Unit-1: Overview of Computing Paradigm: Recent trends in Computing, Grid Computing,

Cluster Computing, Distributed Computing, Utility Computing, Cloud Computing,

evolution of cloud computing, Business driver for adopting cloud computing. Cloud
Computing (NIST Model), History of Cloud Computing, Cloud service providers,
Properties, Characteristics & Disadvantages, Pros and Cons of Cloud Computing,
Benefits of Cloud Computing, Cloud computing vs. Cluster computing vs. Grid
computing, Role of Open Standards.

Unit-1: ​
Overview of Computing Paradigm
Definition of Computing Paradigms

●​ A computing paradigm refers to a fundamental approach or model

for performing computation, organizing data, designing systems of
higher levels, and solving problems using computers.

Characteristics of Computing Paradigms

●​ It encompasses the principles, techniques, methodologies, and

architectures that guide the design, development, and deployment of
computational systems.
●​ Computing paradigms can vary widely based on factors such as the
underlying hardware, programming models, and problem-solving
strategies.
●​ Each computing paradigm offers different advantages, trade-offs, and
suitability for specific types of problems and applications.
 ●​ The choice of paradigm depends on factors such as the nature of the
problem, performance requirements, scalability, and ease of
development.
●​ Many modern computing systems and applications combine multiple
paradigms to use their respective strengths and address complex
challenges.

Types of High-Performance Computing Paradigm

●​ High-performance computing (HPC) refers to the use of advanced

computing techniques and technologies to solve complex problems
and perform data-intensive tasks at speeds beyond what a
conventional computer could achieve.
●​ Different high-computing performance paradigms arise from various
methodologies, principles, and technologies used to solve complex
computational problems.
●​ Each computing paradigm has its strengths, weaknesses, and
specific use cases. The choice of use of a paradigm depends on the
nature of the problem to be solved, performance requirements, and
the available technology.
●​ There are some key computing paradigms are as follows:-

Recent Trends in Computing

Computing paradigms have evolved significantly over the years, shifting

from traditional standalone computing to distributed and cloud-based
solutions. The latest trends in computing include:
1. Cloud Computing

●​ Provides on-demand access to computing resources over the

internet.
●​ Offers services in IaaS (Infrastructure-as-a-Service), PaaS
(Platform-as-a-Service), and SaaS (Software-as-a-Service).
●​ Examples: AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud.

2. Edge Computing

●​ Moves computation closer to data sources (IoT devices, sensors) to

reduce latency.
●​ Used in real-time applications like autonomous vehicles and smart
cities.

3. Fog Computing

●​ Bridges the gap between cloud and edge computing.

●​ Improves efficiency for applications requiring low latency and
high-speed data processing.

4. Quantum Computing

●​ Uses quantum bits (qubits) to perform complex computations

exponentially faster than classical computers.
●​ Applications in cryptography, drug discovery, and optimization
problems.

5. Serverless Computing
 ●​ Allows developers to focus on code without managing infrastructure.
●​ Automatically scales based on demand.
●​ Example: AWS Lambda, Google Cloud Functions.

6. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) in Computing

●​ AI-powered cloud services enhance automation and data analytics.

●​ Machine learning models are increasingly trained on cloud platforms.

7. Blockchain Technology

●​ Provides a decentralized and secure computing model.

●​ Used in financial transactions, supply chain management, and smart
contracts.

8. Green Computing

●​ Focuses on energy-efficient and eco-friendly computing solutions.

●​ Companies aim to reduce carbon footprints by optimizing data center
power usage.

Grid Computing :​
Grid computing is defined as a type of computing where it is constitutes a
network of computers that work together to perform tasks that may be
difficult for a single machine to handle. All the computers on that network
work under the same umbrella and are termed as a virtual super computer.

The tasks they work on is of either high computing power and consist of
large data sets.​
All communication between the computer systems in grid computing is
done on the “data grid”.

The goal of grid computing is to solve more high computational problems

in less time and improve productivity.​

Cluster Computing :​
A cluster is a group of independent computers that work together to
perform the tasks given.​
Cluster computing is defined as a type of computing that consists of two or
more independent computers, referred to as nodes, that work together to
execute tasks as a single machine.

The goal of cluster computing is to increase the performance, scalability

and simplicity of the system.

As you can see in the below diagram, all the nodes, (irrespective of whether
they are a parent node or child node), act as a single entity to perform the
tasks.​

Distributed Computing :​
Distributed computing is defined as a type of computing where multiple
computer systems work on a single problem. Here all the computer
systems are linked together and the problem is divided into sub-problems
where each part is solved by different computer systems.​
The goal of distributed computing is to increase the performance and
efficiency of the system and ensure fault tolerance.​
In the below diagram, each processor has its own local memory and all the
processors communicate with each other over a network.​
Utility Computing : Utility computing is defined as the type of computing
where the service provider provides the needed resources and services to
the customer and charges them depending on the usage of these
resources as per requirement and demand, but not of a fixed rate.

