computing. User or

organizational data stored in the cloud is critical and private. Even if the cloud service
provider assures data integrity, it is your responsibility to carry out user authentication
and authorization, identity management, data encryption, and access control. Security
issues on the cloud include identity theft, data breaches, malware infections, and a lot
more which eventually decrease the trust amongst the users of your applications. This
can in turn lead to potential loss in revenue alongside reputation and stature. Also,
dealing with cloud computing requires sending and receiving huge amounts of data at
high speed, and therefore is susceptible to data leaks.

2. Cost Management

Even as almost all cloud service providers have a “Pay As You Go” model, which reduces
the overall cost of the resources being used, there are times when there are huge costs
incurred to the enterprise using cloud computing. When there is under optimization of
the resources, let’s say that the servers are not being used to their full potential, add up
to the hidden costs. If there is a degraded application performance or sudden spikes or
overages in the usage, it adds up to the overall cost. Unused resources are one of the
other main reasons why the costs go up. If you turn on the services or an instance of
cloud and forget to turn it off during the weekend or when there is no current use of it,
it will increase the cost without even using the resources.

3. Multi-Cloud Environments

Due to an increase in the options available to the companies, enterprises not only use a
single cloud but depend on multiple cloud service providers. Most of these companies
use hybrid cloud tactics and close to 84% are dependent on multiple clouds. This often
ends up being hindered and difficult to manage for the infrastructure team. The process
most of the time ends up being highly complex for the IT team due to the differences
between multiple cloud providers.
4. Performance Challenges

Performance is an important factor while considering cloud-based solutions. If the

performance of the cloud is not satisfactory, it can drive away users and decrease
profits. Even a little latency while loading an app or a web page can result in a huge
drop in the percentage of users. This latency can be a product of inefficient load
balancing, which means that the server cannot efficiently split the incoming traffic so as
to provide the best user experience. Challenges also arise in the case of fault tolerance,
which means the operations continue as required even when one or more of the
components fail.

5. Interoperability and Flexibility

When an organization uses a specific cloud service provider and wants to switch to
another cloud-based solution, it often turns up to be a tedious procedure since
applications written for one cloud with the application stack are required to be re-
written for the other cloud. There is a lack of flexibility from switching from one cloud to
another due to the complexities involved. Handling data movement, setting up the
security from scratch and network also add up to the issues encountered when
changing cloud solutions, thereby reducing flexibility.

6. High Dependence on Network

Since cloud computing deals with provisioning resources in real-time, it deals with
enormous amounts of data transfer to and from the servers. This is only made possible
due to the availability of the high-speed network. Although these data and resources
are exchanged over the network, this can prove to be highly vulnerable in case of
limited bandwidth or cases when there is a sudden outage. Even when the enterprises
can cut their hardware costs, they need to ensure that the internet bandwidth is high as
well there are zero network outages, or else it can result in a potential business loss. It is
therefore a major challenge for smaller enterprises that have to maintain network
bandwidth that comes with a high cost.

7. Lack of Knowledge and Expertise

Due to the complex nature and the high demand for research working with the cloud
often ends up being a highly tedious task. It requires immense knowledge and wide
expertise on the subject. Although there are a lot of professionals in the field they need
to constantly update themselves. Cloud computing is a highly paid job due to the
extensive gap between demand and supply. There are a lot of vacancies but very few
talented cloud engineers, developers, and professionals. Therefore, there is a need for
upskilling so these professionals can actively understand, manage and develop cloud-
based applications with minimum issues and maximum reliability.

Economic Models and SLAs

Economics of Cloud Computing is based on the PAY AS YOU GO method.

Users/Customers must have to pay only for their way of the usage of the cloud services.
It is definitely beneficial for the users. So the Cloud is economically very convenient for
all. Another side is to eliminate some indirect costs which is generated by assets such as
license of the software and their support. In the cloud, users can use software
applications on a subscription basis without any cost because the property of the
software providing service remains to the cloud provider.

Economical background of the cloud is more useful for developers in the following
ways:

 Pay as you go model offered by cloud providers.

 Scalable and Simple.

Cloud Computing Allows:

 Reduces the capital costs of infrastructure.

 Removes the maintenance cost.

 Removes the administrative cost.

What is Capital Cost?

It is cost occurred in the purchasing infrastructure or the assets that is important in the
production of goods. It takes a long time to generate profit.

