Service Models and Cloud Engineering

By Sarah M. Goulet

Although the "Cloud" generally refers to the umbrella term of remote data storage, it should come as no surprise that there are several different subtypes of Cloud computing based on usage and need.  These are respectively known as the Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) models.  All of these models share the same basic benefits: very low infrastructure investment, efficient resource utilization and speed, clearly defined storage capacities, high reliability (especially since these models prevent data loss), and global access (Gould).  Naturally, each flavor of cloud computing carries its own potential, although these services can (and do) overlap.

Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS)

Infrastructure-as-a-Service models are best for companies and users that need to outsource computing and data storage.  For companies that need high amounts of computing power, don't have their own data center, or are heavily involved in data management, IaaS computing models tend to be the way to go.  Instead of having to pay high amounts to acquire all of the necessary hardware, companies that use this model only need to pay for what they use - which, as you might imagine, can cut costs drastically.  In short, this is a hosting service, and it's closest to the process of virtualization (Benzina 124) that we discussed in the History of the Cloud post.  It's highly affordable and accessible.  On the downside, however, the vendor has control of the programs you can access, and they tend to be slightly slower because they rely solely on internet access, thus using a lot of bandwidth.  This model tends to be mostly used by businesses and related enterprises (Benzina 127).

Image by Michal Jarmoluk from Pixabay 

Popular examples of IaaS include:

• Amazon Web Services,*
• DigitalOcean,
• Microsoft Azure,
• IBM SmartCloud, 
• Apache CloudStack (open-source).

*Strictly speaking, AWS can function as all three models.  

Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS)

Platform-as-a-Service models are ideal for companies and users that are involved with developmental processes, especially in terms of creating applications for both the web and mobile devices.  As with the other service models, PaaS offers plenty of storage and access to resources, but users also have access to a wide range of pre-built tools (Barabas).  This provides flexibility for developers, who can test, prototype, and release their applications more quickly with less worry about infrastructure.  This also allows teams of developers to work remotely!  On the flip side, however, switching vendors is very difficult because the services tend to be challenging to migrate, and elements of a company's infrastructure that are not cloud-compatible may need to be switched to get the full effect of the service (Paranet).  Nonetheless, the rapid developmental potential of PaaS services are favored by many.  

Some examples of PaaS services include:

• Amazon Elastic Beanstalk, 
• App42 PaaS,
• AppAgile,
• Apprenda.

Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)

This final deployment model takes ideas from the other two models and combines them; it is, as the name implies, a host for software programs that are accessed via the web. These programs and applications are available on demand and charge based on a subscription (although some services may be free) (Gould).  The service, as with the IaaS model, can scale to need and doesn't require the user to actively maintain and update the software, as this is automatically done by the provider.  This allows for extremely fast innovation; there is no waiting period to install or re-install software, since you can start using the services almost immediately from anywhere.  Moreover, often these kinds of services can be run directly from a web browser without any need to directly download applications (Benzina 125).  It's the simplest to deploy of the three models (and the most flexible), although they also tend to be the most costly and most difficult to monitor (Paranet).  Services that use this model are perhaps the most recognizable to the general user.  

Image by rawpixel from Pixabay 

Some examples of SaaS include:

• Salesforce,
• Microsoft,
• Adobe Creative Cloud,
• Google G Suite,
• Zendesk,
• Oracle,
• GitHub.

A Final Note

Applications of the Cloud are quite flexible these days, and the idea as a whole has moved in leaps and bounds.  It's quite possible that you may not even realize how much you benefit from Cloud services.  Streaming services such as Hulu and Netflix allow you access to hundreds of hours of video services, while services such as iTunes do the same with music.  Some of these services are even free, such as Google applications such as Docs and Drive.  Whether you're a student, a professional, or just a casual internet user, the ability to access applications and services remotely is one of the keystones of the Internet as we know it.  Who knows what technologies it may drive in the future!

Interested in learning more?  Check out this list of the top 21 Cloud Service Providers in 2019.

References: 

Barabas, J. (n.d.). An IBM perspective: IaaS vs. PaaS vs. SaaS.  Retrieved from https://www.ibm.com/cloud/learn/iaas-paas-saas.

Benzina, K. (2019). Cloud infrastructure-as-a-service as an essential facility: Market structure, competition, and the need for industry and regulatory solutions. Berkeley Technology Law Journal, 34(1), 119–142. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.15779/Z38QV3C43D.

Gould, L. (May 2017). What's "cloud computing?" AD&P, 48-51. Retrieved from https://www.adandp.media/articles/whats-cloud-computing. 

Paranet. (October 2019). The three cloud computing service models. Retrieved from https://www.paranet.com/blog/bid/128267/the-three-types-of-cloud-computing-service-models.

