Key Concepts of Cloud Computing

WHAT IS CLOUD COMPUTING

Before we dive into the key concepts of cloud computing, we have to understand what cloud computing is. I would try to break it down as much as I can so even a person who is not technical can understand it.

Cloud computing is like renting a computer or storage space over the internet instead of buying and maintaining your own. For iOS users, you use cloud computing when you buy iCloud storage.

Imagine you need a powerful computer to run a program, store files, or host a website. Instead of buying expensive hardware, you can "borrow" these services from companies like Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud, or Microsoft Azure. You only pay for what you use, just like paying for electricity or water.

Now that we have a basic understanding of what cloud computing is, let's take a look at the key concepts of cloud computing.

KEY CONCEPTS OF CLOUD COMPUTING

1. Virtualization

• Virtualization is like running multiple computers inside one big computer. Instead of having 5 separate physical computers, you can create 5 virtual computers on a single machine.

2. Scalability

• Scalability means increasing or shrinking computing resources based on demand. Imagine you own a restaurant, where on normal days you have few customers so you have few tables, on weekends when more customers come in, you increase the number of tables to accomodate the customers and remove these tables when the customers reduce to normal.

3. Agility

• Agility in cloud computing means being fast and flexible when making changes, like adding new features, scaling up resources, or launching new services without delays or having to start from scratch.

4. High Availability

• High availability means a system is always up and running with little to no downtime. In cloud computing, multiple servers work together so that if one fails, another takes over, keeping websites, apps, and services running smoothly.

Imagine your favorite fast food restaurant that is open 24/7, and you can get your order delivered anytime of the day when your cravings kick in. That would be awesome, right?

5. Fault Tolerant

*Fault tolerance just means a system keeps working even if something goes wrong. In cloud computing, if one server fails, another instantly takes over, so the system never stops working.

In your restaurant (Yes, I know I have used too many food references, I love food, deal with it), where you have multiple waiters, if one of your waiters call in sick, business would not close for that day, because there is a replacement for that waiter, and business will still go on. That is how fault tolerance works in the cloud.

6. Global Reach

• This means that you can access cloud services from anywhere in the world as long as you have a good working internet connection.

7. Elasticity

• Elasticity in cloud computing means that resources automatically expand or shrink depending on demand. It ensures that businesses use only the right amount of computing power, avoiding waste and reducing costs.

What is the difference between Elasticity and Scalability

• Elasticity and Scalability both help cloud systems handle change in demand, but they do not work the same way. Elasticity handles automatic change in demand in real-time, while Scalability is a more planned increase of resources to handle long-term growth.