In the case of start-ups, there is no extra budget for the infrastructure and its
maintenance. So cloud can minimizes expenses of any small organization in terms of
economy. It leads to the developers can only focus on the development logic and not
on the maintenance of the infrastructure.

There are three different Pricing Strategies that are introduced by Cloud Computing:
Tiered Pricing, Per-unit Pricing, and Subscription-based Pricing. These are explained as
following below.
 1. Tiered Pricing: Cloud Services are offered in the various tiers. Each tier offers to fix
service agreements at a specific cost. Amazon EC2 uses this kind of pricing.

2. Per-unit Pricing: The model is based upon the unit-specific service concept. Data
transfer and memory allocation include in this model for specific units. GoGrid
uses this kind of pricing in terms of RAM/hour.

3. Subscription-based Pricing: In this model, users are paying periodic subscription

fees for the usage of the software.

Service Level Agreement-

A Service Level Agreement (SLA) is the bond for performance negotiated between the
cloud services provider and the client. Earlier, in cloud computing all Service Level
Agreements were negotiated between a client and the service consumer. Nowadays,
with the initiation of large utility-like cloud computing providers, most Service Level
Agreements are standardized until a client becomes a large consumer of cloud services.
Service level agreements are also defined at different levels which are mentioned below:

 Customer-based SLA

 Service-based SLA

 Multilevel SLA

Few Service Level Agreements are enforceable as contracts, but mostly are agreements
or contracts which are more along the lines of an Operating Level Agreement (OLA) and
may not have the restriction of law. It is fine to have an attorney review the documents
before making a major agreement to the cloud service provider. Service Level
Agreements usually specify some parameters which are mentioned below:

1. Availability of the Service (uptime)

2. Latency or the response time

3. Service components reliability

4. Each party accountability

5. Warranties

In any case, if a cloud service provider fails to meet the stated targets of minimums then
the provider has to pay the penalty to the cloud service consumer as per the agreement.
So, Service Level Agreements are like insurance policies in which the corporation has to
pay as per the agreements if any casualty occurs. Microsoft publishes the Service Level
Agreements linked with the Windows Azure Platform components, which is
demonstrative of industry practice for cloud service vendors. Each individual component
has its own Service Level Agreements. Below are two major Service Level Agreements
(SLA) described?

1. Windows Azure SLA – Window Azure has different SLA’s for compute and
storage. For compute, there is a guarantee that when a client deploys two or
more role instances in separate fault and upgrade domains, client’s internet
facing roles will have external connectivity minimum 99.95% of the time.
Moreover, all of the role instances of the client are monitored and there is
guarantee of detection 99.9% of the time when a role instance’s process is not
runs and initiates properly.

2. SQL Azure SLA – SQL Azure clients will have connectivity between the database
and internet gateway of SQL Azure. SQL Azure will handle a “Monthly Availability”
of 99.9% within a month. Monthly Availability Proportion for a particular tenant
database is the ratio of the time the database was available to customers to the
total time in a month. Time is measured in some intervals of minutes in a 30-day
monthly cycle. Availability is always remunerated for a complete month. A portion
of time is marked as unavailable if the customer’s attempts to connect to a
database are denied by the SQL Azure gateway.

Service Level Agreements are based on the usage model. Frequently, cloud providers
charge their pay-as-per-use resources at a premium and deploy standards Service Level
Agreements only for that purpose. Clients can also subscribe at different levels that
guarantees access to a particular amount of purchased resources. The Service Level
Agreements (SLAs) attached to a subscription many times offer various terms and
conditions. If client requires access to a particular level of resources, then the client need
to subscribe to a service. A usage model may not deliver that level of access under peak
load condition.

SLA Lifecycle
Steps in SLA Lifecycle

1. Discover service provider: This step involves identifying a service provider that
can meet the needs of the organization and has the capability to provide the
required service. This can be done through research, requesting proposals, or
reaching out to vendors.

2. Define SLA: In this step, the service level requirements are defined and agreed
upon between the service provider and the organization. This includes defining
the service level objectives, metrics, and targets that will be used to measure the
performance of the service provider.

3. Establish Agreement: After the service level requirements have been defined, an
agreement is established between the organization and the service provider
outlining the terms and conditions of the service. This agreement should include
the SLA, any penalties for non-compliance, and the process for monitoring and
reporting on the service level objectives.

