Cloud Computing and Infrastructure.

This is simply the communication and linking of servers, storage, databases, networking, analytics
and intelligence over the internet. Basically this is referred to as cloud computing. It is used to offer
flexible resources and also faster innovation. Cloud services are typically paid for and this helps you
lower your operation costs, run your infrastructure more efficiently and also scale as your business
needs change. With all this being said cloud infrastructure is the joining together of components
needed for cloud computing and these include hardware components, abstracted resources, storage
and network resources.

How does cloud Infrastructure works?

Cloud infrastructure consists of several components, each integrated with one another into a single
architecture supporting business operations. A typical solution may be composed of hardware,
virtualization, storage, and networking components. As a term, cloud infrastructure can be used to
describe a complete cloud computing system once all the pieces are put together as well as the
individual technologies themselves.

Components of Cloud Infrastructure.

 Hardware - A cloud network is made up of a variety of physical hardware that can be located
at multiple geographical locations. The hardware includes networking equipment, like
switches, routers, firewalls, and load balancers, storage arrays, backup devices, and servers.
For this connection to happen the above listed hardware components are required.
Virtualization connects the servers together, dividing and abstracting resources to make
them accessible to users.

 Storage - Within a single data centre, data may be stored across many disks in a single
storage array. Storage management ensures data is correctly being backed up, that outdated
backups are removed regularly, and that data is indexed for retrieval in case any storage
component fails. When storage is turned into a cloud resource, you can add or remove
drives, repurpose hardware, and respond to change without manually provisioning separate
storage servers for every new initiative.

 Network - The network is composed of physical wires, switches, routers, and other
equipment. Virtual networks are created on top of these physical resources. A typical cloud
network configuration is composed of multiple subnetworks, each with varying levels of
visibility. The cloud permits the creation of virtual local area networks (VLANs) and assigns
static and/or dynamic addresses as needed for all network resources. The cloud resources
 are delivered to users over a network, such as the internet or an intranet, so you can
access cloud services or apps remotely on demand. E.g. A big organisation can connect of
their computers in different cities with branches in Gweru, Bulawayo and Victoria Falls to
their Headquarters in Harare through a VLAN network.

Types of Cloud Computing.

 Public clouds – These are owned and operated by a third-party cloud service providers,
which deliver their computing resources, like servers and storage, over the Internet.
Dandemutande and Liquid Telecoms are examples of a public cloud hosting companies here
in Zimbabwe. With a public cloud, all hardware, software, and other supporting
infrastructure is owned and managed by the cloud provider. You access these services and
manage your account using a web browser. Learn more about the public cloud.

 Private cloud - It refers to cloud computing resources used exclusively by a single business or
organization. A private cloud can be physically located on the company’s on-site data centre.
Some companies also pay third-party service providers to host their private cloud. A private
cloud is one in which the services and infrastructure are maintained on a private network.
Learn more about the private cloud.

 Hybrid clouds – It is a combination of public and private clouds, joined together by

Uses of Cloud Computing.

 Analyse data -Unify your data across teams, divisions, and locations in the cloud. Then use
cloud services, such as machine learning and artificial intelligence, to uncover insights for
more informed decisions.
  Store, back up and recover data – This helps you protect your data more cost efficiently and
at massive scale by transferring your data over the Internet to an offsite cloud storage
system that’s accessible from any location and any device.

 Test and build applications - Reduce application development cost and time by using cloud
infrastructures that can easily be scaled up or down.

Types of Cloud Services

Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) - The most basic category of cloud computing services. With IaaS,
you rent IT infrastructure—servers and virtual machines (VMs), storage, networks, operating
systems—from a cloud provider on a pay-as-you-go basis. This is mostly the hosting part of the cloud
services.

Platform as a service (PaaS) - Platform as a service refers to cloud computing services that supply an
on-demand environment for developing, testing, delivering, and managing software applications.
PaaS is designed to make it easier for developers to quickly create web or mobile apps, without
worrying about setting up or managing the underlying infrastructure of servers, storage, network,
and databases needed for development. This is mostly the building part of the cloud services.

Software as a service (SaaS) - Software as a service is a method for delivering software applications
over the Internet, on demand and typically on a subscription basis. With SaaS, cloud providers host
and manage the software application and underlying infrastructure, and handle any maintenance,
like software upgrades and security patching. Users connect to the application over the Internet,
usually with a web browser on their phone, tablet, or PC.
Serverless computing - Overlapping with PaaS, serverless computing focuses on building app
functionality without spending time continually managing the servers and infrastructure required to
do so. The cloud provider handles the setup, capacity planning, and server management for you.
Serverless architectures are highly scalable and event-driven, only using resources when a specific
function or trigger occurs.

Top Benefit of Cloud Services.

Cloud computing and infrastructure is a big shift from the traditional way most organisation think
about IT resources in business. Below are some of the benefits of cloud services to organisations.

 Security - Many cloud providers offer a broad set of policies, technologies, and controls that
strengthen your security posture overall, helping protect your data, apps, and infrastructure
from potential threats.
 Reliability - Cloud computing makes data backup, disaster recovery, and business continuity
easier and less expensive because data can be mirrored at multiple redundant sites on the
cloud provider’s network.
 Speed - Most cloud computing services are provided self service and on demand, so even
vast amounts of computing resources can be provisioned in minutes, typically with just a few
mouse clicks, giving businesses a lot of flexibility and taking the pressure off capacity
planning.
 Cost - Cloud computing eliminates the capital expense of buying hardware and software and
setting up and running on-site data centres the racks of servers, the round-the-clock
electricity for power and cooling, and the IT experts for managing the infrastructure. It adds
up fast.
 Performance - The biggest cloud computing services run on a worldwide network of secure
data centres, which are regularly upgraded to the latest generation of fast and efficient
computing hardware. This offers several benefits over a single corporate data centre,
including reduced network latency for applications and greater economies of scale.
 Productivity - On-site data centres typically require a lot of “racking and stacking” hardware
setup, software patching, and other time-consuming IT management chores. Cloud
computing removes the need for many of these tasks, so IT teams can spend time on
achieving more important business goals.