Cloud Security and Future Regulations

Cloud Security

By Sara Kwiecien

The cloud is a virtual storage space for large amounts of data. As our use for technology increases globally, so does our need to store information. Virtual storage decreases user control over their data and increases the possibility of exposure to an outside source. This means an increasingly complex virtual structure which demands an increase in security and legal efficacy. ²

There are several main concerns about security on the cloud. The questions of who controls the data, who should have access to the data, and how do protect the data are the biggest.   Security limits on the cloud are not always well defined or apparent to users. Since servers often cater to multiple clients, it can be difficult to determine who the data belongs to on certain platforms. Different cloud platforms may have different security administrators with variable security protocols overseen by multiple suppliers. The lines of what is prohibited to whom can be blurry, if not on the user end where data is transferred, then on the data management end where data is stored. Some suppliers deal with international companies for data management or storage where cyber law can be change in its interpretation or enforcement. ²

Stored data is usually meant to be accessible by design; someone will probably be looking to use the data at some time. The user stores the data on the cloud with this intention. Behind the scenes, a multitude of workers in the management of data also may end up with access to it, increasing the risk of not just exposure or theft, but accidentally altered or erased data as well. Third party organizations can be used as oversight but that increases the number of hands in the pot.²

Another issue of the cloud is data mining. Many sites require the user to agree to their data policy before allowing access to their applications. Included in this agreement is the right to sell or share their data with additional parties. The issue remains that once the data is sold, the oversight on how it is used lessens, so the risk for misused data increases. Also, if certain data is mined from a particular site, there is the risk that data that is not meant to be included is exposed, particularly on servers that may host multiple clients. Some laws still require updates to be effective with new technology. The Stored Communications Act of 1986 allows that any emails that are on the server for more than 180 days can be requested without judicial review. Server agreements are not always clear as to how long the data will be stored or the impact of long-term storage.³

Data Access

As the internet develops, some laws have been set to try to define some of the parameters expected for access to data. In the 1990’s, the American Psychological Association (APA) was concerned about the internet’s impact on patient and provider confidentiality. They provided a list of ethical guidelines that don’t deal with specific situations, but are meant to be used as constructs to determine the safety of protected health information (PHI) specific regulations. This also resulted in the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH) and medical information is regulated by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). HIPAA requires additional security measures to protect PHI. This is sanctioned by the government and all institutions that handle this type of data are required to comply with HITECH regulations.³

In 2013, the media exploded with data security concerns after Edward Snoden leaked details of government involvement in data mining. Government oversite was questioned as to how and when access to public records should be granted. On the other side, sometimes government data is expected to be accessible to the public. Institutions that receive public funding, like state universities, can have emails or other information released by public request according to the Freedom of Information Act. Emails that contain PHI for faculty or students are at risk, so how and when we release information still requires additional addendums.³

So How Do We Protect the Cloud?

In some areas, data protection is moving quicker than others. Medical information uses closed systems to record data. Data transfers are encrypted and done through FTP sites that include virtual desk encryption which requires a separate access to be created. PHI is often stored on multiple servers so that medical data cannot be connected with identifiers.³

Recommendations for reducing the threat to cyber data include two factor identification which requires a login on two separate devices to proceed, encryption of all data from site to transfer to storage, and the creation of threat models which allow cloud administrators to determine the level and direction of possible threats to their clients beforehand.³ One of the difficulties of cyber security is that it is easier to puzzle out a flaw in an existing system than it is to anticipate where a breach may occur. Society is moving forward on an increasingly digital projection. While there is no certainty of what the future will bring, as the need for data storage increases within the global economy, the need for cloud regulations will increase as well.²

                                                          Photo by Jason Leung on Unsplash

       


                                                                       References

1.Kumar, R., & Goyal, R. (2019). Assurance of Data Security and Privacy in the Cloud: A Three-Dimensional Perspective. Software Quality Professional, 21(2), 7-26.

2.Kumar, S., Verma, R. S., & Mohan, K. (2017). Survey on Data Security Issues in Cloud Computing. International Journal of Advanced Research in Computer Science, 8(3).

3.Lustgarten, S. D. (2015). Emerging ethical threats to client privacy in cloud communication and data storage. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 46(3), 154.

The History of the Cloud

by Sarah M. Goulet

Given how the usage of the internet and computer systems have boomed over the past few decades, one might suppose that Cloud Computing is a relatively young phenomenon.  The ability to connect devices wirelessly only happened around the turn of the century (Zimmermann), after all, and HTML as a language appeared around the 90s.  However, the roots of Cloud Computing reach back even further - to the 1960s.

Early Cloud Computing 

In the early days of terminal usage arose the concept of mainframe computing. In this system, terminals could access a main computer - usually a far more powerful one - to gain access to a shared resource.  Powerful computers were expensive (to buy and maintain), and providing every employee with all of the licensed software they needed could rack up the bucks quickly (Neto).  In terms of cost and efficiency, it made far more sense to set up a system that could be shared - a process favored by companies such as IBM.

Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay 

Virtual Machines

In the 1960s, DARPA (the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) funded $2 million to MIT in order to create a computer "that could be used by two or more people simultaneously" (Foote). What MIT came up with was the precursor to what would be known as virtualization.  This idea was expanded upon by a computer scientist named J.C.R. Licklider, who was a principle player in developing ARPANET, one of the earliest forms of the internet.  In fact, he was one of the earliest people to sow the seeds of what the web would be like today, envisioning a connected, automated computer network - an "Intergalactic Computer Network" - that would allow access of information from anywhere (Waldrop).  Sound familiar?

The meaning of virtualization has changed somewhat over the years.  These days, we use the term virtual machine (VMs), which describes a virtual computer that acts like a real one (Foote).  Yet, this idea of one of the key ideas that allows Cloud Computing as we know it to work.

The Late 1990s - Early 2000s

The advent of the World Wide Web, allowing millions of personal computers to be connected, expanded the possibilities of information exchange even further.  Now business weren't the only ones who could affordably link their computers.  The late 90s marks the start when the phrase "the cloud" started to gain traction, although it initially described the space in between the user and their provider (Foote).  In 1999, a company called Salesforce took the idea of the cloud and began to market the idea that software could be delivered over the web via SaaS (Software as a Service).

By the mid 2000s, the cloud and its capabilities began rapidly gaining traction.  In 2006, Amazon introduced its Amazon Web Services while Google released Google Docs and Google Spreadsheets (Foote). Google CEO Eric Schmid used the phrase "Cloud Computing" in a conference in the same year, marking the point at which the Cloud gained its modern connotation (although some attribute the first usage of the phrase to a company called NetCentric in 1996) (Regalado).  Indeed, the mid-to-late 2000s marked a boom in usage - Netflix, for example, started up in 2007 - and the expansion of the cloud has barely slowed since.

Image by Tumisu from Pixabay 

Today (2010+)

These days, the ability to use the cloud is mainstream, and it more and more companies and personal users alike are using the cloud for storage, software, and more.  Large companies, such as healthcare providers, use the Cloud to host vast stores of information.  Students and professionals alike can use services such as Google's Drive or Microsoft's OneDrive to host their projects, then access them from anywhere.  From Facebook to Twitter, from Google to Youtube, we all use some aspect of the Cloud, sometimes unknowingly - and that usage is only going to grow in the future. 

Extra: Interested in learning more about Licklider and ARPANET? Check out some good reading material here and here. 

Additionally, this interactive website provides a great overview into the startup of web languages, functions, and browsers that add up to the Internet we know today.  

References: 
Foote, K. (22 June 2017.) A brief history of cloud computing. Retrieved from https://www.dataversity.net/brief-history-cloud-computing/#.

Neto, M. (18 March 2014). A brief history of cloud computing.  Retrieved from https://www.ibm.com/blogs/cloud-computing/2014/03/18/a-brief-history-of-cloud-computing-3/.

Regalado, A. (31 Oct 2011). Who coined cloud computing? Retrieved from https://www.technologyreview.com/s/425970/who-coined-cloud-computing/.

Waldrop. (2000). Computing’s Johnny appleseed. Technology Review, 103(1), 66. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy-bloomu.klnpa.org/login.aspx?direct=true&db=asn&AN=2656766&site=ehost-live&scope=site. 

Zimmerman, K.A. (7 Sept 2017.) History of computers: A brief timeline.  Retrieved from https://www.livescience.com/20718-computer-history.html.

Cloud Computing: The Future of Technology

What is Cloud Computing?

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

By Sara Kwiecien

Anyone who has used email lately or purchased on online software is part of the growing majority of people using “the Cloud”. The term “cloud computing” was popularized by Eric Schmidt in 2006 but a vague history of publications and failed trademark history seems to suggest that the term itself was being used in the technology industry in the late 1990s.³ Cloud computing is a system of pooled
services, software, and data processing or storage options accessible on the internet. If we think of technology as following the same evolution as food production, then it would be similar moving from individual specialized farm stands to grocery stores to grub-hub. Technology started with individual vendors for software and hardware, then moved to larger vendors that consolidated those resources with services, and recently to an online accessible version of infrastructure, platforms, and software.²

There are different types of clouds, usually grouped into categories of public, private, or hybrid clouds. Vendors on the web offer different services to businesses. A public cloud offers those services, like Microsoft or Adobe, to many different types of businesses. A private cloud offers a service to only a single business. The space that is used is only accessible to that particular entity, limiting the security risk. A hybrid cloud combines both of these to offer both security and accessibility, an example being a company that would need to keep customer information secure while still having data that is accessible for analysis or review by the public.²  