Utility computing involves the renting of resources such as hardware,

software, etc. depending on the demand and the requirement.

The goal of utility computing is to increase the usage of resources and be

more cost-efficient.​
Cloud Computing : Cloud is defined as the usage of someone else’s server
to host, process or store data.​
Cloud computing is defined as the type of computing where it is the
delivery of on-demand computing services over the internet on a
pay-as-you-go basis. It is widely distributed, network-based and used for
storage.

There type of cloud are public, private, hybrid and community and some
cloud providers are Google cloud, AWS, Microsoft Azure and IBM cloud.​
 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.

Distributed Systems

Distributed System is a composition of multiple independent systems but

all of them are depicted as a single entity to the users. The purpose of
distributed systems is to share resources and also use them effectively and
efficiently. Distributed systems possess characteristics such as scalability,
concurrency, continuous availability, heterogeneity, and independence in
failures. But the main problem with this system was that all the systems
were required to be present at the same geographical location. Thus to
solve this problem, distributed computing led to three more types of
computing and they were-Mainframe computing, cluster computing, and
grid computing.

Mainframe Computing

Mainframes which first came into existence in 1951 are highly powerful
and reliable computing machines. These are responsible for handling large
data such as massive input-output operations. Even today these are used
for bulk processing tasks such as online transactions etc. These systems
have almost no downtime with high fault tolerance. After distributed
computing, these increased the processing capabilities of the system. But
these were very expensive. To reduce this cost, cluster computing came as
an alternative to mainframe technology.

Cluster Computing

In the 1980s, cluster computing came as an alternative to mainframe

computing. Each machine in the cluster was connected to each other by a
network with high bandwidth. These were way cheaper than those
mainframe systems. These were equally capable of high computations.
Also, new nodes could easily be added to the cluster if it was required.
Thus, the problem of the cost was solved to some extent but the problem
related to geographical restrictions still pertained. To solve this, the
concept of grid computing was introduced.

Grid Computing
In 1990s, the concept of grid computing was introduced. It means that
different systems were placed at entirely different geographical locations
and these all were connected via the internet. These systems belonged to
different organizations and thus the grid consisted of heterogeneous
nodes. Although it solved some problems but new problems emerged as
the distance between the nodes increased. The main problem which was
encountered was the low availability of high bandwidth connectivity and
with it other network associated issues. Thus. cloud computing is often
referred to as “Successor of grid computing”.

Virtualization

Virtualization was introduced nearly 40 years back. It refers to the process

of creating a virtual layer over the hardware which allows the user to run
multiple instances simultaneously on the hardware. It is a key technology
used in cloud computing. It is the base on which major cloud computing
services such as Amazon EC2, VMware vCloud, etc work on. Hardware
virtualization is still one of the most common types of virtualization.

Web 2.0

Web 2.0 is the interface through which the cloud computing services
interact with the clients. It is because of Web 2.0 that we have interactive
and dynamic web pages. It also increases flexibility among web pages.
Popular examples of web 2.0 include Google Maps, Facebook, Twitter, etc.
Needless to say, social media is possible because of this technology only. It
gained major popularity in 2004.
Service Orientation

A service orientation acts as a reference model for cloud computing. It

supports low-cost, flexible, and evolvable applications. Two important
concepts were introduced in this computing model. These were Quality of
Service (QoS) which also includes the SLA (Service Level Agreement) and
Software as a Service (SaaS).

Utility Computing

Utility Computing is a computing model that defines service provisioning

techniques for services such as compute services along with other major
services such as storage, infrastructure, etc which are provisioned on a
pay-per-use basis.

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
●​ Ransomware/Malware Protection
 ●​ Flexibility
●​ Reliability
●​ High Accessibility
●​ Scalable

Disadvantages of Cloud Computing

●​ Internet Dependency
●​ Issues in Security and Privacy
●​ Data Breaches
●​ Limitations on Control

Conclusion

In Conclusion cloud computing has become an important component of

modern IT infrastructure, offering excellent flexibility, scalability, and
efficiency. It has not only overcome the constraints of prior computing
models, but it has also created the path for new applications and services
that will keep advancing technological progress and economic growth.

Business Drivers in Cloud Computing

Business Driver :​
It is the interface or resource, and a process that is used for the growth and
success of the business. Every business has its own driver to which they
decide as per the circumstances. Business drivers are the key inputs that
drive a business operationally and financially. Businesses have been
motivated to adopt such business drivers to achieve organizational goals.
Example –​
Some common examples of business drivers are the quantity and price of the
products sold, units of production, number of enterprises, salespeople, etc.

