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Cloud Computing 101
Originally the term cloud came from a diagram that contained a cloud-like shape to contain the services that afforded computing power that was harnessed to get work done. Much like the electrical power we receive each day, cloud computing is a model for enabling access to a shared collection of computing resources - networks for transfer, servers for storage, and applications or services for completing work.
Why Cloud?
Like humans supposedly only use 10% of their brain power, many of the computers in place in data centers today are underutilized in computing power and networking bandwidth. People also may need a large amount of computing capacity to complete a computation for example, but don't need the computing power once the computation is done. You want cloud computing when you want a service that's available on-demand with the flexibility to bring it up or down through automation or with little intervention.
Attributes of a Cloud
On-demand self-service - A cloud should enable self-service, so that users can provision servers and networks with little human intervention.
Network access - Any computing capabilities are available over the network and you can use many different devices through standardized mechanisms.
Resource pooling - Clouds can serve multiple consumers according to demand.
Elasticity - Provisioning is rapid and scales out or in based on need.
Metered or measured service - Just like utilities that are paid for by the hour, clouds should optimize resource use and control it for the level of service or type of servers such as storage or processing.
Types of Cloud Services
Cloud computing offers different service models depending on the capabilities a consumer may require. The US-based National Institute of Standards and Technology offers definitions for cloud computing and the service models that are emerging.
SaaS - Software as a Service
Provides the consumer the ability to use the software in a cloud environment, such as web-based email for example.
PaaS - Platform as a Service
Provides the consumer the ability to deploy applications through a programming language or tools supported by the cloud platform provider. An example of platform as a service is an Eclipse/Java programming platform provided with no downloads required.
IaaS - Infrastructure as a Service
Provides infrastructure such as computer instances, network connections, and storage so that people can run any software or operating system.
Use definitions from http://csrc.nist.gov/groups/SNS/cloud-computing/ and attribute NIST
Types of Cloud Deployments
describe public/private/hybrid/etc
Work in the Clouds
What people have done/sample projects