4. Monitor SLA violation: This step involves regularly monitoring the service level
objectives to ensure that the service provider is meeting their commitments. If
 any violations are identified, they should be reported and addressed in a timely
manner.

5. Terminate SLA: If the service provider is unable to meet the service level
objectives, or if the organization is not satisfied with the service provided, the SLA
can be terminated. This can be done through mutual agreement or through the
enforcement of penalties for non-compliance.

6. Enforce penalties for SLA Violation: If the service provider is found to be in

violation of the SLA, penalties can be imposed as outlined in the agreement.
These penalties can include financial penalties, reduced service level objectives, or
termination of the agreement.

Advantages of SLA

1. Improved communication: A better framework for communication between the

service provider and the client is established through SLAs, which explicitly
outline the degree of service that a customer may anticipate. This can make sure
that everyone is talking about the same things when it comes to service
expectations.

2. Increased accountability: SLAs give customers a way to hold service providers

accountable if their services fall short of the agreed-upon standard. They also
hold service providers responsible for delivering a specific level of service.

3. Better alignment with business goals: SLAs make sure that the service being given
is in line with the goals of the client by laying down the performance goals and
service level requirements that the service provider must satisfy.

4. Reduced downtime: SLAs can help to limit the effects of service disruptions by
creating explicit protocols for issue management and resolution.

5. Better cost management: By specifying the level of service that the customer can
anticipate and providing a way to track and evaluate performance, SLAs can help
to limit costs. Making sure the consumer is getting the best value for their money
can be made easier by doing this.

Disadvantages of SLA

1. Complexity: SLAs can be complex to create and maintain, and may require
significant resources to implement and enforce.
 2. Rigidity: SLAs can be rigid and may not be flexible enough to accommodate
changing business needs or service requirements.

3. Limited service options: SLAs can limit the service options available to the
customer, as the service provider may only be able to offer the specific services
outlined in the agreement.

4. Misaligned incentives: SLAs may misalign incentives between the service provider
and the customer, as the provider may focus on meeting the agreed-upon service
levels rather than on providing the best service possible.

5. Limited liability: SLAs are not legal binding contracts and often limited the liability
of the service provider in case of service failure.

Topics in Cloud Security

What is cloud security?

Cloud security is the set of control-based security measures and technology protection,
designed to protect online stored resources from leakage, theft, and data loss.
Protection includes data from cloud infrastructure, applications, and threats. Security
applications uses software the same as SaaS (Software as a Service) model.

How to manage security in the cloud?

Cloud service providers have many methods to protect the data. Firewall is the central
part of cloud architecture. The firewall protects the network and the perimeter of end-
users. It also protects traffic between various apps stored in the cloud. Access control
protects data by allowing us to set access lists for various assets.

For example, you can allow the application of specific employees while restricting
others. It's a rule that employees can access the equipment that they required. We can
keep essential documents which are stolen from malicious insiders or hackers to
maintaining strict access control.

Data protection methods include Virtual Private Networks (VPN), encryption, or

masking. It allows remote employees to connect the network. VPN accommodates the
tablets and Smartphone for remote access. Data masking maintains the data's integrity
by keeping identifiable information private. A medical company share data with data
masking without violating the HIPAA laws.
For example, we are putting intelligence information at risk in order of the importance
of security. It helps to protect mission-critical assets from threats. Disaster recovery is
vital for security because it helps to recover lost or stolen data.

Benefits of Cloud Security System

We understand how the cloud computing security operates to find ways to benefit your
business.

Cloud-based security systems benefit the business by:

o Protecting the Business from Dangers

o Protect against internal threats

o Preventing data loss

o Top threats to the system include Malware, Ransomware, and

o Break the Malware and Ransomware attacks

o Malware poses a severe threat to the businesses.

More than 90% of malware comes via email. It is often reassuring that employee's
download malware without analyzing. Malicious software installs itself on the network to
steal files or damage the content once it is downloaded.

Ransomware is a malware that hijacks system's data and asks for a financial ransom.
Companies are reluctant to give ransom because they want their data back.

Understanding Security of Cloud

Security Boundaries

A particular service model defines the boundary between the responsibilities of service
provider and customer. Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) stack model defines the
boundaries between each service model and shows how different functional units relate
to each other. The following diagram shows the CSA stack model:
 IaaS is the most basic level of service with PaaS and SaaS next two above levels of
services.