Business Drivers in Cloud Computing :​

Business drivers have motivated organizations to adopt cloud computing to
meet and support the requirements of these drivers. They have also motivated
organizations to become providers of the cloud environment. There are three
types of Business Drivers as follows.

1.​ Capacity Planning

2.​ Cost Reduction
3.​ Organizational Agility

Capacity Planning :​
Capacity planning is the process in which an organization estimates the
production capacity needed for its products to cope with the ever-changing
demands in the market. This involves estimating the storage, infrastructure,
hardware and software, availability of resources, etc. for over a future period
of time. There are three major consideration’s incapacity planning as follows.

1.​ Level of Demand

2.​ Cost of Production
3.​ Availability of Funds

Other Strategy :​
Taking these considerations into account let us look at the different capacity
planning strategies that exist. Let’s discuss it one by one.
Lead Strategy –​
This is a strategy where the capacity is added beforehand in reference to a
future increase in demand. This strategy keeps the customers intact and
prevents competitors from luring them back in.

Lag Strategy – ​
This strategy is where the capacity is added only when it is required, that is,
only when the demand is observed and not based on anticipation. This
strategy is more conservative, as it reduces the risk of wastage but at the
same time, it can result in late delivery of goods if not planned outright.
Match Strategy – ​
This strategy is where small amounts of capacity are added gradually in
required intervals of time, keeping in mind the demand and the market
potential of the product. This strategy is said to improve performance in
heterogeneous environments and hybrid clouds.
Cost Reduction :​
Cost reduction is the process by which organizations reduce unnecessary
costs in order to increase their profits in the business. There is a direct
alignment between the cost and the growth of the company, which is why cost
reduction is an important factor in the organization’s productivity. The
maximum usage requirements should be kept in mind when dealing with the
performance of the organization.

Cost factor –​
Two costs should be taken into account as follows.

●​ The cost of acquiring new infrastructure.

 ●​ The cost of its ongoing ownership.

Tools and Techniques for cost reduction –​

There are the following tools and techniques that are used to reduce costs as
follows.

●​ Budgetary Control
●​ Standard Costing
●​ Simplification and Variety Reduction
●​ Planning and Control of Finance
●​ Cost-Benefit Analysis
●​ Value Analysis

Organizational Agility :​
Organization agility is the process by which an organization will adapt and
evolve to sudden changes caused by internal and external factors. It
measures how quickly an organization will get back on its feet, in the face of
problems. Agility requires stability, and for an organization to reach
organizational agility, it should build a stable foundation. In the IT field, one
should respond to business change by scaling its IT resources. If
infrastructure seems to be the problem, changing the business needs and
prioritizing as per the circumstances should be the solution.

Principles of Organizational Agility –​

The five principles of Organizational Agility are as follows.

1.​ Frame your problems properly

2.​ Limit Change
 3.​ Simplify Change
4.​ Subtract before you Add
5.​ Verify Outcomes

What Is the NIST’s Cloud Computing Definition and Model?

NIST’s cloud model (definition) is composed of:

●​ Five essential characteristics

●​ Three service models
●​ Four deployment models

NIST’s Five Characteristics of Cloud Computing

The five essential characteristics of a cloud service create the cloud

computing infrastructure. It includes a physical layer of hardware resources
and an abstraction layer, which consists of the software deployed across the
physical layer. These attributes are:

1. On-Demand Self-Service

Self-service means the cloud user can acquire the service independently,
without going through an IT department, call center, or other middleman. To
support self-service:

●​ The cloud provider must have an automated interface such as a web

portal or mobile app.
 ●​ The user should be able to access the interface at any time.
●​ The user should also be able to cancel the cloud service anytime.

2. Broad Network Access

The cloud service must be broadly available over the communication network.
Users should be able to access it from any location and on an
internet-enabled device.

3. Resource Pooling

Multiple customers share the cloud service resources in a multi-tenancy

model. This model does raise privacy and security concerns, so users must
protect their cloud data and assets by taking necessary security precautions.

4. Rapid Elasticity

Elasticity refers to the flexibility of the cloud service to scale up or down

automatically to meet the user’s needs. That allows the user to access the
right level and kind of resources, including processing power, memory,
network bandwidth, and storage, to accommodate the user’s varying
workloads.

5. Measured Service

A measured cloud service provides a metering capability that underpins the

provider’s pay-as-you-go pricing model. This model provides users with
greater transparency and control over their cloud costs.
What Is the NIST’s Cloud Computing Architecture Model?

NIST Special Publication 500-292 defines five distinct and significant roles
within a cloud computing model:

1.​ Cloud consumer

2.​ Cloud provider
3.​ Cloud auditor
4.​ Cloud broker
5.​ Cloud carrier

Discussing each of these roles in detail is beyond the scope of this article. We
can, however, briefly list the cloud providers and deployment models to
understand NIST’s perspective on the cloud computing architecture model.

