Unit 4

Cloud Computing Architecture

• Utility-oriented data centers are the first outcome of cloud computing, and they
serve as the infra- structure through which the services are implemented and
delivered.
• Any cloud service, whether virtual hardware, development platform, or application
software, relies on a distributed infrastructure owned by the provider or rented
from a third party.
• Cloud computing is a utility-oriented and Internet-centric way of delivering IT
services on demand. These services cover the entire computing stack: from the
hardware infrastructure packaged as a set of virtual machines to software
services such as development platforms and distrib- uted applications.
cloud reference model
Architecture
Core middleware manages physical infrastructure to provide an
appropriate runtime environment for applications and optimize
resource utilization.

• Virtualization technologies ensure runtime environment

customization, application isolation, sandboxing, and quality of service.
• Hardware virtualization is commonly used, with hypervisors
managing resource pool and exposing distributed infrastructure as
virtual machines.
• Virtual machine technology allows fine partitioning of hardware
resources and virtualization of specific devices.
• Storage and network virtualization strategies allow complete
virtualization and control of infrastructure.
• Programming-level virtualization creates a portable runtime
environment for applications, requiring specific technology or
programming language development.
• Core middleware supports infrastructure management, including
negotiation of quality of service, admission control, execution
management, monitoring, accounting, and billing.
Infrastructure- and hardware-as-a-service

• IaaS/HaaS offer customizable infrastructure on demand, ranging from

single servers to entire infrastructures.

• Benefits of IaaS/HaaS include workload partitioning, application isolation,

sandboxing, and hardware tuning.
• Service providers benefit from better IT infrastructure utilization and a
secure environment for third-party applications.
• Customers benefit from reduced administration, maintenance, and capital
costs.
• Figure 4.2 provides an overall view of the components forming an
Infrastructure-as-a-Service solution.
• Comprises three principal layers: physical infrastructure, software
management infrastructure, and user interface.
• User interface provides access to services exposed by the software
management infrastructure.
• Interface based on Web 2.0 technologies: Web services, RESTful APIs,
and mash-ups.
Cont…
• • Web 2.0 applications enable full-featured management consoles
hosted in a browser or web page.
• Web services and RESTful APIs allow programs to interact with the
service without human intervention, ensuring complete integration
within a software system.
• Infrastructure management software layer manages virtual
machines, with a central role of the scheduler.
The scheduler interacts with the other components that perform a variety of tasks:

• Pricing and Billing: Manages cost of each virtual machine instance and maintains
user-chargeable data.
• Monitoring: Tracks execution of each virtual machine instance and maintains
necessary data for system performance reporting.
• Reservation: Stores information of all executed or future virtual machine
instances.
• QoS/SLA Management: Maintains repository of SLAs for QoS-based execution.
• VM Repository: Provides catalog of virtual machine images for instance creation.
• VM Pool Manager: Tracks live instances.
• Provisioning: Provides external virtual machine instance to third-party IaaS
provider if system supports integration.

The bottom layer is composed of the physical infrastructure, on top of which the management layer operates
Platform as a service

• Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) solutions provide a development and

deployment platform for running applications in the cloud.
• They constitute the middleware on top of which applications are built. A
general overview of the features characterizing the PaaS approach is
given in Figure 4.3.
• Application management is the core functionality of the middleware.
• PaaS implementations provide applications with a runtime
environment, automating deployment, component configuration, and
system change management.
• Developers design systems in terms of applications, not hardware or
operating systems.
• Core middleware manages resources and scales applications on
demand or automatically.
• User interfaces allow programming and deployment of applications
on the cloud, either through a Web-based interface or programming
APIs and libraries.
• PaaS solutions can offer middleware for developing applications together with the
infrastructure or simply provide users with the software that is installed on the user
premises
PaaS Model Overview: characteristics

• Runtime Framework: Represents the "software stack" of PaaS

solutions, executing end-user code according to user and provider
policies.
• Abstraction: PaaS solutions offer higher level abstraction, focusing on
applications the cloud must support, rather than virtual machines.
• Automation: PaaS environments automate application deployment
and scaling, based on customer-provider SLAs.
• Cloud Services: PaaS offerings provide developers and architects with
services and APIs to simplify the creation and delivery of elastic, highly
available cloud applications. These services include specific
components for application development, advanced services for
application monitoring, management, and reporting.
Software as a service

• Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) Overview

• A web-based service that provides access to applications.
• Frees users from complex hardware and software management.
• Third parties build applications accessible to multiple users.
• No need for installation or upfront costs.
• Customers can access the application website, enter credentials and
billing details.
• Applications can be customized for specific needs.
• Providers maintain specific details and features of each application
on demand.
• SaaS Model and Applications
• SaaS is a "one-to-many" software delivery model, allowing
applications to be adapted to specific needs.
• CRM3 and ERP4 applications are common across all enterprises,
allowing for customization and a general set of features.
• SaaS is ideal for hosted solutions as the applications are the same
and allow users to shape them according to their needs.
• SaaS applications are naturally multitenant, allowing providers to
manage large hardware infrastructures, maintain and upgrade
applications transparently, and optimize resources.
• Costs for SaaS are minimal on the customer side, making it a
cost-effective solution.
ASPs already had some of the core characteristics of SaaS:
• The product sold to customer is application access.
• The application is centrally managed.
• The service delivered is one-to-many.
• The service delivered is an integrated solution delivered on the contract, which means
provided as promised.
How is cloud computing related to SaaS?
According to the classification of services shown in Figure 4.1, the SaaS approach lays on
top of the cloud computing stack.
It fits into the cloud computing vision expressed by the XaaS acronym,
Everything-as-a-Service; and with SaaS, applications are delivered as a service. Initially the
SaaS model was of interest only for lead users and early adopters. The benefits delivered at
that stage were the following:
• Software cost reduction and total cost of ownership (TCO) were paramount
• Service-level improvements
• Rapid implementation
• Standalone and configurable applications
• Rudimentary application and data integration
• Subscription and pay-as-you-go (PAYG) pricing
Software-as-a-Service applications can serve different needs.

• CRM, ERP, and social networking applications are popular

software-as-a-services.
• SalesForce.com is a successful CRM service offering customer
relationship and HR management, enterprise resource planning, and
more.
• Integration with third-party applications enhances SalesForce.com's
value.
• AppExchange allows customers to publish, search, and integrate new
services into existing applications.
• Similar solutions offered by NetSuite and RightNow include financials,
CRM, inventory, and ecommerce.