 Moving upwards, each of the service inherits capabilities and security concerns of
the model beneath.

 IaaS provides the infrastructure, PaaS provides platform development

environment, and SaaS provides operating environment.

 IaaS has the least level of integrated functionalities and integrated security while
SaaS has the most.

 This model describes the security boundaries at which cloud service provider's
responsibilities end and the customer's responsibilities begin.

 Any security mechanism below the security boundary must be built into the
system and should be maintained by the customer.
Historical Perspective of Data Centers

A data center is a physical location that stores computing machines and their related
hardware equipment. It contains the computing infrastructure that IT systems require,
such as servers, data storage drives, and network equipment. It is the physical facility
that stores any company’s digital data.

Why are data centers important?

Every business needs computing equipment to run its web applications, offer services to
customers, sell products, or run internal applications for accounts, human resources, and
operations management. As the business grows and IT operations increase, the scale
and amount of required equipment also increases exponentially. Equipment that is
distributed across several branches and locations is hard to maintain. Instead,
companies use data centers to bring their devices to a central location and manage it
cost effectively. Instead of keeping it on premises, they can also use third-party data
centers.

Data centers bring several benefits, such as:

 Backup power supplies to manage power outages

 Data replication across several machines for disaster recovery

 Temperature-controlled facilities to extend the life of the equipment

 Easier implementation of security measures for compliance with data laws

How did modern data centers evolve?

Data centers first emerged in the early 1940s, when computer hardware was complex to
operate and maintain. Early computer systems required many large components that
operators had to connect with many cables. They also consumed a large amount of
power and required cooling to prevent overheating. To manage these computers, called
mainframes, companies typically placed all the hardware in a single room, called a data
center. Every company invested in and maintained its own data center facility.

Over time, innovations in hardware technology reduced the size and power
requirements of computers. However, at the same time, IT systems became more
complex, such as in the following ways:

 The amount of data generated and stored by companies increased exponentially.

  Virtualization technology separated software from the underlying hardware.

 Innovations in networking made it possible to run applications on remote

hardware.

Modern data centers

Modern data center design evolved to better manage IT complexity. Companies used
data centers to store physical infrastructure in a central location that they could access
from anywhere. With the emergence of cloud computing, third-party companies
manage and maintain data centers and offer infrastructure as a service to other
organizations. As the world’s leading cloud services provider, AWS has
created innovative cloud data centers around the globe.

What is inside a data center?

Most enterprise data center infrastructure falls into three broad categories:

 Compute

 Storage

 Network

Also, data center equipment includes support infrastructure like power systems, which
help the main equipment function effectively.

Computing infrastructure

Computing resources include several types of servers with varying internal memory,
processing power, and other specifications. We give some examples below.

Rack servers

Rack servers have a flat, rectangular design, and you can stack them in racks or shelves
in a server cabinet. The cabinet has special features like mesh doors, sliding shelves, and
space for other data center resources like cables and fans.

Blade servers

A blade server is a modular device and you can stack multiple servers in a smaller area.
The server itself is physically thin and typically only has memory, CPUs, integrated
network controllers, and some built-in storage drives. You can slide multiple servers into
a storage unit called a chassis. The chassis facilitates any additional components that the
servers inside it require. Blade servers take up less space than rack servers and offer
higher processing speed, minimal wiring, and lower power consumption.

Storage infrastructure

The following are two types of data center storage systems.

Block storage devices

Block storage devices like hard drives and solid-state drives store data in blocks and
provide many terabytes of data capacity. Storage area networks (SANs) are storage units
that contain several internal drives and act as large block storage systems.

File storage devices

File storage devices, like network-attached storage (NAS), can store a large volume of
files. You can use them to create image and video archives.

Network infrastructure

A large number of networking devices, such as cables, switches, routers, and firewalls
connect other data center components to each other and to end-user locations. They
provide flawless data movement and connectivity across the system.

Support infrastructure

Data centers also contain these components:

 Power subsystems

 Uninterruptible power supplies (UPS)

 Backup generators

 Ventilation and cooling equipment

 Fire suppression systems

 Building security systems

These data center components support the main equipment so that you can use the
data center facilities without interruption.

What are the standards in data center design?