Cloud Providers in the NIST Cloud Computing Reference

Architecture

NIST identifies three distinct cloud service provider categories:

1. Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)

In the SaaS model, the cloud provider manages the underlying software and IT
infrastructure. Users access the SaaS offering via a web browser. Local
installation is not required, and organizations don’t have to worry about
managing data centers, IT operations, or maintenance.

Some famous examples of SaaS applications include:

 ●​ Amazon Web Services (AWS)
●​ Salesforce
●​ Microsoft Office 365
●​ Google applications (G-Suite), including Gmail
●​ Dropbox
●​ SAP
●​ Adobe Creative Cloud

2. Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS)

PaaS provides a powerful development platform with programming

languages, web-based APIs, and processes that allow software developers to
create cloud-based applications. The PaaS provider fully manages the
underlying infrastructure and automatically configures infrastructure
resources across user-created environments.

Some popular PaaS providers include:

●​ AWS Elastic Beanstalk

●​ Oracle Cloud Platform (OCP)
●​ Google App Engine
●​ Microsoft Azure
●​ Red Hat OpenShift PaaS

3. Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS)
Users can rent the cloud IT infrastructure, such as servers, networking, and
storage, from an IaaS provider on a pay-as-you-go basis, so the user doesn’t
incur the cost of on-premises installation or maintenance.

Examples of popular IaaS providers include:

●​ AWS EC2
●​ Google Compute Engine
●​ DigitalOcean
●​ Microsoft Azure

NIST Models for Deployment

The NIST cloud computing definition includes four cloud deployment models
representing four types of cloud environments. Users can choose the model
with features and capabilities best suited to their needs.

1. Private Cloud

A private cloud is a single-tenant environment provisioned by a single

organization.

Security is one of the most significant benefits of a private cloud; the

company’s data cannot be accessed by anyone other than its authorized
users. That’s why the private cloud is a good choice for organizations whose
data or assets are too valuable or sensitive to put on a public cloud and for
firms aiming for HIPAA or PCI DSS compliance.
Some private cloud providers are:

●​ VMWare
●​ Dell
●​ Oracle
●​ IBM
●​ Microsoft
●​ Cisco
●​ AWS

2. Public Cloud

In this multi-tenant deployment model, the cloud service provider owns the
cloud. The underlying resources are shared by multiple customers who pay for
the resources they use on a pay-as-you-use basis.

The provider owns, controls, and protects the data security requirements of
different customers. It is also responsible for administration, maintenance,
troubleshooting, capacity planning, and data backups.

As of the fourth quarter of 2023, the top three public cloud providers are AWS,
Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud, which own 31, 24, and 11 percent of the
market share, respectively. Other up-and-coming public cloud providers
include:

●​ Alibaba Cloud
●​ IBM
 ●​ DigitalOcean
●​ Dell
●​ Adobe

3. Hybrid Cloud

In a hybrid cloud, the infrastructure comprises two or more distinct public or

private clouds bound together by technology-supporting data and application
portability. This deployment model provides greater flexibility, portability, and
scalability than the others.

Examples of hybrid cloud providers include:

●​ AWS VPC
●​ EMC
●​ BMC
●​ F5
●​ NetApp

4. Community Cloud

Users from organizations with shared concerns use a community cloud. This
multi-tenant platform allows multiple companies or special interest user
groups to collaborate securely on projects or research.

Community clouds are expected in government, healthcare, and education for

use cases such as:
 ●​ Customer service
●​ Partner relationship management
●​ Channel sales
●​ Dealer contract renewals
●​ Employee engagement
●​ Collaboration and business decision-making

NIST Models for Orchestration

The NIST cloud computing definition provides a view on orchestration as a key

architectural component to describe how different cloud providers interact at
each layer of the cloud infrastructure, namely:

Service Layer

Determines the services made available depending on the Cloud Provider type
(SaaS, PaaS, or IaaS)

Resources Layer

Abstract the data and the allocation of resources among the different cloud
providers.

Physical Layer

Define the interaction between actual endpoints and devices across these
providers.
NIST Models for Management

NIST defines management as another critical architectural component and

describes it in three different categories:

1.​ Interoperability: defines the management, security, and accessibility of

information across different formats
2.​ Provisioning: defines the adherence of service-level agreements
between different cloud service models
3.​ Support: defines accountability and reporting of capacity and availability
across the different cloud service models

The Importance of NIST Cloud Security Standards

NIST’s comprehensive definition of cloud computing allows organizations to

evaluate and compare various cloud services and deployment models more
effectively. By understanding this definition, businesses can better appreciate
the transformative benefits of cloud technology, implement robust security
controls and compliance best practices outlined by NIST, and be empowered
to make well-informed investments in cloud resources.

