Any computer system has to under go the basic three types of applications.
This includes, running various applications through various software, maintaining the security of the system and the data generated or stored, and finally, the storage of the data itself.
Over the recent years, purchase of and installation of the application specific data has been very costly. Costlier still has been the purchase of and regular maintenance of the security systems, against virus, malwares, rootkits, spywares, zombies, Trojan horses, and many more potentially dangerous scripts, which might harm the computer. Then there is the difficulty of storage space. With an increasing generation of data, the appetite for GB has been over taken by the new hunger for TeraBite scales of memory needs.
Striking features:
Cloud computing is a recent trend, and is a one stop solution to all the above needs.
- It is the virtualization of computing and data storage facilities. The system utilizing the facilities of cloud computing has its files processed through the internet and plug-in, in some remote servers, for any security breach, or for some applications.
- The cloud computing allows the users many flexibility in operations. Perhaps the most important being the ability to use an application without having to use it. This has a profound effect in improving the speed of the computer, as the system does not have to install many types of software. The same principle applies to the antivirus systems, an area in which cloud computing is increasingly becoming popular.
- The creation of virtual desktop, through cloud storage also helps a person in carrying his personal files anywhere in the world and can be accessed through the internet.
- The three important components of Cloud components are the internet, through which the host is connected to the client, the API gateways, and portals, installed in the Client’s system, which acts as the connection route, and the client’s computer.
Techniques slotted in:
The two types of techniques used for cloud computing can be classified as Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), and Platform as a service (Paas)
- The services under the IaaS include the use of a remote server to store the data or run an application. The client under this type of service is provided with a virtual server of a certain storage capacity, with a unique IP address of its own.
The customers are then able use the application program interface or the service providers’ API to run an application, access their virtual server and even to configure them according to their requirement.
- The PaaS or the platform as a service is a set of software tools such as plug-in, light applications which is installed on to the client’s system. When the client is connected to the internet, these software tools connect to the service provider’s platform, to perform such tasks as scanning the computer, or running an application.
Cloud computing is also becoming popular among the programmers and the developers, in providing debugging and other software tools necessary to make an efficient software application.
Cloud computing is still in its nascent stage, and there are some concerns about letting a remote server processing the host’s file. Other such security issues are also of concern. But these issues are being dealt with squarely.