As data centers increased in size and complexity and began to store sensitive and critical
information, governments and other organizations imposed regulations on them. The
Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) established four levels or standards that
cover all aspects of data center design, including:

 Architecture and topology

 Environmental design

 Power and cooling systems and distribution

 Cabling systems, pathways, and redundancy

 Safety and physical security

Similarly, the Uptime Institute established four tiers to compare site performance
objectively and align infrastructure investments to business goals. We list the four data
center tiers below.

Tier I

A Tier I data center is the basic capacity level to support IT systems for an office setting
and beyond. Some of the requirements for a Tier I facility include:

 Uninterruptible power supply (UPS) for power outages and spikes

 A physical area for IT systems

 Dedicated cooling equipment that runs 24/7

 A backup power generator

Tier I protects against service disruptions from human error but not against unexpected
failure or outage. You can also expect an annual downtime of 29 hours in Tier I data
centers.

Tier II

Tier II facilities provide additional cooling components for better maintenance and
safety against disruptions. For example, these data centers must have the following:

 Engine generators

 Chillers
  Cooling units

 Pumps

Although you can remove components from Tier II data centers without shutting them
down, unexpected failures can affect the system. You can expect an annual downtime of
22 hours from a Tier II data center.

Tier III

Tier III data centers provide greater data redundancy, and you can maintain or replace
equipment without system shutdown. They also implement redundancy on support
systems like power and cooling units to guarantee only 1.6 hours of annual downtime.

Tier IV

Tier IV data centers contain several physically isolated systems to avoid disruption from
both planned and unplanned events. They are completely fault-tolerant with fully
redundant systems and can guarantee a downtime of only 26 minutes each year.

Data center Components

There's a common misconception that data center infrastructure is only made up of

computing resources. However, non-computing resources, such as power and cooling,
are also necessary parts for a data center’s day-to-day operations. Here's a list of
components a data center comprises.

SERVERS

Think of servers as the engines. They allow information to be accessed and processed.
Servers come in various form factors, including blade, rackmount, and tower.

Blade Servers: A blade or high-density server contains a computer that manages and
distributes data across the network. It is the conduit between the systems, computers,
applications, and programs in a data center.

Rackmount Servers: A rackmount server is a computing system that fits into a rack. It
typically consists of multiple CPUs and storage drives. The rack has several ''bays” or
mounting slots that house hardware units.

Tower Servers: A tower server is the hub of all the devices in a data center. Since it has
an independent design, you can add it to your existing network with ease. Tower servers
are also easy to maintain since they allow data storage in a single system instead of
scattering it across multiple devices.

NETWORKING EQUIPMENT

The networking equipment in a data center allows for effective communication between
devices. It is essential for sharing information on local networks and connecting to the
internet. It may include:

1. Switches

2. Routers

3. Hubs

4. Network bridges

5. Wireless access points

6. Brouters (or bridge routers)

7. Multiplexers

8. Care routers

9. Cable modems

10. Storage Equipment

As mentioned earlier, data centers require storage solutions to store information. These
include hard drives, tape libraries, and other storage media such as optical discs. More
recently, cloud storage has emerged as a reliable choice for storing data. It’s highly
secure and allows for remote access to data.

Security Systems

The data center security market is a billion-dollar industry in itself. Data centers often
house sensitive and confidential information; therefore, they require robust security
measures.

Security systems, like biometric and firewall solutions, also help form the center’s
infrastructure. Other mechanisms and tools include data encryption, authentication, and
authorization protocols.
In addition to digital safety measures, there are physical security measures as well.
Server racks are locked to prevent unauthorized access. Plus, data centers are surveilled
using security cameras.

Cooling and Power Devices

Let's look at the non-computing side of things now. Data centers require a lot of energy
to operate. They also generate a lot of heat, which has to be funneled and regulated
through effective ventilation. Cooling and power devices help in this regard. Examples of
these devices include air conditioners and cooling units.

Physical Server Racks

The servers — the backbone of a data center — have to sit somewhere. Their housing
units are called racks. These racks take up most of the space in the data center and can
store hundreds of servers depending on their size.

Cables and Internet

Lastly, data centers need the internet in order to connect to other remote locations. To
do this, they depend on cables for connectivity.

Data centers use cables of different sizes to connect the servers internally and to
external networks. The types of cables a center uses depend on how fast and how far
the data is required to travel.

Build better by considering infrastructure first

To house these components, companies need a large-scale building or compound to

keep the data safe. When constructing data centers, construction companies often face
challenges due to the complex nature of these projects.