Understanding Cloud Computing
Provider clouds provide increased capabilities for heavily utilized systems and networks.
Software as a Service (SaaS) includes web-based applications such as web-based email.
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) provides hardware resources via the cloud. It can help an
organization limit the size of their hardware footprint and reduce personnel costs.
Platform as a Service (PaaS) provides an easy-to-configure operating system and on-demand
computing for customers.
Physical control of data is a key security control an organization loses with cloud computing.
Software as a Service
Software as a Service (SaaS) includes any software or application provided to users over a
network such as the Internet. Internet users access the SaaS applications with a web browser. It
usually doesn’t matter which web browser or operating system a SaaS customer uses. They could be
using Internet Explorer, Chrome, Firefox, or just about any web browser.
As mentioned previously, web-based email is an example of SaaS. This includes Gmail, Yahoo!
Mail, and others. The service provides all the components of email to users via a simple web
browser.
If you have a Gmail account, you can also use Google Docs, another example of SaaS. Google
Docs provides access to several SaaS applications, allowing users to open text documents,
spreadsheets, presentations, drawings, and PDF files through a web browser.
A talented developer named Lee Graham and I teamed up to create CertApps.com to create study
materials. He’s an Apple guy running a Mac while I’m a Microsoft guy running Windows, and we live
in different states. However, we post and share documents through Google Docs and despite different
locations and different applications running on our individual systems, we’re able to easily
collaborate. One risk is that our data is hosted on Google Docs, and if attackers hack into Google
Docs, our data may be compromised.
A specialized version of SaaS is Management as a Service (MaaS). With MaaS, an organization
is able to outsource management and monitoring of IT resources. For example, a third party can
routinely review logs and provide reports back to the organization.
Multi-tenancy (sometimes referred to as multi-tenant) is a concept associated with cloud
computing. A multi-tenancy architecture uses a single instance of an application accessed by multiple
customers. You can think of this like a single instance of a web browser accessing multiple web sites
in separate tabs. In contrast, single-tenancy architecture creates a separate instance of a SaaS
application for each customer. Using the web browser analogy, you’d have a separate web browser
window for every site you’re visiting. Customer data remains private for customers in both multitenancy and single-tenancy architectures.
Platform as a Service
Platform as a Service (PaaS) provides customers with a preconfigured computing platform they
can use as needed. It provides the customer with an easy-to-configure operating system, combined
with appropriate applications and on-demand computing.
Many cloud providers refer to this as a managed hardware solution.
Infrastructure as a Service
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) allows an organization to outsource its equipment
requirements, including the hardware and all of its support operations. The IaaS service provider
owns the equipment, houses it in its data center, and performs all of the required hardware
maintenance. The customer essentially rents access to the equipment and often pays on a per-use
basis.
Many cloud providers refer to this as a self-managed solution. They provide access to a server
with a default operating system installation, but customers must configure it and install additional
software based on their needs. Additionally, customers are responsible for all operating system
updates and patches.
IaaS can also be useful if an organization is finding it difficult to manage and maintain servers in
its own data center. By outsourcing its requirements, the company limits its hardware footprint. It can
do this instead of, or in addition to, virtualizing some of its servers. With IaaS, it needs fewer servers
in its data center and fewer resources, such as power, HVAC, and personnel to manage the servers.
Remember this
Applications such as web-based email provided over the Internet are
Software as a Service (SaaS) cloud-based technologies. Platform as a
Service (PaaS) provides customers with a fully managed platform, which the
vendor keeps up to date with current patches. Infrastructure as a Service
(IaaS) provides customers with access to hardware in a self-managed
platform. Customers are responsible for keeping an IaaS system up to date.
Public Versus Private Cloud
Public cloud services are available from third-party companies. For example, Dropbox and
Google operate file-hosting services. Some services are available free and some services cost
money. For example, Google offers 15 GB of free storage, but if you want additional storage, you can
purchase it from Google.
A private cloud is set up for specific organizations. For example, the Shelbyville Nuclear Power
Plant might decide it wants to store data in the cloud, but does not want to use a third-party vendor.
Instead, the plant chooses to host its own servers and make these servers available to internal
employees through the Internet.
Not all cloud implementations fit exactly into these definitions through. A hybrid cloud is a
combination of two or more clouds. They can be all private, all public, or a combination. These
retain separate identities to help protect resources in the private cloud. However, they are bridged
together, often in such a way that it is transparent to the users.