The benefits of cloud computing are that companies no longer have to invest a large amount of capital into infrastructure. Previously a company that wanted to use a certain program or platform would need to purchase it. It often meant that a company would have to justify the purchase with multiple projects,  which limited both exposure for the product and production opportunities for the company. Fast access to technology means that commerce can move forward with enough speed to meet public demand. Gone are the days when only technology companies used the latest software.²

In a world where it is increasingly imperative for everything to be accessible on the internet, the cloud makes it possible for sectors that were previously excluded to have online visibility. It provides opportunities because it allows a business or individual to purchase what they need for only the time that they need it. The technological field is fast moving to a series of subscriptions rather than an investment in physical capitol. Pricing for services can vary based on the subscription. Using internet calculators, like awstcocalculator.com or calculator.s3.amazonaws.com/index.html, to determine pricing can be convenient but not always reliable for larger businesses that may qualify for discounts or quantity-based deals.²

Concerns about the Cloud extend almost exclusively from questions of its data security. Previously, when technology was purchased by businesses, they owned the infrastructure, anything that they produced from the infrastructure, and any data involved was protected by limited access within a company. Now, infrastructure is leased, and both the products and the data used to create them can be accessible by a myriad of unseen entities. Data security is a complicated process due to the lack of efficacy in the legalities of cloud regulation. Differences in international interpretations of the proprietary ownership of ideas and remote access by users add to the difficulty in policing the cloud. Future breaks in accessibility are also an issue. Services and software are not guaranteed past a subscription, forcing businesses to constantly upgrade staff proficiency by either training or an influx of new hires.¹

The Cloud is relatively new in the technology world but has already made a huge impact as the need for data storage and platforms increase exponentially. The benefits allow business to quickly change their service and software needs based on the market without heavily investing in infrastructure. The issues the cloud and its users will face will be in data security and the impact on human resources. The movement to a global economy will also necessitate global resources, further impacts its dynamic scope. Even with its complexity, the increasing need for technological services  and data storage will make cloud computing a necessity for the future.²

References

1.    Determann, L. (2014). What happens in the cloud: Software as a service and copyrights. Berkeley Tech.LJ, 29, 1095.

2.    Lawrence S. Gould. (2019). What's "cloud computing"? Retrieved from https://www.adandp.media/articles/whats-cloud-computing

3.    Rajaraman, V. (2014). Cloud computing. Resonance, 19(3), 242-258.

Cloud Computing: A Hierarchy of Topics

This blog is dedicated to breaking down the broad topic of cloud computing, from its history to how it's used today.  Cloud computing, in short, refers to hosting and providing workloads over the internet.  It's a virtual resource pool available on demand to its users (Knorr).  Through cloud computing, users can access extra storage space, power, or functionality without having to invest in new software.  There's a lot that it can do, and it's rapidly gaining popularity: you've likely used it yourself.  If you've written reports and shared them through Google Docs, accessed programs like Photoshop or InDesign through the Adobe Creative Cloud, or even used sites like Facebook and apps like iTunes to access music across devices - well, you've been using the cloud.

In the next few months, we will be posting along the following schedule:

1.What is the Cloud? How Does it Work? (Sept. 30th, Sara K.)

Perhaps somewhat self-explanatory: before we examine issues involving the cloud, we've got to know what it is and what it does.  We use it all the time, from our phones to our computers, often without realizing its full extent.

2. The History of the Cloud (October 7th, Sarah G.)

The internet is still relatively young, and the concept of Cloud Computing is younger still.  Who started it?  How has it grown?  We'll look at these questions this week.

3. Legal Ramifications of Cloud Usage (October 14th, Destiny)

Cloud-sharing makes data vastly more accessible.  However, the very nature of the cloud makes data breaches and malicious access a problem as well.  What big issues have curved the growth of the Cloud?

4. Security Implications of Worldwide Cloud Usage (Oct. 21st, Sara K.)

Segueing nicely from our Week 3 topic, we'll examine some of the ways coders are trying to keep the Cloud secure - and the concerns they still have for the future.

5. Service Models, Deployment Models, and Cloud Engineering (Oct. 28th, Sarah G.)

The Cloud can be broken down into different types based on its usage.  We'll take a look at these models, plus the kinds of jobs that keep them developing and running.

6. Limitations to the Cloud (Nov. 4th, Destiny)

There is a lot of misinformation about why or why not cloud computing should be used.  Here, we'll compare what it can't do and what  it can.

7. The Cloud in the Future (Bonus!)

The internet and its related technologies are evolving at astounding rates.  In this final bonus post, we'll look at ideas and predictions of how the Cloud might be used in the future.


Stay tuned!


(Source: Knoor, P. (2018.) What is cloud computing? Everything you need to know. Retrieved from https://www.infoworld.com/article/2683784/what-is-cloud-computing.html)