Mod 1.

2 - Cloud computing
 Using and sharing resources and services over the Internet
 Uses
o Storing files online and using programs that run servers on the internet
o Most of the time paying a subscription fee
o Accessing computing resources or software

 ‘In the cloud’ – when data is processed on the internet

 Virtual memory – Area of storage the OS keeps for its own use
 Virtualisation – splitting resources of powerful machines and combining them to make a
powerful service
o Looks like it made of a single computer but is a Virtual Machine
 As long as you have an Internet connection
o Data can be accessed from any location, the data and processing power is always
accessible
o You will need a fast and reliable connection
o It doesn’t matter what device you use
o Physical location of where data is stored doesn’t matter
o You will need to pay a fee in order to access certain services and resources
o The size of storage and processing power are scalable. They expand according to
your needs

Examples of cloud computing

Online storage – File syncing

 File services used to store files on the internet
 E.g. Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive and iCloud
 Need to indicate which files on your computer should be synced with the ones on the
internet
o Can access the files from any device
o Can be shared with other users
o Acts like a backup
 Can include a web interface and a custom app that works with your device
o Very useful
o Automatically synchronises your selected files
o Wouldn’t want to install it on public devices
 Can be accessed by anyone

 Charges
o Most services have limited online storage which is free
o Any extra storage can be used after subscribing to the service
 Online storage – backup

 Meant for having data that is copied and used when previous data being worked on is
corrupted
 E.g. Carbonite, Acronis, CrashPlan…
 Not meant to be accessed frequently, like when syncing files
 More secure than syncing services
o Data can be encrypted/decrypted

 How it works
o Selected folders are backed up to your drive
o Any files with changes made are saved as duplicate copies online
 Requires more storage than syncing, less data traffic used
 More file versions available

 Charges
o Most backup services charge per user/computer used than per size of backup

Media repositories

 Repository – Safe storage locations online

 e.g. Amazon, iTunes
 Media stores provide cloud access to media you’ve bought
o No need to be carried on portable storage
o More popular in countries where internet connections are cheaper/faster than in
South Africa
 Major difference between Backup and File syncing
o A copy of the file is stored online and can only be accessed by users that have access
to this file (after purchasing it)
o Multiple copies of the file are not made for individual users that have the same file

 Charges
o There is usually an annual fee with extra charges for special features

Cloud applications

 Software where most of the processing is done ‘in the cloud’

o By one or more servers on the Internet
 e.g. Facebook, Gmail
  Some can have an installable front-end ‘interface’ that is stored and run locally on your
device, or run as a web page
 Google Docs, Office 365 and iWork
o Office suits that can be run online from any machine
 Provided you have a browser and internet connection
 Charges
o Google Docs is free, iWork is free if you have an AppleID, Office 365 needs you to
pay a subscription fee

 123D Catch
o Allows you to take photos of a real-world object and convert it into a 3D digital
object for use in 3D software
 Microsoft Photosynth
o Allows multiple photos taken at different angles, at the same location, to be stitched
and made into a pan-able, zoom-able, mega- panorama/3D view of the scene
 These services use powerful online servers that do high processing power

 General Business Apps

o Custom written apps to suit a business’s specific needs
o CRM, HR, accounting software
o Available as cloud-based applications or off-the-shelf solutions

Software as a service (SaaS)

 Renting software instead of buying a license forever

 Deals with how you pay for the software than its use
 SaaS gives you the right to use the most up-to-date version of a program as long as you pay
for a monthly subscription fee
o Cloud-based apps
 Software runs on remote servers. All that is needed is a fast internet
connection and to pay the subscription fee
 The service stops working when you don’t pay the subscription fee
 e.g. non-free cloud-based apps, Salesforce…

o Downloadable, locally installed apps

 Renting software is cheaper than buying new versions of the software
 You only need internet to check you’ve paid the monthly fee and to
download and install updates
 Data and software use are stored offline locally
 e.g. Adobe Creative Cloud and Office 365

o Integrated products
  Combination of cloud-based software and locally installed software
 e.g. Office 365
 Can be installed on many devices
 Cloud versions can be used on any computer with a browser
 Documents can be accessed locally or in the cloud
o SaaS in gaming
 MMORPGs (Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games)
 Run locally but you play online
 You may need to pay a monthly subscription fee

How cloud computing affects hardware needs

 Local hardware doesn’t need large amounts of storage or processing power

 Desktop can have the same computing power as a mobile device
 It is important to have a fast, stable and reliable broadband connection
 You may pay less for hardware but will pay more for subscriptions and internet connections

Cloud computing and virtualisation

 Cloud computing relies completely on virtualisation technologies

 Cloud services do the following
o Resources of a powerful server computer, large NAS (Network Attached Storage),
are shared between multiple users
o Combine the recourses of many machines to make a powerful service that seem like
a single machine
 Depending on the consumer both virtualisation technologies may be done

Risks and benefits of cloud computing

 Data is in risk of being lost when the company goes out of business, you may get a warning
 Make use of good security to protect data from hackers
 Make use of good backup policies
 Not have more customers than their resources can handle

 Cloud computing is only available if

o There is a good internet connection
o The providing company exists
o you keep paying the rent

 SLA – Service Level Agreement

o An agreement when one party provides a service to another
 Scalability
o The ability to increase or decrease in size and power quickly and efficiently
o When traffic increases, your ‘virtual server’ is provided with extra processors,
bandwidth and memory to prevent anything from crashing
o When the traffic gets back to normal the ‘virtual servers’ go back to using only part
of the processing power
o You can be charged more for using more power
 Ubiquity (anywhere/anytime)
o As long as you have an internet connection, you can perform cloud computing
anywhere at anytime
 Enables collaboration
o Multiple people can access and work with the same machine from any location
 Outsources maintenance and upgrades of hardware
o Costs and services for support staff to manage hardware are significantly reduced
 Outsources software installation and upgrades
o Installation and upgrades of the software are managed by the service provider
o Costs and time to upgrade software are no longer needed
o All users are updated at the same time with the same version
o No need to buy download and install updates