Adhering to NIST’s cloud security guidelines is crucial for organizations

operating in regulated industries, such as federal agencies, where information
security and risk management are paramount.

Conducting thorough risk assessments and implementing strong access

control measures can fortify an organization’s information systems against
potential vulnerabilities and assure compliance with regulations such as the
Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) and the
Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA).

NIST’s guidance extends beyond mere compliance. It enables organizations to

establish comprehensive incident response protocols and foster a culture of
continuous improvement by adopting frameworks including the NIST
Cybersecurity Framework (CSF).

By embracing NIST’s best practices, businesses can unlock the full potential
of secure and cost-effective cloud computing solutions while maintaining a
steadfast commitment to data protection and operational resilience.

History of Cloud Computing

In this, we will cover the basic overview of cloud computing. And you will
see mainly our focus on history of cloud computing and will cover the
history of client server computing, distributed computing, and cloud
computing. Let’s discuss it one by one.

Cloud Computing :​
Cloud Computing referred as the accessing and storing of data and provide
services related to computing over the internet. It simply referred as it
remote services on the internet manage and access data online rather than
any local drives. The data can be anything like images, videos, audios,
documents, files etc.
Cloud Computing Service Provider’s : ​
Cloud computing is in huge demand so, big organization providing the
service like Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, Alibaba cloud
etc. are some Cloud Computing service Provider.

History of Cloud Computing :​

In this, we will discuss the history of Cloud computing. And also cover the
history of client server computing, distributed computing, and cloud
computing.

●​ Before Computing was come into existence, client Server

Architecture was used where all the data and control of client
resides in Server side. If a single user want to access some data,
firstly user need to connect to the server and after that user will
get appropriate access. But it has many disadvantages. So, After
Client Server computing, Distributed Computing was come into
 existence, in this type of computing all computers are networked
together with the help of this, user can share their resources when
needed. It also has certain limitations. So in order to remove
limitations faced in distributed system, cloud computing was
emerged.

●​ During 1961, John MacCharty delivered his speech at MIT that

“Computing Can be sold as a Utility, like Water and Electricity.”
According to John MacCharty it was a brilliant idea. But people at
that time don’t want to adopt this technology. They thought the
technology they are using efficient enough for them. So, this
concept of computing was not appreciated much so and very less
will research on it. But as the time fleet the technology caught the
idea after few years this idea is implemented. So, this is
implemented by Salesforce.com in 1999. ​
 ●​ This company started delivering an enterprise application over the
internet and this way the boom of Cloud Computing was started.​

●​ In 2002, Amazon started Amazon Web Services (AWS), Amazon

will provide storage, computation over the internet. In 2006
Amazon will launch Elastic Compute Cloud Commercial Service
which is open for Everybody to use.​

●​ After that in 2009, Google Play also started providing Cloud

Computing Enterprise Application as other companies will see the
emergence of cloud Computing they also started providing their
cloud services. Thus, in 2009, Microsoft launch Microsoft Azure
and after that other companies like Alibaba, IBM, Oracle, HP also
introduces their Cloud Services. In today the Cloud Computing
become very popular and important skill.

Advantages :

●​ It is easier to get backup in cloud.

●​ It allows us easy and quick access stored information anywhere
and anytime.
●​ It allows us to access data via mobile.
●​ It reduces both hardware ad Software cost, and it is easily
maintainable.
 ●​ One of the biggest advantage of Cloud Computing is Database
Security.

Disadvantages :

●​ It requires good internet connection.

●​ User have limited control on the data.

Cloud Service Providers​

Cloud Service Providers The cloud service providers are also called as
service vendors. A vendor that provides IT solutions and/or services to end
users and organizations. This broad term incorporates all IT businesses
that provide products and solutions through services that are on-demand,
pay per use or a hybrid delivery model. Service vendors incorporate all the
IT businesses that provide products and solutions through services that are
on-demand, pay-per-use or a hybrid delivery model.A service provider's
delivery model generally differs from conventional IT product
manufacturers or developers. Typically, a service provider does not require
purchase of an IT product by a user or organization.A service provider
builds, operates and manages these IT products, which are bundled and
delivered as a service/solution. In turn, a customer accesses this type of
solution from a service provider via several different sourcing models, such
as a monthly or annual subscription fee.

Different Service Providers Figure 10:

• Hosting Service Provider- A type of Internet hosting service that allows
individuals and organizations to make their website accessible via the
World Wide Web. Web host companies provide space on a server owned or
leased for use by clients, as well as providing Internet connectivity, typically
in a data center.

