\"Virtualization and Cloud Computing\" Please respond to the following: Suggest
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Question
"Virtualization and Cloud Computing" Please respond to the following:
Suggest how an organization should choose between Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). Support your recommendation with an explanation.
Salesforce.com, Facebook, Windows Azure, Apple iTunes, and LinkedIn are examples of applications in the cloud computing space. Examine the benefits and possible problems for these organizations when it comes to cloud computing. Propose solutions to these problems. Predict the impact to an organization’s TCO and ROI.
Explanation / Answer
Answer:
SOFTWARE AS A SERVICE:
Software as a service (SaaS) is a model for the distribution of software where customers access software over the Internet. In SaaS, a service provider hosts the application at its data center and a customer accesses it via a standard web browser.
There are a few major characteristics that apply to most SaaS vendors:
SaaS is also known as hosted software or on-demand software
SaaS is a natural evolution of software. The old model of getting physical DVDs and installing on local servers was the only realistic solution for many years. In fact, the client-server model is still required for many scenarios. That said, in recent years a number of developments have allowed SaaS to become mainstream. One factor is bandwidth; the internet is simply faster than it was a decade ago. Other major factors include the evolution of both virtualization and tools in big data. All these advances have made it much easier for providers to scale and manage their own infrastructure and thus provide SaaS solutions.
SaaS is used in a number of common business areas, including customer relationship management (CRM), document management, accounting, human resource (HR) management, service desk management, content management and collaboration. There are literally thousands of SaaS vendors, but Salesforce.com is perhaps the best known example, as it is one of the first vendors to significantly disrupt a traditional software vertical.
when to choose SaaS:
When the application isn’t core to your business or it’s something that you are not adding value to it, SaaS is probably the way to go. If your business only uses email for employee communication, don’t set up an Exchange Server. If you are adding value to email by connecting it to your proposed application–for example–then you need to lower your level of abstraction.
These are probably the easiest calls you will make in this space. There are so many great line-of-business SaaS applications that you have to have a good reason not to use one. I suggest that first among those good reasons comes from answering the question: “Are we going to make money off of this software?” How you make money from it is dependent on whether you are a startup or an enterprise, but irrespective of that, you seldom go wrong keeping value at the forefront of your thought process.
Use of SaaS applications tends to reduce the cost of software ownership by removing the need for technical staff to manage install, manage, and upgrade software, as well as reduce the cost of licensing software. SaaS applications are usually provided on a subscription model.
Platform as a service (PaaS):
Platform as a service (PaaS) is a concept that describes a computing platform that is rented or delivered as an integrated solution, solution stack or service through an Internet connection.
The solution stack may be a set of components or software subsystems used to develop a fully functional product or service, such as a web application that uses an OS, web server, database and programming language. More generically, the solution stack may deliver an OS, middleware, database or application.
PaaS evolved from software as a service (SaaS), which uses the Internet to host software applications. PaaS is the center of the five layers of cloud computing. The two layers above PaaS are the client (hardware and software) and application (including SaaS) layers. Below the PaaS are the infrastructure – including infrastructure as a service (IaaS) - and server (hardware and software) layers.
The PaaS service delivery model allows a customer to rent virtualized servers and associated services used to run existing applications, or to design, develop, test, deploy and host applications.
PaaS offerings include a variety of services and service combinations spanning the application development lifecycle. Typical service features include source code control and tracking, versioning, testing and build process management tools.
When is it time to PaaS?
When to move off of IaaS is a question with no hard and fast answer, but let me offer a few guidelines. It’s time to start thinking of PaaS when you:
Meeting these conditions minimizes risk for your application and your company. These conditions are necessary, but not sufficient. You’ll know it is time to move on when the limitations of the abstraction are limiting the building of the next iterations of your product. Better to move one iteration late than one too early. If you are encountering no friction, make no changes.
As with most cloud services, PaaS is built on top of virtualization technology. Businesses can requisition resources as they need them, scaling as demand grows, rather than investing in hardware with redundant resources.
Examples of PaaS providers include Heroku, Google App Engine, and Red Hat’s OpenShift.
Infrastructure as a service (IaaS):
Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) is a service model that delivers computer infrastructure on an outsourced basis to support enterprise operations. Typically, IaaS provides hardware, storage, servers and data center space or network components; it may also include software.
Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) is also known as hardware as a service (HaaS).
