Cloud Computing

What is Cloud Computing?

Cloud computing can be described as a combination of virtualization servers providing scalable services, applications, storage and infrastructure for multiple clients over the Internet. 

Where is Cloud Computing available now?

  • Microsoft Office 365
  • Microsoft Azure Services
  • Amazon Web Services
  • Google Apps
  • Google Cloud Compute
  • Sales Force
  • Zoho
  • Virtual VOIP
  • Anti Virus on line backup provisions. E.g. Trend Micro and Norton.

What are Cloud Computing advantages?

  • Rapid deployment of services. Deployment in 1 day is possible. Quicker testing cycles. 
  • Less money needed for on site hardware, administration and maintenance required.
  • Less capital expenditure
  • Scalable to handle variable business needs. 
  • Access to large expensive hardware and services with little costs.
  • Electricity costs for local servers is saved in a cloud environment.  Virtual cloud servers save on electricity by sharing. 
  • Disaster recovery from a local event. Easy to set up quickly in a new location.
  • Data access independent of location or device. E.g. Home, work or while traveling. Using a desktop, laptop, net book, smart phone or thin client.
  • Telephony can also now be hosted.
  • National Fibre Broadband will allow larger cloud usage.
  • Save about $1000/year in electricity and cooling for each server not deployed locally.
  • Storage costs are shared which can lower client level fees.
  • Lower data centre costs. Less space, cooling, UPS, generator requirements.

What are Cloud Computing disadvantages?

  • Monthly fees
  • Business data is stored off site.
  • What happens to your data if your provider goes out of business?
  • If the Internet is down locally then Cloud applications may be unavailable. 
  • Encryption of data transmission and storage needs to be considered.
  • Training of programmers with cloud standards.
  • Intellectual Property stored off site.

Cloud Computing Components

Cloud Applications

  • Skype - Telephony and video conferencing using the Internet. 
  • Facebook - Social interaction site. 
  • Google Docs -email, word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, file sharing
  • Office 365 - email, word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, large file sharing (1 TB)
  • Zoho suite - Email, word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, Wiki, file sharing, databases, invoicing, projects. Free for personal use. 

Cloud Clients

  • iPhone - Apple smart phone with extra applications available from Apple. 
  • Android - Goggle smart phone operating system
  • ChromeOS - Goggle Linux distribution / Chrome browser used in Chromebooks
  • Microsoft Edge / Firefox / Google Chrome Internet Browsers

Cloud Infrastructure

Virtual servers can be accessed starting from less than $100 per month.
  • applicationsnet.com - VOIP hosting, web hosting, cloud application hosting and virtual machine hosting.
  • Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud EC2 - Consists of Amazon Simple Storage Service, Amazon Simple DB and Amazon Simple Queue Service. Amazon machine images can be used by the hour from $0.10 US/hour plus $0.10 US per GB data transfers. Operating systems include Windows Server and various Linux distributions. Database option include Oracle, IBM DB2, My SQL and Microsoft SQL 2005. Web Servers can be Microsoft IIS, Apache or IBM Web Sphere. Programming languages include Java, Ruby on Rails, JBoss, IBM sMash and Oracle WebLogic. Amazon Dev Pay allows a payment interface using Amazon accounts with your software services. 
  • Go Grid - Virtual Machines such as Microsoft 2003/2008 Server, database Server and Redhat Linux. Pick IP address, operating system, options, memory required. Pay for Storage, Outbound Bandwidth and memory GB/hours. Almost instant deployment,
  • Force.com - Platform hosting Salesforce customer relationship management cloud software, medical software, real estate software, contract management software, franchise management software, inventory management software, mortgage application and over 80000 custom applications.

Cloud Platforms

  • Microsoft.NET - A programming framework for Microsoft Windows computers. The group of programming classes can be used by multiple programming languages. 
  • Ruby on Rails - Web application platform with a database back end. Open Source programming using Ruby which can work on Linux, Windows and Mac. Programs can run from Apache or Microsoft IIS web servers.  Twitter is written in Ruby on Rails. 
  • Google App Engine - Uses programming languages Python and Java. Access to your on line database, applications, files. A 150 Mb file storage limit and 10 GB bandwidth / day limits apply for the free service. Run your applications on Google hardware.
  • Google Gears - Browser plug in to allow database access and synchronization of information.  Google Docs and Zoho is written using this platform.

Cloud Services

  • Paypal - Instant World wide payment options in many currencies using Paypal's user accounts or popular credit cards.
  • Goggle Maps
  • Amazon Simple Queue Service - Provides distributed messaging across the Internet.
  • Google Custom Search - Provides custom Google searches on other websites.

Cloud Storage

  • Backup Direct - PC and Server backup. Data is stored to 2 countries for redundancy.  
  • Amazon Simple DB - Up to 10 GB database on line storage.
  • Mobile Me - Apple website, email and file storage on line up to 20 GB. Can synchronize calendars across multiple Apple devices.
  • Live Mesh - File and Folder synchronizing across multiple computers using cloud storage and management. 5 GB storage available for free.

Cloud Computing Client Packages

Goggle Apps for Business or Schools

  • Goggle Gmail - Email with large storage facilities with calendar sharing. Also allows instant messaging, voice and video communication.
  • Google Sites - Website with your domain name. Calendars can be published on the website if desired. 
  • Google Docs - documents, spreadsheets, presentations. Publish selected document on the Internet. Import and export files in various formats. Work on the same documents from anywhere in the world. 
  • Google Video - Private video sharing.

Office Live Small Business

This is for organizations up to 100 employees. Items within this service include:
  • Website with 500 Mb available storage. Domain names from $20 per year.
  • Your domain name email addresses with 5 GB storage each.
  • Online document storage and sharing. Limited to a total 5 GB per user. 
  • Contact management application
  • Up to 5 users free. Approximately $1.50 US per user per month for larger groups.

Microsoft Online Services

This is for organizations from 5 to 1000's on employees. Business Productivity Online Suite consists of the following applications:
  • Microsoft Exchange Online (over 6 million Online Exchange mailboxes have been deployed)
  • Microsoft Share Point Online
  • Microsoft Office Communications Online
  • Microsoft Office Live Meeting including web conferencing

This can be provided via Microsoft Partners in 19 countries. Partners can provide consulting, architecture, implementation, customization, integration and ongoing user support.