Cloud Computing Chapters 10-12

Chapter 10: Software plus Services

• Software plus Services allows you to maintain some software on-site, which accesses data stored on the cloud.
• Especially good for anyone who needs to be away from the corporate datacenter
• With Software plus Services, locally hosted software is supplemented by cloud offerings.
• PRO
• Software plus Services periodically checks the cloud and updates local software with current information, also sending changed information back to the cloud.  If the connection goes down, the software will have the most recently updated information and work can still continue

• CON
• Costs, Quality (slow response if many people are using your vendor’s equipment), fear (people are afraid information isn’t secure)

• Vendors
• Microsoft, Adobe, Salesforce.com, Apple, Google, WeatherBug

• Mobile Device Integration
• A key component of Software plus Service is the ability to work in the cloud from a mobile device
• Can create and download apps, can edit your documents from a mobile device
• Allows for consumers worldwide to have access to less expensive mobile devices that feature more compelling services, rich Internet applications, and easier to use interfaces.

• Providers
• Software plus Services is a good match for mobile users, telecommuters, and others on the go but there is still value for deskbound users
• Applications can be developed by your organization or your vendor, depending on what your vendor offers or what you need
• Adobe AIR, RIA, Apple iPhone SDK

• Microsoft Online
• Allows organizations to have more choices in how they access and manage enterprise-class software
• Having a variety of solutions to choose from gives customers the mobility and flexibility they need to meet constantly evolving business needs

• Microsoft is moving towards a hybrid strategy of Software plus Services and the goal is to empower customers and partners with richer applications, more choices, and greater opportunity through a combination of on-premise software, partner-hosted software, and Microsoft-hosted software
• Microsoft’s operating system consists of Active Directory.  Active Directory is a Microsoft directory service, and it is used to provision, store, manage users, groups, passwords, and contacts

Chapter 11: Developing Applications
For most of your needs, there is more than likely going to be an application on the cloud that you can subscribe to. For those that aren’t, you can use one of several host sites to develop the application that fits your needs.


Google App Engine won’t do all the complex things that Oracle will allow.  Also,  google will charge users for applications that use excessive amounts of data. They set a limit that is on their site.



Windows Live is a set of building blocks that lays the foundation for applications within Azure.  Developing apps for Azure is different than using other platforms. The Azure platform is designed to be user friendly, so that apps can be created, managed, and distributed with ease.

Trouble Shooting on the Cloud

Trouble shooting on the cloud is a lot different than that which has always been done in the traditional IT environment. Your control of applications on the cloud is limited from your organization. Like we previously mentioned, you are very much dependent upon your web hosts.

Application Management will vary from app to app. Much of that depends on the terms of service you have with the cloud provider you are using. There are products out there to help you manage applications if you are allowed to. One of those is Kaavo.
provides solutions for managing distributed applications and workloads in the clouds. Kaavo is the first and only company to deliver a solution with a top down application focused approach to IT infrastructure management in public and private clouds; enabling users to maximize the full potential of cloud computing”
             - webapps.com







Chapter 12: Local Clouds and Thin Clients

A local cloud- presentation virtualization which skips the service provider component and allows you to manage all the contents yourself


Virtualization: 

• Server Virtualization- A physical server computer into multiple servers.  Each has the appearance as the dedicated machine.
• Application Virtualization- Software that are separate from the underlying operating system
• Presentation Virtualization- Run an application in one location (the server) but be controlled in another (the thin client) 

Why Virtualize?

• Cost
• Administration
• Fast Deployment
• Reduced Infrastructure Cost (reduce the # of physical servers)

When virtualizing, you need to assess, analyze, determine ways to save money, think about the concerns, and think about security.

Server solutions: 

2 major components of a vitualized environment: clients and servers.

Microsoft Hyper-V

Virtual technology that helps professionals and developers build systems.



VMware

Offers a server that provides virtualization products for Linux ans Windows servers.



Thin Clients  (Devices that connect over a network to a centralized server where all the processing and storage takes place.  This reduces maintenance cost, updates, and gives a higher level of security.  It can also be up to 80 percent more power efficient than a regular desktop.)

(Hewlett Packard- leading manufacturer of thin clients.)