• Cloud Service Provider- Offer cloud-based services

• Storage Service Provider- A Storage service provider (SSP) is any

company that provides computer storage space and related management
services. SSPs also offer periodic backup and archiving.
• Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) Provider- SaaS providers allow the users to
connect to and use cloud-based apps over the Internet. Common examples
are email, calendaring and office tools (such as Microsoft Office 365).

Cloud service provider can be a third-party company offering a cloud-based

platform, infrastructure, application, or storage services. Much like a
homeowner would pay for a utility such as electricity or gas, companies
typically have to pay only for the amount of cloud services they use, as
business demands require. The cloud services can reduce business
process costs when compared to on-premise IT. Such services are
managed by the Cloud Service Provider (CSPs). CSP provide all the
resources needed for the application and hence the company needs not to
worry about resource allocation. Cloud services can dynamically scale up
based on users’ needs. CSP companies establish public clouds, manage
private clouds, or offer on-demand cloud computing components (also
known as cloud computing services) like IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS.

Cloud Service Providers are helpful way to access computing services that
you would otherwise have to provide on your own, such as:

• Infrastructure: The foundation of every computing environment. This

infrastructure could include networks, database services, data
management, data storage (known in this context as cloud storage),
servers (cloud is the basis for serverless computing), and virtualization.
• Platforms: Tools needed to create and deploy applications. These
platforms could include operating systems, middleware, and runtime
environments.

• Software: Ready-to-use applications. This software could be custom or

standard applications provided by independent service providers.

What Is 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.

The following are some of the Operations that can be performed with Cloud
Computing

●​ Storage, backup, and recovery of data

●​ Delivery of software on demand
●​ Development of new applications and services
●​ Streaming videos and audio

Characteristics Of Cloud Computing

The following are the characterisitics of Cloud Computing:

1.​ Scalability: With Cloud hosting, it is easy to grow and shrink the
number and size of servers based on the need. This is done by
 either increasing or decreasing the resources in the cloud. This
ability to alter plans due to fluctuations in business size and needs
is a superb benefit of cloud computing, especially when
experiencing a sudden growth in demand.
2.​ Save Money: An advantage of cloud computing is the reduction in
hardware costs. Instead of purchasing in-house equipment,
hardware needs are left to the vendor. For companies that are
growing rapidly, new hardware can be large, expensive, and
inconvenient. Cloud computing alleviates these issues because
resources can be acquired quickly and easily. Even better, the cost
of repairing or replacing equipment is passed to the vendors.
Along with purchase costs, off-site hardware cuts internal power
costs and saves space. Large data centers can take up precious
office space and produce a large amount of heat. Moving to cloud
applications or storage can help maximize space and significantly
cut energy expenditures.
3.​ Reliability: Rather than being hosted on one single instance of a
physical server, hosting is delivered on a virtual partition that
draws its resource, such as disk space, from an extensive network
of underlying physical servers. If one server goes offline it will have
no effect on availability, as the virtual servers will continue to pull
resources from the remaining network of servers.
4.​ Physical Security: The underlying physical servers are still housed
within data centers and so benefit from the security measures that
 those facilities implement to prevent people from accessing or
disrupting them on-site.
5.​ Outsource Management: When you are managing the business,
Someone else manages your computing infrastructure. You do not
need to worry about management as well as degradation.

Advantages of Cloud Computing

The following are main advantages of Cloud Computing:

1.​ Cost Efficiency: Cloud Computing provides flexible pricing to the

users with the principal pay-as-you-go model. It helps in lessening

capital expenditures of Infrastructure, particularly for small and
medium-sized businesses companies.
2.​ Flexibility and Scalability: Cloud services facilitate the scaling of

resources based on demand. It ensures the efficiency of

businesses in handling various workloads without the need for
large amounts of investments in hardware during the periods of
low demand.
3.​ Collaboration and Accessibility: Cloud computing provides easy

access to data and applications from anywhere over the internet.

This encourages collaborative team participation from different
locations through shared documents and projects in real-time
resulting in quality and productive outputs.
 4.​ Automatic Maintenance and Updates: AWS Cloud takes care of the

infrastructure management and keeping with the latest software

automatically making updates they is new versions. Through this,
AWS guarantee the companies always having access to the
newest technologies to focus completely on business operations
and innvoations.

Disadvantages Of Cloud Computing

The following are the main disadvantages of Cloud Computing:

1.​ Security Concerns: Storing of sensitive data on external servers

raised more security concerns which is one of the main drawbacks

of cloud computing.
2.​ Downtime and Reliability: Even though cloud services are usually

dependable, they may also have unexpected interruptions and

downtimes. These might be raised because of server problems,
Network issues or maintenance disruptions in Cloud providers
which negative effect on business operations, creating issues for
users accessing their apps.
3.​ Dependency on Internet Connectivity: Cloud computing services

heavily rely on Internet connectivity. For accessing the cloud

resources the users should have a stable and high-speed internet
connection for accessing and using cloud resources. In regions
with limited internet connectivity, users may face challenges in
accessing their data and applications.
 4.​ Cost Management Complexity: The main benefit of cloud services

is their pricing model that coming with Pay as you go but it also
leads to cost management complexities. On without proper careful
monitoring and utilization of resources optimization, Organizations
may end up with unexpected costs as per their use scale.
Understanding and Controlled usage of cloud services requires
ongoing attention.