Source: Darril Gibson Book Sec+
Provider clouds provide increased capabilities for heavily utilized systems and networks.
Software as a Service (SaaS) includes web-based applications such as web-based email.
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) provides hardware resources via the cloud. It can help an
organization limit the size of their hardware footprint and reduce personnel costs.
Platform as a Service (PaaS) provides an easy-to-configure operating system and on-demand
computing for customers.
Physical control of data is a key security control an organization loses with cloud computing.
Software as a Service
Software as a Service (SaaS) includes any software or application provided to users over a
network such as the Internet. Internet users access the SaaS applications with a web browser. It
usually doesn’t matter which web browser or operating system a SaaS customer uses. They could be
using Internet Explorer, Chrome, Firefox, or just about any web browser.
As mentioned previously, web-based email is an example of SaaS. This includes Gmail, Yahoo!
Mail, and others. The service provides all the components of email to users via a simple web
browser.
If you have a Gmail account, you can also use Google Docs, another example of SaaS. Google
Docs provides access to several SaaS applications, allowing users to open text documents,
spreadsheets, presentations, drawings, and PDF files through a web browser.
A talented developer named Lee Graham and I teamed up to create CertApps.com to create study
materials. He’s an Apple guy running a Mac while I’m a Microsoft guy running Windows, and we live
in different states. However, we post and share documents through Google Docs and despite different
locations and different applications running on our individual systems, we’re able to easily
collaborate. One risk is that our data is hosted on Google Docs, and if attackers hack into Google
Docs, our data may be compromised.
A specialized version of SaaS is Management as a Service (MaaS). With MaaS, an organization
is able to outsource management and monitoring of IT resources. For example, a third party can
routinely review logs and provide reports back to the organization.
Multi-tenancy (sometimes referred to as multi-tenant) is a concept associated with cloud
computing. A multi-tenancy architecture uses a single instance of an application accessed by multiple
customers. You can think of this like a single instance of a web browser accessing multiple web sites
in separate tabs. In contrast, single-tenancy architecture creates a separate instance of a SaaS
application for each customer. Using the web browser analogy, you’d have a separate web browser
window for every site you’re visiting. Customer data remains private for customers in both multitenancy and single-tenancy architectures.
Platform as a Service
Platform as a Service (PaaS) provides customers with a preconfigured computing platform they
can use as needed. It provides the customer with an easy-to-configure operating system, combined
with appropriate applications and on-demand computing.
Many cloud providers refer to this as a managed hardware solution.
Infrastructure as a Service
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) allows an organization to outsource its equipment
requirements, including the hardware and all of its support operations. The IaaS service provider
owns the equipment, houses it in its data center, and performs all of the required hardware
maintenance. The customer essentially rents access to the equipment and often pays on a per-use
basis.
Many cloud providers refer to this as a self-managed solution. They provide access to a server
with a default operating system installation, but customers must configure it and install additional
software based on their needs. Additionally, customers are responsible for all operating system
updates and patches.
IaaS can also be useful if an organization is finding it difficult to manage and maintain servers in
its own data center. By outsourcing its requirements, the company limits its hardware footprint. It can
do this instead of, or in addition to, virtualizing some of its servers. With IaaS, it needs fewer servers
in its data center and fewer resources, such as power, HVAC, and personnel to manage the servers.
Remember this
Applications such as web-based email provided over the Internet are
Software as a Service (SaaS) cloud-based technologies. Platform as a
Service (PaaS) provides customers with a fully managed platform, which the
vendor keeps up to date with current patches. Infrastructure as a Service
(IaaS) provides customers with access to hardware in a self-managed
platform. Customers are responsible for keeping an IaaS system up to date.
Public Versus Private Cloud
Public cloud services are available from third-party companies. For example, Dropbox and
Google operate file-hosting services. Some services are available free and some services cost
money. For example, Google offers 15 GB of free storage, but if you want additional storage, you can
purchase it from Google.
A private cloud is set up for specific organizations. For example, the Shelbyville Nuclear Power
Plant might decide it wants to store data in the cloud, but does not want to use a third-party vendor.
Instead, the plant chooses to host its own servers and make these servers available to internal
employees through the Internet.
Not all cloud implementations fit exactly into these definitions through. A hybrid cloud is a
combination of two or more clouds. They can be all private, all public, or a combination. These
retain separate identities to help protect resources in the private cloud. However, they are bridged
together, often in such a way that it is transparent to the users.
Source: Darril Gibson Book Sec+
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