Virtualization and Cloud Computing World (Research Paper Sample)

Virtualization and Cloud Computing World Name: University: Virtualization and Cloud Computing World Virtualization-The term virtualization in the computing world is used to refer to the act of creating an instance of a resource on the same PC. Among the resources are but not limited to operating systems, network resources, computer hardware and a server. Cloud computing- In the computing world, the cloud is used to refer to applications that can be run from a mobile device but are not actually in the devices memory. The applications hosted on servers in the World Wide Web (www). One or more devices can connect to the application remotely and access its services be it data, storage or connectivity. Software as service (SaaS)- Software as a service is a term used in the techie world to refer to the model whereby software is licensed and delivered to the end users at a subscription fee.This cuts the need for the user or organization to maintain software and hardware as the applications can be accessed over the internet easily. Platform as a service (PaaS) –Platform as a service refers to the model in which computer users can access both software and hardware over the Internet as a service. Mostly it is used by developers to develop applications. One can access the necessary tools for application development either for a fee or for free. Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)- This is a model where users can use a particular service over the internet. When an organization considers having its services posted online and most of its operations done online, a lot has to be taken into account by the IT team. Expert knowledge is prime so as to come up with a cloud-based system that is efficient and reliable. The IT team as to design the system considering all angles such as user friendliness, security of the system and efficiency of the scheme. The organization has to come up with a clear plan, and the following are the keys areas when doing this:- * The size of the organization- This will dictate almost everything that the organization needs to have at hand before developing any cloud-based systems. It will determine the needed infrastructure necessary for the platform like the number of computers, networking methods and thenumber of CPUs. * Type of cloud-based systems- This will determine the server capacity needed by the organization. If 'heavy' applications run, the servers will have to have a disk large space, a high bandwidth ( Andrew Burgess) and the tech support from the server host. * Data security- This is a key point considered when coming up with any cloud-based systems. The system should not be prone to hacking thus resulting in a data breach or malware infection to the network. Security issues that may arise in the development of a new cloud-based system include:- * Data breaches- Due to asignificant amount of data stored by companies on the cloud nowadays, societies have become prey to a new generation of hacking known as a data breach. Data must be well secured by using encryption algorithms and limiting access to the database panel. * Hacked APIs and interfaces- Most cloud-based systems offer their APIs nowadays, this makes them vulnerable to hackers who may limit the accessibility of the service, tamper with the integrity of the system thus rendering the system unreliable to the end users. * Account hijacking- This is a term used to refer to a situation where account login details are in the hands of other persons other than the ones officially authorized to have it. The accounts may be monitored for malicious reasons and data manipulated or transactions modified. Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) -This is the minimum amount that is needed for the managerial rights to be still in the hands of the company's owner. Return on Investment- Returns on investment is a business model in which a company is evaluated to determine if it is making returns as compared to the main master plan when setting up the puddings Cloud computing and virtualization have significantly reduced the total cost of ownership needed to start a business. This is because the resources can be shared by a large group of people thus it becomes cheaper or free to access the services from the comfort of your home. The return on the investment is also significant and highly noticeable. The fact that resources van be shared and used by many people at the same time means that cash that would otherwise be directed to the project to either cater for some service or hardwareutilized in an alternative project. Fig 1.0 Relationship between SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS Fig 1.0 above shows the relat...