Cloud Computing Defined and its Benefits

Cloud computing provides many advantages for businesses. The benefits

are so great that companies should seriously consider moving their
operations to the cloud. However, some organizations still use outdated
methods because they don’t fully understand these benefits.

Accessibility Anywhere, With Any Device

Cloud computing allows employees to access work files from anywhere,

using any device. This is useful for companies with multiple offices in
different cities or countries. It also benefits customers, as they can log in
and check their information at any time. This ensures that everyone always
has the most up-to-date information, whether in the office or on the go.

Ability to Get Rid of Most or All Hardware and Software

With cloud computing, businesses don’t need to buy and maintain

expensive equipment like servers, cables, and backup systems. Instead, the
cloud provider manages everything for a monthly fee. This helps
businesses save money and reduce maintenance hassles.

Centralized Data Security

Cloud computing stores all data backups in secure data centers. This
removes the need for employees or teams to keep their own backups. If
data is lost due to an accident or disaster, the cloud provider can restore it
from another copy.

Cloud providers also offer strong security features like data encryption and
two-factor authentication, making cloud storage much safer than storing
data on personal computers or office servers.

Higher Performance and Availability

Cloud computing works faster than traditional business servers because it

combines multiple computing resources. It improves the speed of
processing data and increases system performance.

Cloud services also ensure high availability, meaning businesses

experience little to no downtime. Cloud providers take care of system
updates, security fixes, and software improvements automatically, so
users don’t have to worry about these tasks.

Quick Application Deployment

Businesses often need new software quickly to keep up with changes. With
cloud computing, they can install and start using applications immediately
without waiting for IT teams to set up servers or hardware.

Cloud providers also offer a variety of services that support different types
of cloud infrastructure, making it easier for businesses to find the right
solution.

Instant Business Insights

Cloud-based platforms provide access to real-time data as soon as it is

collected. This helps businesses make faster and smarter decisions. They
can also analyze past data to predict future trends and improve planning.

Business Continuity

Disasters or unexpected events can disrupt business operations. Cloud

computing helps companies recover quickly by providing unlimited storage
and remote access to important files and applications. Businesses can
continue working from anywhere, even during emergencies.

Price-Performance and Cost Savings

Switching to the cloud requires an initial investment, but businesses save a

lot of money in the long run. They don’t need to buy and maintain expensive
servers or local data centers.
Cloud providers offer flexible pricing, so businesses can try cloud services
before fully committing. This allows them to scale up or down based on
their needs without wasting money on unused resources.

Virtualized Computing

Cloud computing allows businesses to instantly increase their computing

power when needed. This means they can handle sudden increases in
demand without downtime.

Companies can expand their operations easily without hiring more staff or
investing in new hardware. This flexibility makes cloud computing perfect
for growing businesses.

Cloud Computing is Greener

Cloud computing is more environmentally friendly than traditional IT

systems. Moving to the cloud helps businesses reduce energy
consumption and carbon emissions by up to 90%.

Instead of running their own servers, companies can use cloud-based

services to access applications and data from any device with an internet
connection. This helps reduce waste and promotes sustainable business
practices.

Difference between Cloud computing, Cluster computing and

Grid computing
Overview

In this tutorial, we’ll discuss cloud, grid, and cluster in networking.

Furthermore, we’ll present the core differences between them.

Cloud

A cloud is a network of servers hosted or managed by an external

company. In order to access a cloud service, we typically utilize a website or
application. Additionally, the website or application connects us to the
information or services not present in the local system.

Data centers run a cloud service that is shared among many users. Hence,
we don’t need to purchase hardware or software when using a cloud service.
Furthermore, data is stored in a central location accessible from any device.
We primarily access cloud services through the Internet, but a virtual private
network can also be used.

The most common cloud service is cloud computing. Using could computing,
a company rents out server space, bandwidth, and other resources from a
third-party vendor to fulfill the business requirement. Furthermore, cloud
computing includes servers, storage, databases, and software available
over the Internet. Additionally, it enhances efficiency, reduces operational
cost, and accelerate execution speed.

Let’s take a look at the cloud computing architecture:

Several clients can simultaneously access different services, storage, and
applications via the Internet.