An IaaS provider provides policy-based services and is responsible for housing, operating and maintaining the equipment it provides for a client. Clients usually pay on a per-use or utility computing basis.
Characteristics of IaaS include:
IaaS is also described as one of three main categories of cloud computing service. The other two are software as a service (SaaS) and platform as a service (PaaS).
when to use IaaS:
Given what I can only assume is your desire for world-domination, I’m sure you have plans floating around your mind (and maybe your pitch deck) about data center deployments, CDN’s, DevOps, etc., let me suggest that you should nearly always start with IaaS.
Why? If you are following Lean practices (and if not, why not?), and your first Minimally Viable Product (MVP) requires you to set up any level of infrastructure, I am willing to bet that your definition of “minimally” is too big. IaaS allows you to quickly build the smallest possible increment of your application, down to deploying single functions on AWS/Google/Azure. Any slice of time that you spend in early iterations building out infrastructure is opportunity cost keeping you from getting your MVP in front of potential customers. By all means, keep dreams of scaling out percolating in your subconscious, but focus on delivering a solution worth scaling first.
Moving down the stack, we get to the fundamental building blocks for cloud services. IaaS is comprised of highly automated and scalable compute resources, complemented by cloud storage and network capability which can be self-provisioned, metered, and available on-demand.
IaaS providers offer these cloud servers and their associated resources via dashboard and/or API. IaaS clients have direct access to their servers and storage, just as they would with traditional servers but gain access to a much higher order of scalability. Users of IaaS can outsource and build a “virtual data center” in the cloud and have access to many of the same technologies and resource capabilities of a traditional data center without having to invest in capacity planning or the physical maintenance and management of it.
IaaS is the most flexible cloud computing model and allows for automated deployment of servers, processing power, storage, and networking. IaaS clients have true control over their infrastructure than users of PaaS or SaaS services. The main uses of IaaS include the actual development and deployment of PaaS, SaaS, and web-scale applications.
There are a lot of providers offering Infrastructure as a Service such as Navisite, exoscale, and Softlayer reach with their own unique value proposition and service portfolio to choose from.
An organization choice of a cloud computing service is highly dependent on the characteristics of the services an organization need to.
For Software as a Service (SaaS),they should look for:
• “Vanilla” offerings where the solution is largely undifferentiated. A good example of a vanilla offering would include email where many times competitors use the same software precisely because this fundamental technology is a requirement for doing business, but does not itself confer an competitive advantage
• Applications where there is significant interplay between the organization and the outside world. For example, email newsletter campaign software
• Applications that have a significant need for web or mobile access. An example would be mobile sales management software
• Software that is only to be used for a short term need. An example would be collaboration software for a specific project
For Platform as a Service (PaaS), they should look for:
PaaS is especially useful in any situation where multiple developers will be working on a development project or where other external parties need to interact with the development process. As the case study below illustrates, it is proving invaluable for those who have an existing data source – for example sales information from a customer relationship management tool, and want to create applications which leverage that data. Finally PaaS is useful where developers wish to automate testing and deployment services.
The popularity of agile software development, a group of software development methodologies based on iterative and incremental development, will also increase the uptake of PaaS as it eases the difficulties around rapid development and iteration of software.
For Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), they should look for:
IaaS makes sense in a number of situations and these are closely related to the benefits that Cloud Computing bring. Situations that are particularly suitable for Cloud infrastructure include;
• Where demand is very volatile – any time there are significant spikes and troughs in terms of demand on the infrastructure
• For new organizations without the capital to invest in hardware
• Where the organization is growing rapidly and scaling hardware would be problematic
• Where there is pressure on the organization to limit capital expenditure and to move to operating expenditure
• For specific line of business, trial or temporary infrastructural needs
BENEFITS OF CLOUD COMPUTING
1. One enjoys a huge memory storage space.This makes it possible for their clients to carry out several projects without fear of getting low on storage space.
2.Is cost efficient, as this services are available at a relatively cheaper price owing to lack of repair and upgrade by clients.
2.Backup and recovery option
3.Automatic software integration
4.Easy access to information
5.Quick deployment.
SHORTCOMINGS
1.Prone to attacks by hackers
2.Technical issues in clouding system can negatively impact a huge number of its clients. Imagine two hours of an error in all Facebook servers.
SOLUTION
The clouding companies should put in place a backup system that will serve clients in case of a technical breakdown. There systems should be frequently serviced and upgraded.
They should advice their clients on password strenght and privacy.
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