Grid

A grid is a distributed computing architecture that connects a network of

computers to form an on-demand robust network. A network of computers
utilizes grid computing to solve complex problems. Furthermore, it makes sure
a business or organization runs smoothly. Additionally, it uses many
computers in different locations. These computers are connected to complete
a specific task or process.

The computers in a grid work together to perform a task. Additionally, each

computer performs a part of the task. When a computer finishes a part of the
task, it passes the rest of the work on to another computer. Further, grid
computing contains a large number of servers and computers. Moreover, each
of them executes independently. Let’s take a look at the grid computing
architecture:
The significant difference between cloud and grid computing is that grid
computing solves complicated tasks, but cloud computing provides
users access to some particular services at a low cost.

Cluster

A cluster is a network topology containing two or more computers

connected to each other. Furthermore, a local network connects the
computers or nodes on the cluster. Generally, we place all the nodes in the
same location in a cluster. Additionally, it follows centralized architecture.

The cluster can work with any operating system or architecture. Additionally,
the nodes on the cluster can be synchronous or asynchronous.
Synchronous nodes share data at the same time. Asynchronous nodes send
data out at different times.

The nodes in a cluster can be both synchronous and asynchronous, but it

depends on the type of cluster. Clusters differ from clouds as clusters contain
two or more computer systems connected to the cluster head node, acting like
a single system. On the other hand, a cloud includes servers, storage, and
databases ready to use over the Internet:

Differences

Now let’s take a look at the core differences between grid, cloud, and cluster:

Cloud Grid Cluster

Consolidation of Segregation of resources Aggregation of resources
resources

Single system Collection of systems Group of nodes that are

made up of many that act together like a connected to each other
systems single system

Works with Works with different All the connected

different hardware hardware and OS systems should have
and OS same OS and hardware

Follows centralized Follows distributed Follows centralized

architecture architecture architecture

Suffers from a All the nodes work Suffers from a single

single point of independently, hence no point of failure
failure single point of failure

The owners have The owners have full Have no owners, and
less control over control and management each node works
the systems on the over the grid’s systems independently
cloud

Job execution is Scalability of execution The scheduling of jobs

self-managed allows for the transfer of affects execution. Jobs,
a job’s execution to an therefore, wait until
available processor their designated
runtime
Used in Dropbox, Used in simulations, Used in web servers,
Gmail automations search engines

Conclusion

In this tutorial, we presented the general idea of cloud, grid, and cluster from a
computer networking perspective. Additionally, we explored the core
differences between them.

Role of Open Standards in Cloud Computing

Open standards play a crucial role in cloud computing by ensuring

interoperability, flexibility, and security across different cloud platforms.
They help organizations avoid vendor lock-in, improve system compatibility,
and enhance collaboration between cloud providers and users. Here are
some key roles of open standards in cloud computing:

1. Interoperability

●​ Open standards allow different cloud services, applications, and

platforms to work together seamlessly.
●​ Businesses can easily move workloads between different cloud
providers without compatibility issues.

2. Avoiding Vendor Lock-in

●​ Proprietary cloud solutions often make it difficult to switch providers.

 ●​ Open standards enable businesses to migrate between cloud
services without being restricted to one vendor.

3. Improved Security and Compliance

●​ Open standards ensure that cloud services follow industry best

practices for data security and privacy.
●​ Standards like OAuth, SSL/TLS, and ISO/IEC 27001 help protect
cloud-based data and applications.

4. Better Integration and Customization

●​ Open standards allow businesses to integrate multiple cloud-based

services without needing expensive custom solutions.
●​ They provide flexibility to develop and modify cloud applications
based on specific business needs.

5. Cost Efficiency

●​ Open standards reduce costs by eliminating the need for proprietary

software and custom integrations.
●​ Companies can adopt open-source cloud solutions like OpenStack,
Kubernetes, and Cloud Foundry to lower expenses.

6. Support for Hybrid and Multi-Cloud Environments

●​ Many businesses use a combination of public, private, and hybrid

clouds.
●​ Open standards make it easier to manage and integrate multiple
cloud environments effectively.
7. Encouraging Innovation

●​ Open standards promote collaboration among developers and cloud

providers.
●​ They enable faster adoption of emerging technologies like AI, IoT,
and blockchain in cloud computing.

Common Open Standards in Cloud Computing

●​ OpenStack – Open-source cloud infrastructure for managing virtual

machines and storage.
●​ Kubernetes – Open-source platform for automating containerized
applications.
●​ Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) Standards – Best practices for cloud
security.
●​ OAuth & OpenID Connect – Secure authentication and authorization
protocols.

Conclusion

Open standards are essential for ensuring that cloud computing remains
flexible, secure, and cost-effective. They help businesses integrate, scale,
and innovate without being limited by proprietary technologies. By adopting
open standards, organizations can take full advantage of the cloud while
maintaining control, security, and interoperability.